Rusty Nail Wound Folk Remedy
For those of you who aren’t my Facebook fans, and didn’t hear about this, I stepped on a nail a couple of weeks ago while working on putting up a fence. It wasn’t a big deal, just a pain. Literally.
I didn’t realize I’d stepped on it, until I tried to move and my shoe wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t until I jerked my foot up and felt a twinge of pain when I realized that the nail had punctured my foot. After pulling my shoe off, I quickly saw the blood soaking my sock.
Great.
I really didn’t want to have to go get a Tetanus Shot. And I was highly annoyed that my careless mishap could end up costing us a pretty penny. Like we have money to be throwing away on a doctor’s visit!
I got on Facebook and many of you offered some very good advice. This is what I ended up doing: First off I cleaned the wound with Peroxide, rubbed on some Neosporin, and slapped on a bandaid. But after reading some suggestions, I started soaking my foot in hot water with Epsom salt 2-3 times a day for at least 30 min. each time. Then I’d dry it off and, using a Q-tip, rubbed the sore with Lavender Oil (Tea Tree Oil would have been good too). I tried to let it stay unbandaged as much as possible, so that it could get lots of air.
A BIG thanks to my friends Rachel and Pat in particular, for doctoring me via the internet!
After a few days, it did begin healing nicely. I was nervous about an infection setting in, as it was a bit red and tender for those first few days. But my friends assured me that a little soreness was normal. As long as it was not very red, hot to touch, or oozing, it was doing okay.
I am glad I didn’t run straight to the doctors office. I’m not saying that you should do what I do. I’m just telling you that this worked for me.
But the whole point of me sharing this story wasn’t really to tell you how I treated a nail wound, but rather to share with you an old folk remedy that I find very interesting.
When my husband got a look at the hole in my foot the first thing he told me was that whenever he stepped on a nail as a kid, his grandfather would always put Kerosene on it. As a matter of fact, he’d put Kerosene on any broken skin.
Honestly, I thought that sounded crazy. But after asking around, other people I’ve spoken to have also recalled using Kerosene when they were growing up. When I went to visit my friend Adelia this past Monday, I told her about how I’d stepped on a nail and what I’d done to treat it. She smiled and asked, “You didn’t use Kerosene?” I was surprised that even she would say that! She showed me the little medicine bottle with a dropper in it that she uses just for Kerosene.
Hmmm. Interesting!
So, next time I think I’ll try this Kerosene remedy for a nail wound. Along with the Epsom soaks and essential oils, of course.
Have you ever heard of using Kerosene to treat wounds? Do you know of another home remedy for treating a nail puncture wound? I’m all for staying out of the doctor’s office if I can help it!
I always forget about kerosene since I don’t have any around to use – but I’ve heard it works great. Glad your foot is so much better!
My husband mentioned using Kerosene to me at one point. It’s been so long I’d almost forgotten. His grandmother taught him, I believe. I’ve never tried it personally.
my grandmother used to put kerosene on any scrapes I would get when I was little. it didnt burn, but it did feel funny, like your skin was “breathing”.
Great post – thanks!
An older friend of mine told me about using Kerosene for a major wound on her hip. She said she has some nasty scars but never had any infection or problem with the hip. We are too quick to discount “yesterday’s medicine” because others tell us that today’s is better.
When we first moved out here last Summer I got into something in the backyard that gave me a big rash on my legs. My neighbor who is 74 & very tough (my son compares him to Chuck Norris) Told me to put turpentine on it. I thought that can’t be good for you but, now you have me wondering if I should have given it a try.
)
After researching a bit more, I found some info that kerosene is a known carcinogin that can cause myelofibrosis. Also, tetanus just seems too scary to me to risk not getting the shot.
Ok so this isn’t for nail punctures but for burns, place prepared mustard on it! It pulls the burn right out and helps it heal.
Book One in Foxfire books: OLD time Appalachian remedy for “Nail Puncture”
Put some old wool rags into an old tin can, pour kerosene over the rags and light. then smoke the wound.
Take a hammer and draw the nail out. Grease the nail and put it away somewhere to prevent lockjaw.
Pour kerosine oil over the cut, or soak it in same three times aday. This will also remove the soreness.
Mix lard with sootfrom the chimney, then with turpentine, and pack around the wound.
Pour pine oil over the wound.
I’ve never stepped on a nail but I stepped on a pin once and my mom rushed me in for a tetanus shop….so silly. Happy Healing.
I have used Apple Cider Vinegar to heal a fungus toenail-does that count?
Jana
Yep, an old timer friend of mine mixes kerosene, pinetar,raw lindseed oil and turpentine to dress any kind of wound, even a blister and let me tell you it works.
My grandma told me when she went to school she got a case of head lice and the treatment was soak your head in kerosene, let set for 5-10 minutes( or as long as you could stand the smell) and wash throughly with lye soap. Just stay away from a flame source for several days*wink*
Blessings,
Kelle
How ironic I came across your site tonight. My foot is propped up next to me on a chair as I type! Ripping down the old barn today, a 3.5in nail went up thru my work boot and clean thru my foot. Worse thing was I was stuck down to the concrete as the nail was coming up thru it. To the doc we went–$200 for the tetnus shot!!!! (Yes 200$$) We are very remote and only have a small clinic/hospital 45 miles north. Three foot xrays later–they told me I cleaned it out well myself, so they didn’t….gave me an antibiotic and sent me home. UGH-$87 for the doc and who knows what for the xrays. I have kerosene in the basement. If there is ever a next time—I hope not, hurts horrid–I will just head downstairs. Thanks for the info!
We found a garden remedy that works like a charm, though messy. Grated fresh raw red-beet! Tie it on the puncture, bruise, or anything else similar with a cloth, cover with plastic and another cloth. This will begin to ache as it draws the hurt out! Even works to heal broken bones faster after they’ve been set!
Glad you found something that worked!
Love your blog!
Yep. Growing up my daddy would put “coal oil” on virtually any injury, but especially punctures. It did keep out infection and prevent soreness. I’ve never used it as an adult because I believe all petroleum products are carcinogenic, but it may be less toxic than the tetanus vaccine. Certainly less painful!
Tetanus shots are available at your local health department (by appointment) for a very low price. It is nothing like accepting a government hand-out because you do pay for it, but you only see a nurse so there is no huge doctor fee. That’s where my husband and I get ours done.
I saw someone mention pine oil, and wanted to put in my two cents. My dad buys Astyptodyne from the company of the same name in Wilmington, NC. It’s pure pine oil, and it is fabulous for burns and cuts. He’s sworn by it for at least 20 years. http://www.astyptodyne1906.com/
Plain white sugar……an older woman I knew years ago swore by this; grate a small amount of Ivory bar soap into a bowl, add white sugar, and enough water to make a thick paste (doesn’t take much). The soap is mostly to just help make a paste that sticks together – can use just sugar. I was skeptical for a while, but I used it on a neighbor who had stepped on a nail, refused to go to doctor, but had red streaks going up his leg. Packed a bunch of this sticky mess over the wound, covered it with gauze and tape to keep it on. Next morning – took off the covering, nearly gagged at the black smelly stuff on the bandage – the hole was closing over and the red streaks were gone! I’ve sworn by it since….. I actually had a doctor tell me that sugar was used in WWII in the field for wounds, it pulls the infection out if nothing else was available.
Second Teresa’s comment about the health department. Also, Cate’s comment on sugar – if your mouth is bleeding, eat a spoonful of sugar. The sugar helps it clot faster.
With regards to pat-sss please don,t burn any wool rags especially in an enclosed space, burning wool produces cyanide gas the same gas used in the gas chambers
My parents and grandparents always used turpentine. It will also take all the soreness out of a hang nail. My grand father used to put drops of it on sugar and feed it to us for a cough. It didn’t work, is toxic if ingested, and is major nasty tasting.
The reason behind using coal dust is because most coal contains sulphur, which has an antibiotic effect. Cobwebs will stop bleeding, the silk of the spider webs gives the platelets in the blood something to “catch” on, and form a clot.
My vet told me that unless a nail came from an old barn, or had been around horses, not to worry. Horses carry tetnus, and in those cases, yes, you need a shot.
Leave your response!
Categories
My Life, Month-by-Month