A Puncture Wound

What it is: A small but deep wound that usually closes up quickly. But a fish hook in a finger or a rusty nail through a Nike could cause infection.

What to do at home:

• Make sure there is nothing in the wound. Is whatever stuck you whole? If not, look for pieces embedded in the wound; try to extricate them with alcohol-cleaned tweezers.
• Wash the wound with soap and water.
• Apply gentle pressure.
• If the fish hook was never used and barely entered your finger, you can simply apply a layer of antibiotic cream.
• If you haven't had a tetanus booster in the last five years, check with your doctor to see if you need one.

Seek immediate help:

• If the nail passed through your gym shoe on the way to your foot or the hook had seen the inside of a fish or a worm. In both cases, germs may have been carried deep inside the wound, and a doctor will want you to start taking antibiotics ASAP.
• If blood is spurting or the bleeding doesn't stop after five minutes of gentle pressure, or if you can't get the dirt or what punctured you out of the wound, call your doctor.
• If you didn't immediately start on antibiotics and later develop signs of infection―redness, swelling, oozing, red streaks emanating from the wound, or a 100-degree-plus fever―see a doctor.