Splinter Removal without a Needle or Pain

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2013 http://heartfilledhome.blogspot.com

 

I never would have made a good nurse, because I even hate removing splinters!   Just the thought of digging a needle into someone's finger makes me cringe.  Thankfully there is another way to handle this problem.  Whether the splinter is a sliver of wood, metal, glass, plastic, a spine of an animal, or a thorn, this solution should work to draw out the foreign material.  By the way, this remedy would work for humans or for your pets.

One of these three options should draw out the splinter without ever having to use a needle and possibly causing an infection, not to mention the needless pain.  A pair of tweezers is the only tool needed.

1.  Soak the finger (or splintered area) in a cup of warm water and epsom salt (crystals) several times a day. 

2.  Another option would be to make a poultice with epsom salt.  To make a poultice, place a pinch of epsom salt crystals on the bandage part of a large Band-aid, and wrap the Band-aid around the finger.  Change the Ban-aid once a day or whenever it gets wet. It may take a couple days to draw out the splinter.

3.  Yet another option would be to put a small amount of magnesium sulfate paste on the splinter and cover with a Band-aid.  Magnesium sulfate paste is used to draw objects out of the skin - even boils.  You should be able to find this product for less than $2 at your drug store, health food store, or online through Amazon.  You could make your own DYI paste by putting a scoop in a bowl and adding a small amount of pure water, then stirring to form a smooth paste. 

 

You can be sure I will be keeping a bag of epsom salt as well as a jar of magnesium sulfate paste in our medicine cabinet, so I will never again need to remove splinters using a needle!  As Martha would say, "It's a good thing!"