# I have a thing buried in my thumb - how to get it out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848 "2010-03-26T05:53:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/1 "2010-03-26T05:53:10Z")
Title says it all. I have something in a soft part of my thumb that doesn’t want to surface. How do I get rid of it? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/2 "2010-03-26T05:57:26Z")
Possibly a micrcoscopic cactus spine or maybe a metal thing. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/3 "2010-03-26T06:12:24Z")
Get a sharp x-acto knife, tweezers and some rubbing alcohol for disinfection purposes. However, if DIY surgery scares you, leave it alone and your body will take care of it. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/4 "2010-03-26T12:10:25Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > However, if DIY surgery scares you, leave it alone and your body will take care of it. I’ve always wondered about that. How exactly does your body take care of it? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/5 "2010-03-26T12:37:32Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > I’ve always wondered about that. How exactly does your body take care of it? Usually by surrounding it with scar tissue, and sometimes by extruding it over time (ever hear stories of pieces of shrapnel emerging from old wounds?). Of course, sometimes it doesn’t work and you end up with sepsis setting in. When you say “something”, what are we talking about? A splinter? If it’s sticking above the skin’s surface, try using tweezers or strong sticky tape. If it’s buried just below the surface, try abrading the skin with a clean pumice stone, or using a sterilised needle to dig it out. If it’s deeper than that, I’d see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Gbro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Gbro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gbro)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/6 "2010-03-26T13:32:00Z")
If its metal, go have an MRI:D How about a [poultice](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poultice)? This article doesn’t cover a sliver but I have heard of them used for such. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/7 "2010-03-26T13:51:34Z")
if it is a long splinter of wood run in straight then a safety pin or needle can grab the end and pull it out. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/8 "2010-03-26T14:55:23Z")
A quick trip to the doctors will sort it. Although sometimes they work themselves out on their own. I had a thorn reappear about a year after it went in. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/9 "2010-03-26T15:16:01Z")
I have had good luck soaking in warm water for a long time. Epsom salts may or may not add to effect. (I think it does, but if someone were to call me on it, I could only provide anecdotal evidence.) ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/10 "2010-03-26T15:18:35Z")
It’s probably an Osler’s node\*, and if it is you can ignore the other medical advice given above. \*My oblique way of saying that even well-intentioned advice for patients you can’t see is not a very good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-thing-buried-in-my-thumb-how-to-get-it-out/533848/11 "2010-03-26T15:27:27Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > It’s probably an Osler’s node\*, and if it is you can ignore the other medical advice given above. > > \*My oblique way of saying that even well-intentioned advice for patients you can’t see is not a very good idea. Good point. Only a medical professional who has seen the OP in person can give a factual response to the question. I’m going to close this. Colibri General Questions Moderator