Two hunters were injured in separate incidents this past
Sunday due to accidentally firing their guns. One man was resting his gun up
against his foot when it discharged and hit his toe while another was cleaning
his gun and it discharged and hit his friend in the ankle. This weekend served
as a reminder to many that guns should be handled with care.
Hunting injuries affecting the feet are very common and
greatly increase during hunting season. One of the most important things to
remember with a gunshot wound is that you should not remove the bullet on your
own. Once a bullet becomes lodged in your foot or your ankle, you do not know
what it is resting upon. For all you know, it could be resting against an
artery. Instead you should go to the emergency room or nearest doctor’s office
to have the bullet removed in a safe and clean environment. This will help you
to prevent infection and further injury to yourself.
Your foot is made up of many little bones, blood vessels and
nerves that can all be affected when a foreign object enters your foot. Because
it is such a compact area, a great amount of damage can be done in a small
area. So, by allowing your doctor to remove the foreign object, you are giving
yourself the best chance of minimal damage and preventing excessive bleeding.
If you or someone you know has had a foreign object get into
their foot, our office would be more than happy to help you schedule an
appointment to have it removed. We can be reached at (978) 794-8406.
Dr. Wachtel serves the Tewksbury, Dracut, Lawrence and Wilmington,
Massachusetts.
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