I was trimming bougainvillea and a thorn poked my finger through the gloves I was wearing. Three days later, my finger is stiff, red, and very sore. I cannot bend it at the joint where I was poked. Is this something that needs to be treated? I don't see a visible thorn. Can I get an infection?
Hardiness Zone: 10a
Michelle from San Diego
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You most definitely need to get to a doctor!!
Until you get to a doctor.........soak it in a solution of epsom salt and warm water. That should draw some of the poison out of it. Do you have a red swollen finger or are there red streaks running away from the initial sore area? If you have red streaks you need to get yourself to a doctor........NOW!
I thought I was breaking the tips of the thorns in my hands and arms or I was crazy! Thank God neither apply. Some strong thorns they even go through my leather gloves.
See a doctor right away! Any time you prick the skin you can get an infection.
i would say if you cant move your finger you need to go to the doctor NOW
Please go to a doctor NOW. I was bitten by a mosquito....and ended up in the hospital for a week.
Kmcl59
Pensacola, FL
You may want to get that checked by your doctor. It could be an infection that needs antibiotics
has anyone have a picture of this plant please respond
I pricked my thumb on a bouganvilla plant. In a day or two my thumb was swollen red and very much in pain. Soaking it in salt water has helped a little but I need to see a doctor today.
my mom is in the hospital on antibotic IV in an effort to get infection under control from a week old scratch by a bougainvillea thorn...we are scared
Can anyone give me an update on the lady in the hospital with the infection from the bougainvillea? I was stuck with the thorn today, and my finger is very sore.
My father stepped on one of these about 3 months ago and he still has troubles walking on it, It wakes him up through the night and hes even on antibiotics for it. Anyone who even thinks they have been pricked by one of these should see a doctor.
My two yr old stepped on a bougainvillea and the next day he ran a fever of 101 all day? Anyone heard of that before? No one else is sick and his molars already came in just wondered if it was the plant or if thats possible.
I'm not sure, but I was pricked by the same plant's thorn and now it is stiff and sensative (It hurts to walk on my foot because of the prick). I wonder if the thorn has poison or some other fluid within.
# The juice or sap of these plants contains oxalate crystals. These needle-shaped crystals can irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, resulting in throat swelling, breathing difficulties, burning pain, and stomach upset. Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor if any of these symptoms appear following ingestion of plants.
# Dermatitis: The juice, sap, or thorns of these plants may cause a skin rash or irritation. Wash the affected area of skin with soap and water as soon as possible after contact. The rashes may be very serious and painful. Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor if symptoms appear following contact with the plants.
**Taken from www.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/
I stepped on a bougainvillea plant and got an painful infected swelling on my foot. The next day I had fever and chills (and I am an adult!) I didn't see a doctor and was fine the following day, but plan to be more careful around the plant from now on.
I was stuck in the joint of my thumb by my bougainvilla yesterday while trying to take it from in the ground to a pot. It was painful immediately by nightfall, it was swollen and very sore. Today, it is red and stiff and very sore. I had no idea those thorns were poisonous, scary.
I was stuck by a bougainvillea thorn on my little finger near the second joint. It swelled and was very painful for several days. It has been over two weeks ago and my finger still has some swelling and looks bruised where the thorn entered my finger. It is no longer sore. Do I need to see a doctor and if so what type?
My husband was pricked by one of them; he became very ill and ended up in the hospital with MRSA; he had a huge hunk of his leg cut out. After about 6 months, he's finally healed.
I got poked by something in my thumb in 2015 while I was picking flowers and the next dayay arms were swollen I have been having a severe skin rash since then i explain to my doctor and they ignore me and do all the test they wanna do and nothing is showing up and I continue to suffer
I stepped on a bougainvillea thorn 5 weeks ago - was on a dried branch that had been clipped. It pierced quite deep but didnt think much- 5 weeks later was still a big ball under the skin and was sore. Went to the foot doctor and had surgery immediately (very painful and very expensive- they cut out a piece of my foot and now am in excrutiating pain and unable to walk- will take 5-6 weeks to heal). It was extrememly infected- combination of the toxic thorn (yes, they are toxic) and the deep puncture. It is very very dangerous not to treat a wound from a bougainvillea... take it very seriously.... (I was told left untreated it could potentially spread the infection thru your body causing sepsis or staph infection-leading to death)
Can I ask where all these people are who were pricked? I'm in Queensland, Australia. Just wondering if maybe we don't have a poisonous bougainvillea here? I got a thorn in my foot yesterday, and it's sore to walk on now, but no swelling, fever etc. Hoping it won't get worse. :)
I got pricked by a bougainvillea thorn a month ago and it still hurts. I saw a doctor and I took pain killer but it still hurts. Then my sister stepped on one. There is some type of curse upon us!
I was stuck deep into my index finger knuckle with one the other day it's red, stiff and soar, been almost a week now, I can bend it but it's soar and the site is red. I'm gonna soak it right now and get the doctor to look at it Monday.
I got pricked by a baugainvillas (quite frequently) did not think much of it. However I have pretty nasty sideeffects, sometimes one side of my face becomes red and travels to the other side and starts swelling up. I was not aware of being toxic. From now on I'm using Benadryl which takes care of it within apprx, 4 to 5 days as well as the fever symptoms.
Hi, I was pricked after stepping on a bougainvillea thorn (1 1/2" long)It went straight through my Crocs! It's been 8 days now and I can barely walk. It seems to get better then worsen. I've been taking antibiotics for the last 5 days and ibuprofen. Is there an antidote for this plant's poison?
David (adult male, Adelaide)
What nonsense answers! Bougainvillea isn't poisonous. I prune my bougainvillea back all the time and I always end up getting stabbed a few times by the thorns and get big cuts on my forearms with no adverse effects.
I actually pruned my bougainvilleas today and I have: 3 stabbed fingers, a puncture wound in my palm, a stabbed foot, and no less than 30 cuts on my forearms (some bled quite a lot at the time, the longest cut is almost 10cm). They are red at the moment, but that is normal for fresh cuts. I washed all the wounds and I am not concerned about them. I am more worried about my sunburn.
I would suggest that people having a weird reaction have some sort of allergy either to the plant, or to pesticides / insecticides they may have sprayed on the plant. It is also possible part of the thorn is still in your skin, which would explain the swelling, but it should be pushed out naturally by your body. If the swelling gets too big, it could be an infection which would require a visit to the local doctor and some antibiotics.
I think if u haven't experience the pain, you have no idea then. It's not nonsense. The plant has toxins in it. Some people are immune to it.
Ive been poked, scratched, and stabbed by this plant countless times. But six months ago I got a minor stab in the joint of my index finger that is different. The wound healed, but if lightly brushed, a sharp pain as if the thorn is still there results.
I will see a doctor to explore possible residual plant matter left behind. No swelling or other outward sign of injury, but I get a sharp reminder if I use that finger that something isnt right.
I trimmed a bv, and stuck myself six or seven times it has been three days and I have a uncontrollable itching and rash almost obsessive the bumps have spread all over both arms no fever or chills I happen to have some bactrim and am dosing up on it I will keep you posted I thought if not better by morning its off to doctor it itches so bad I am ready to cut my arms off.
I just got pricked by the bougainvillea today and apparently it hit my vein.
I could see the swelling and redness on my right hand where my inflammatory response is working, which is normal. As for now, I think I should still observe my wound.
On New Year's Day this year (19 days ago) I was racking up leaves as my husband was trimming the bougainvillea on our fence. I stupidly wasn't wearing shoes and stepped back onto a cut branch and onto a think thorn approx 2 cm long into the ball of my left foot.
I went to the Doctor day 3 as I could hardly walk on it and was aching constantly. I had no redness or swelling and the thorn was definately still attached to the branch after I trod on it. She scheduled an ultrascan but I had to re schedule as we were going away. I started soaking it in a warm salt bucket each night Xbox it began to feel ok. On the last day of our trip (day 13) I was looking at it and looking at the hole in my foot.. I prodded it a little to see if it was sore deeper... Stupid idea... The next day it was sore again, and I'm back to hobbling on it.. Waking me at night.
Tonight I have a new symptom My whole leg to the knee is aching..badly.. I still have no redness or signs of infection.... Wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone else and how long I can expect this to last. A busy mother of three...from Brisbane Australia! Cheers!
I am experience the same thing. I am on antibiotics now. Cuz I can't handle the pain. I have heard other people went through the same thing for a week
Didn't realize this post was so old. Last night I met a man who also stepped on a thorn and suffered for two long years, not knowing a piece was lodged in his ankle . After seeing many doctors, his skin was falling off, his body , he lost over 90 lbs, the doctor told him he was going to lose his legs, they finally removed the thorn. This poor guy showed me pictures of what happened to his body for 22 months. So horrific. Hope your out come was better
I too have allergic reaction if brushed/stuck/poked by thorns. The dermatitis similar to poison ivy, takes long time to heal.
Immediately wash area with soap and water, then nurse as any contact dermatitis. Check out info on this at:
www.gardenguides.com/
Also, use your head for deep punctures of any nature, either it is a clean in/out wound and healing or needs medical attention.
I believe I was pricked several times by that plant in the woods it is a large thick tree like briar so I looked it up and I am not fully sure if it is poisoning to prick but it hurts.
www.ehow.com/
You might want to look at this. I have a hard time with bougainvillea thorn pricks. I am also allergic to a lot of plants, however it seems like their thorns are coated with something that can effect some people.
I was pricked by an old, dead Bougainvillea thorn on my mid middle finger. 3 days later that finger was swollen to twice its size, red, throbbing, burning and with a severe pressure pain. Next day had purply blisters lateral finger and severe finger joints pain. Was put on Keflex and prednisone and has helped little. The pain is traveling down to my mid hand and I can barely bend that finger at any of the joints , now also including the knuckle.
My husband does most of the gardening and gets pricked by bougainvillea frequently without reaction. Some of us are sensitive to the substance that coats the thorns. I'm getting quite concerned about how long it will take for this syndrome to resolve.
Yes Michelle, I strongly encourage you to get to a physician or urgent care center. It's always better to be safe rather than sorry.
I got pricked by a thorn a month and a half ago.... it actually passed through my shoes and got to the bottom of my foot pretty deep.. I immediately tried to poke in there with another thorn to see if there was anything but saw nothing..., it got swollen the upper side and was very painful I could barely walk...it removes puss daily.. I got a tetanus injection and some Antibiotics but I still can't walk properly.. I think I'll go to see a doc again
My husband got a deep cut by a thorn on tip of his finger. The cut healed but then he started feeling pain in his nail. He didnt think much of it. Then he started feeling pain in tip of finger. It became red & he started feeling extreme pressure & pain. It started to move down his finger so he went to urgent care. They gave him a high dose of bactrim antibiotic & a tetnus shot. Two days later pain & swelling got worse so he went back to urgent care. They gave him a shot of prednisone & a shot of amoxicillin antibiotic & sent him home with a steroid med pack & he is still taking bactrim. The dr said he has developed a staph infection & that It is serious. He has been soaking it in water & salt for a few days along with maleluca. It now looks like the infection is pulling toward his nail to find a way out, but dr said do not pop it as it is staph & highly contagious. He still has pain & can barely bend his finger. We will see dr if this doesnt improve in a day or two.
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Can bougainvillea cause severe itching?
By melroyse
Yes the thorns have a toxin in them that can cause severe itching especially if you are sensitive to the toxin.
