Yesterday afternoon while pruning my roses, I got stabbed with a rose thorn on the top of my left thumb. Not thinking anything of it, I kept working. Later in the evening puncture area was sore and red. My husband told me to clean it and put some antibiotic ointment on it which I did. This morning the area is still read and sore. The thumb isn't swollen and the area isn't raised but it hurts to bend it.

My concern is after searching online that I might have an infection or even tetanus. My last tetanus shot was about 10 years ago and I know I'm due for another one. The problem is that we lost our medical insurance when my husband's hours at work were cut to part time.

Does anyone have advice other then to go to the ER?

Is part of the thorn still inside the thumb, sort of like a splinter?

The bacteria which causes tetanus lives in soil and in fertilizer. What Is Tetanus? What Causes Tetanus?

I know that gardening books advise people who do garden to wear gloves and keep their tetanus shots up to date for this reason.

I know money is tight (and I certainly sympathize) but perhaps this should be seen by a Physician. I would rather know it's nothing than keep worrying.

No, we looked and there doesn't appear to be any of the thorn in the wound.

And I WAS wearing gloves, unfortunately the thorn stabbed me right at the seam.

And money IS tight. Either I go to the doctor and not eat or I eat. For some reason people who always say go to the doctor are the one's who can afford it. Not everyone can. We can't.

The best place for a tetanus shot would would be either your doctor on Monday morning or if today at a emergency care facility ( or urgent care) they are much cheaper than a hospital ER and at least in the US they are almost everywhere

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Originally Posted by ILMDL

No, we looked and there doesn't appear to be any of the thorn in the wound.

And I WAS wearing gloves, unfortunately the thorn stabbed me right at the seam.

And money IS tight. Either I go to the doctor and not eat or I eat. For some reason people who always say go to the doctor are the one's who can afford it. Not everyone can. We can't.

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I don't understand your attitude. You asked whether you could have tetanus which, of course, could kill you.

I answered, and I thought I was very sympathetic about your financial situation. And, yes, I'm one of those people who say to go to a Doctor because I have health insurance and can afford it. I don't think that makes me a bad person.

So don't go a Doctor and sit around and wait to see if you develop the symptoms of tetanus.

This is another one of those questions where I wonder why you asked. If it is tetanus there is no home cure. If it's an infection your blood stream will either pick it up... or it won't. YOu have apparently decided that medical treatment is out of the question. There are no other options but wait and see.

Please read the rules of AMHD - just because you don't like the answer and/or the research doesn't mean it's incorrect or not helpful. You have misused the rating system.

Sorry you don't like the medical information which I provided.

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Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

The best place for a tetanus shot would would be either your doctor on monday morning or if today at a emergency care facility ( or urgent care) they are much cheaper than a hospital ER and at least in the US they are almost everywhere

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Somehow I think OP isn't going to like this answer either. Tetanus, of course, can be fatal - medical treatment is the only option if there is a remote possibility but OP doesn't want to hear that.

This is one of those questions where there is no "acceptable" answer.