Everyone has gotten some sort of a foreign body-such as a splinter, thorn, piece of glass, etc.-stuck in their foot at some point of their lives. Sometimes, you won’t be able to remove the foreign body by yourself at home, or it is not safe to do so. 

Your podiatrist can safely remove the foreign object from your foot using sterile equipment. Depending on how deeply the object is embedded, they may need to anesthetize the affected foot and perform a minor surgical procedure in-office. 

Here are some of the reasons why you need to see your podiatrist to have a foreign body removed from your feet.

Foreign Object is In Too Deep

Usually a pair of tweezers and some basic first aid can take care of a superficial splinter in your feet, especially if you have soaked your feet in warm water first, which softens your skin and reduces inflammation. 

If the object is lodged too deeply into your skin, it may be very painful, dangerous and difficult to try and remove it on your own. In this case, call your podiatrist to remove it as safely and painlessly as possible.

You Are a Diabetic

As with any cut or wound, having a foreign object lodged in your foot is especially dangerous if you have diabetes. Do not attempt to remove the object by yourself.

Your Foot May Be Infected

Foreign bodies are typically not clean, and may be carrying bacteria. This can cause an infection, which may result in the injury site feeling warm, filling up with pus, or looking red or streaky. Your podiatrist will remove the object and treat it with antibiotics.

If you have a foreign object stuck in your foot under any of the instances above, make an appointment with your podiatrist as soon as possible.