Needle jammed completely under my skin - how dangerous is this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you jam a needle all the way into your muscle? Did you do it on purpose?

Completely accidental. No, it isn't in my muscle, I don't think? I think I would feel that. It seems to be in the fatty portion of my thigh.

I've certainly stuck myself with errant sewing needles or pins before, here and there over the years, but they never went that far in. This is a pretty small sewing needle and very sharp I guess. I rolled over it; it was on my bedspread because I was sewing while sitting on the bed. I suppose the same thing could have happened if you lost a needle while sitting on the sofa.

You said above you don’t sew… are you making this whole thing up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did you jam a needle all the way into your muscle? Did you do it on purpose?

Completely accidental. No, it isn't in my muscle, I don't think? I think I would feel that. It seems to be in the fatty portion of my thigh.

I've certainly stuck myself with errant sewing needles or pins before, here and there over the years, but they never went that far in. This is a pretty small sewing needle and very sharp I guess. I rolled over it; it was on my bedspread because I was sewing while sitting on the bed. I suppose the same thing could have happened if you lost a needle while sitting on the sofa.

You said above you don’t sew… are you making this whole thing up?

I meant, "Jeesh, I barely sew. Why do I even still have a sewing kit?"

I have a sewing kit and occasionally sew on some buttons, do a little repair.

Long ago I was into embroidery, and did a little more hand sewing, like for a kid costume or something. It wasn't unheard of to misplace a pin or needle on, say the arm of a stuffed chair or in the cushion, and get stuck by it later. Shit happens. But I never had anything seriously stuck, or had a splinter I was unable to remove.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a sewing needle (or perhaps a pin) in my bed and I just jammed it really hard into my leg. It's completely under my skin. I could feel the end of it some and tried to dig it out with a splinter remover/lance thingy but can't get it. It feels like it is digging in deeper now and I cannot get it out. Is this dangerous? Can I just wait and hope it will move closer to the surface later or do I have to go to urgent care or a doctor to get it out? I've dealt with splinters and such before but always there was something you could grab and pull it out. I'm worried it will just disappear into my fat or muscle and then move around my body and cause trouble elsewhere, or infection.

I’m sorry you need to ask this but YES, you need to seek medical attention ASAP. This is a situation with ripe potential to develop into sepsis and/or you could develop tetanus and should get a booster (if you haven’t had one recently) when they remove the metal (rusty?) foreign object that is now inside your body.

So OP here, I did follow up with a surgeon, who said a) it isn't particularly dangerous but b) unfortunately I need actual surgery (with general anesthesia) because the needled is pretty lodged in there. Totally SUCKS and I'm really pissed at myself. I don't even sew!

I asked for a regional block. General, wtf?

I never had surgery before (since adulthood). When dod you ask for a regional block? What kind of surgery was it? I'd far prefer that to general anesthesia for sure.

Ask the surgeon and you need to have a discussion with the anesthetist.

When? I assume this has to take place well ahead of actual surgery?

[Anonymous]

I stepped on a sewing needle and didn't know it. It slid into my foot and the area turned red/seemed infected. I went to urgent care where they saw it on an x-ray. They couldn't extract it and I ended up having outpatient surgery by an orthopedic surgeon. I then had to wear a boot for 3 weeks. Get it looked at!

[Anonymous]

Your body rejects foreign items. Like a splinter, it will work its way out, if its there at all.

[Anonymous]

Whelp, I finally had outpatient surgery to remove the needle! It moved close enough to the surface that the surgeon was able to remove it under a local anesthetic, thank goodness. Glad that's over!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whelp, I finally had outpatient surgery to remove the needle! It moved close enough to the surface that the surgeon was able to remove it under a local anesthetic, thank goodness. Glad that's over!

Happy for you! I actually wondered about you last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your body rejects foreign items. Like a splinter, it will work its way out, if its there at all.

Apparently OP's surgeon disagreed. Thanks for adding your expert medical knowledge to the discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your body rejects foreign items. Like a splinter, it will work its way out, if its there at all.

Apparently OP's surgeon disagreed. Thanks for adding your expert medical knowledge to the discussion.

He did say that it would likely work its way out over time, and it sort of did. But it's not desirable to just leave a metal object under your skin like that if you have the possibility of safely getting it out. It was sore to the touch and would have been annoying and unpleasant to let it stay there months and months until it found its way out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your body rejects foreign items. Like a splinter, it will work its way out, if its there at all.

You are either making a joke or you are a moron.