Fishhook injuries: Overview
Even if you fish carefully, you may get a fishhook in your skin. A fishhook is a curved, sharp tool placed on a lure or line to catch fish. Some fishhooks have a barb near the tip that keeps the fish on the hook. You can also use a barbless fishhook. It may reduce the chance of a fishhook injury.
Fishhook injuries often occur when you remove a slippery, flopping fish from your line. Injury may also occur when you cast a line, when another person casts a line, or if you walk barefoot near fishing gear. The chance of a fishhook injury rises if you aren't familiar with fishing gear.
Most fishhook injuries puncture the skin of the face, scalp, fingers, back, or ears. Remove a fishhook that isn't too deep. It's important to clean the puncture wound well to help prevent infection.
A fishhook can cause other problems if it enters the eye, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones. A fishhook injury is more serious when:
- A fishhook is in or near an eye.
- A barb can't be removed using home treatment.
- Bleeding is severe or can't be stopped.
- The wound is big enough to need stitches.
- Blood vessels, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, or bones are injured. Injuries to these areas may cause:
- Numbness or tingling.
- Pale, white, blue, or cold skin.
- Decreased ability to move the area.
- Signs of infection develop, such as redness, swelling, or pus. A puncture from a fishhook is often dirty from marine bacteria. This increases the chance of a skin infection.
- Your tetanus shot isn't current.
When should you seek care for a fishhook injury?
Do not try to remove a fishhook (seek medical care instead) if any of the following are true:
- The fishhook is in or near an eye.
- The fishhook is in a joint, in a bone, or deep in a muscle.
- You are concerned that removing the fishhook may damage nearby blood vessels or nerves.
- The person who is injured is not calm and cannot help.
- You are afraid to remove the fishhook.
Caring for a fishhook eye injury
Fishhook injuries to the eye are rare. When they occur, they can cause a serious injury, including blindness. Prompt emergency room or ophthalmology care is needed to remove the fishhook, prevent complications, and minimize damage from the fishhook.
Do the following, and then seek emergency care:
- Do not try to remove a fishhook from an eye, eyelid, or near an eye.
- Do not put pressure on the eye.
- Cover the eye and fishhook with a metal patch, a cup, or even a paper cup.
Covering the eye prevents the hook from moving.
Be very careful not to put pressure on the hook or the eye.
- Cover the uninjured eye, if possible.
The injured eye will move less if the uninjured eye is covered. This may prevent further damage to the injured eye.
How to remove a fishhook using the advance-and-cut method
If medical help is not available to remove a fishhook, this method is an option. If removal of the fishhook is too painful, seek medical care.
1. Determine that the fishhook is deeply embedded and cannot be removed by the string-pull method. Use ice or cold water to numb the area.
2. Push the hook the rest of the way through the skin so the barb comes out through the skin.
3. Carefully cut off the barb. Wire cutters work.
4. Remove the rest of the hook by pulling it back out from where it entered the skin. Be sure to clean the wound to prevent infection.
©2011-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated