Youngest son had a thin but sizeable wooden splinter under his finger nail.  It's far enough under the nail so that there isn't any sticking out to pull it out with.  I don't know how to get at it.  Obviously because its in the nail bed, it's very sore although doesn't look red, bleeding or inflamed - yet!

Any ideas?  It's got to come out and although I have used sulphate paste on splinters before, in this case you couldn't get it under the nail.  He bites his nails too!

I've done a good old Google search but 'splinter under the nail' just seems to be used in poetic writing and I couldn't find much medical advice!

Any suggestions appreciated.

if its too deep to dig out yourself then a visit to your nearest walk in center will help if there is one near by if not then it a&e they will numb the area and dig it out

I got a big wooden splinter under my nail from scooping up some boxes off a mill floor years ago. The manager's son took me off to A+E to get it taken out. They also gave me an anti-tetanus (in the bum... well at least it gave the others at work a laugh :rolleyes: )

I would get it seen to at a hospital or at least the docs. as soon as possible. They can be nasty if infection sets in.

Kath :-)

Just to add: do a Google for subungual splinter (subungual means beneath a finger/toenail)  Just had a quick look and some sites say the nail is sometimes cut in a V shape to get it out but they just pulled mine out with tweezers (perhaps depends how far in it is