Any wound that you suffer could become infected. When bacteria get into the break in your skin, if it is not cleaned out properly, an infection can set in from that point. This could often be characterized by the development of a fever, redness spreading around the site, increased pain, stiffness and many other symptoms. Essentially, it will just appear that the wound is getting worse instead of healing.
However, the risk of this is highest with puncture wounds. These are the type of wounds that could be caused by a dog bite, for example, since dogs have such long canine teeth. It could also happen in a workplace injury or slip and fall accident, or any situation where the wound is deeper than it is long.
Why is infection more likely?
There are a few problems with puncture wounds that make them more susceptible to infections, starting off with the depth of the wound itself. Bacteria that are pushed into this wound can become trapped far below the skin. This can make it very difficult to thoroughly clean the wound out, which is what then leads to an infection.
Another problem with puncture wounds is that they tend not to bleed as much as open wounds. This can make them seem like they’re not as serious, but it’s just that the damage is below the surface. Bleeding can actually help clean the wound out in most situations, so a wound that bleeds very little is less likely to be clean and sterile.
If you do develop an infection after an injury, this can add a lot of extra medical bills and complications, so be sure you know how to seek proper financial compensation.