The needle stick is a serious but relatively common accident that usually happens in the hospital, but it can also happen on a daily basis, especially if you are walking barefoot on the street or in public places, as there may be a lost needle.
In such cases, what you should do is:
- Wash the area with soap and water. An antiseptic product can also be used, however, studies indicate that this does not seem to decrease the risk of getting a disease; Identify if the needle was used previously by someone who may have a communicable disease. If this is not possible, it must be considered that the needle was used; Go to the hospital if the needle has been used before, to do blood tests and diagnose any illness that needs to be treated.
Some diseases can take a few months to be identified in blood tests and, therefore, it is advisable to go to the hospital to repeat the tests after 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months, especially if the tests have always been negative.
During the period when examinations are necessary, it is also advisable to take precautions to avoid passing a possible disease to others, especially through the use of condoms during sexual intercourse.
Main risks of needle stick
There are several viruses that can be transmitted by a needle, even if it has not yet been used, as it can transport microorganisms present in the air directly into the blood vessels.
However, the most risky situations happen when the needle has already been used by another person, especially when their history is not known, as there may be transmission of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B or C.
Check out what symptoms of HIV, Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C may appear.
How to avoid a needle stick
To avoid an accidental needle stick, special care must be taken, such as:
- Avoid going barefoot on the street or in public places, especially on the grass; Discard needles in an appropriate container, in case you need to use insulin at home, for example; Deliver the needle container to the pharmacy whenever it is 2/3 full; Avoid plugging a needle that has already been used.
This care is especially important for healthcare professionals, but also for people who come into frequent contact with needles at home, especially in the case of diabetes treatment, with insulin, or administration of heparin.
People who are most at risk of having an accidental needle stick include healthcare professionals, clinical laboratory professionals and caregivers of people with chronic illnesses, especially diabetes or heart problems.
