UGH! Impaled Myself on a toothpick...do I Need a Tetanus Shot Now?

Updated on February 14, 2013
S.B. asks from Keller, TX
11 answers

Getting around this morning, I found one of my daughters art projects. And by this I mean, I stepped on a colored toothpick and impaled myself with it. After much doing (and much cursing), I got the toothpick out. That thing was huge. I measured it. 3/4 of an inch. I know if it was metal, I'd need one. But now do I need to add "get a tetanus shot" to my already overbooked "to do" list for today?

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So What Happened?

Thank you ladies! I forgot about getting the Tdap after giving birth. I have a call in to the OB to make sure I got one and double check the date. If I need a booster, Walgreens down the street can provide it for me. Thanks ladies! I think I will definitely be visiting that wine suggestion later this evening!

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K.K.

answers from Omaha on

Yikes sounds painful have you had a baby recently? If so you probably had one while in the hospital while in labor.(Dtap) if you didn't I would get one just for precautions. In the dtap vaccanation, you also get the pertussis (whooping cough) with that shot. Good luck!

2 moms found this helpful

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R.M.

answers from Cumberland on

no-but perhaps a glass of wine.

5 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

If you've had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years then you are covered.
If you don't know, I think you might be able to get the shot at your local pharmacy.
Walgreen's around here can perform most shots.
Taking the time to get the shot is a lot less time consuming and much less debilitating than getting tetanus.

3 moms found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Tetanus is usually given for something that is a puncture. I have always heard that if it's an outside object that you need the shot. But calling the doc would make me feel better. It's better to be safe in this situation for sure.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Houston on

And I thought being impaled by Legos was bad! This is by far more worse!

2 moms found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Initially, I was just going to say that everyone should have a booster every 10 years. So if it has been longer than that, you should follow up and get one, right away, because any puncture wound (except for probably from a sterilized item--and then only if you disinfect the area first, like with a shot) can introduce tetanus. (And think about what could be on that toothpick! It was produced in a factory where? Where has your daughter had it since she made her art project? How clean were her hands when she was making her project? and on and on)...

BUT, then a few ladies commented about Tdap after giving birth. And I am totally confused. Is that something they do? I didn't have anything. Is it only if you have a C-section? I didn't get it with either of my deliveries. Why do that do that?

1 mom found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

ooooo, i'm wincing!!!!
i'll bet you're fine. unless the toothpick was covered in something, it seems very unlikely that it could carry something like tetanus. obviously this is much worse than a splinter, but it's basically the same principle, isn't it?
i definitely second the glass of wine.
i punctured the sole of my foot with the handlebar of a plastic motorcycle back in the day. omg, how horribly that hurt! and did so for a long time.
the joys of motherhood.........
:/ khairete
S.

1 mom found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

Call the doc and ask, but I doubt it. If it was a fairly clean toothpick. If it was sitting outside in something nasty I would be more concerned.

Clean it well.

1 mom found this helpful
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D..

answers from Miami on

I'd call your doctor's office and ask if it has been more than 7 years since your last booster.

My son stabbed his finger with a pencil and he couldn't get the lead out. We had to have a small surgical procedure to get it out. I hope you don't actually have a little wood in there that you missed...

Dawn

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Houston on

I did that when I was in high school! And it broke, so I had to go to the ER to get it out. Luckily, I didn't have to get a tetanus shot because I had just gotten one before school started. I did almost the same thing two years ago at the playground with a piece of the mulch. :-(. Of course I hadn't had a booster since high school, so I did end up getting a tetanus booster. Now I'm good for the next 10 ( well, 8 now) years.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.F.

answers from Dallas on

Not unless it's been out in the dirt where tetanus lives. But at some doctors appt in the future it's always good to be up to date on that and the whooping cough vaccine at once.

1 mom found this helpful
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