Backcountry Emergencies
Bites, Stings, and Splinters
This page presents some basic information on the treatment of insect bites and stings.
Caution: Medical and other health related information found on this page is intended as basic information and should be viewed as a starting point for further investigation by the visitor. Please do further research and speak to a licensed physician prior to using any of this medical advice.
With the West Nile Virus a continuing threat, insect repellent (with DEET) is a must. Put in on from dusk to dawn whenever you are outdoors.
If you are stung or bitten by a bee, wasp, hornet, do the following:
- Remove the stinger by scraping it away with a fingernail or credit card.
- Wash and cover the wound with sterile dressings.
- Apply a cold pack.
- Watch for signals of an allergic reaction. Some people have severe reactions to insect stings, such as a bee or wasp sting, that can be life-threatening.
- Watch for signs of infection. A large red, raised area around the sting or bits is cause for concern. If red streaks appear, get medical help immediately.
Removing a Splinter
Spines, thorns, and splinters have a way of getting your attention quickly, but they're also gifts that can keep on giving. Left embedded, a foreign object can fester for years, so it's important to remove it quickly and completely. Here's how:
- Sterilize tweezers and a needle by holding their tips in a flame for 30 seconds. Clean the skin around the splinter with an alcohol wipe. Don't use iodine, which obscures tiny splinters by staining the skin.
- Enlarge the splinter opening with the needle, teasing away the layers of skin until you can grab the splinter with tweezers.
- Press your thumbnail against the embedded base of the splinter to push it toward the opening. Meanwhile, hold the tweezers parallel to the skin and grasp the splinter close to the wound and extract it.
- If you don't have tweezers slide a serrated knife over the splinter and draw it out with the edge.
- For deep, vertically embedded splinters, get a grip with a multi-tool's pliers. Apply pressure around the wound as you remove the sliver to reduce pain and bleeding.
- If you can't locate a splinter after 20 minutes, stop searching to prevent further damage. Wait until it's covered by scar tissue, then remove both splinter and scab.
- Remove splinters under a fingernail by cutting a small V-shaped notch out of the mail to expose the splinter, and then pull it out with tweezers.
- Wash the area, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover with a sterile bandage.
- Tetanus from splinters is rate, but if the wound is very dirty and you haven't had a booster in ten years, see a doctor within 72 hours for an evaluation.
