Should I bother my GP with this - or keep it until it gets better?

Question

I am just back from my holiday and on the last day, yesterday, I stood on a Sea Urchin and got 11 of its spines embeded in my foot. The life guard/first aider at my hotel managed to get most of them out with a needle and tweezers, but 4 were too deeply embeded - is it worth annoying my GP over this - or should I wait and see if they work their way out.

I also got water in my ear in the pool - before I stood on the sea urchin (really had a good last day!!). My ear hurts a bit and my hearing is quite dull in that ear.

Should I see if this settles over the weekend or bother my GP? - I really don't like going to the doctor unless I'm on my knees with illness.

Answer 1

Why don't you call your GP and let the nurse know what happened.  I'm sure they will be able to tell you whether it will be better to come right in or wait till Mon.  If they have you wait, they will tell you what to do in the meantime.

HTH!

Answer 2

no  get your own

Answer 3

Depends on the size of the spines, but you really probably need to see a doctor.  You need to get them out, and you will most likely need antibiotics.  If this gets a good infection (cellulitis or osteomyelitis)  going, it can be difficult to treat.

Answer 4

   One of my friends got a sea urchin spine in their knee and they developed a huge cyst from it and had to have that removed.

   If you do not get them removed from your foot you can develop sarcoidal granuloma (nodular, chronically inflamed tissue) at the injury site. The sarcoidal response is a soft tissue reaction that serves to dissolve any spine components left behind. It does so by creating an inflammatory response composed of various cell types. The end result is a dense, nodular collection of inflammatory cells that is evident both microscopically and clinically. If left unchecked this inflammatory process can become destructive. The stimulus for sarcoidal granuloma production is unclear, but has been suggested to be secondary to remnants of either the epithelial spine covering or associated slime, sand, surface microbes (bacteria, algae, etc.) or spine fragments.