Question
I managed to get several punctures to the temple and the side of my head from a large cactus. I removed all visible spines, but I now have swelling and pain there. Is infection probable, or am I simply having a normal reaction to the truama of bruising and shallow punctures?

Answer
Dear Carol,

so sorry for the slow response. Several Possibilities. You may be having an allergic reaction to the cactus itself ( some have sap that can cause allergic reactions), some of the spines are imbedded in your scalp and can be causing the irritation and 3, you can be developing an infection.  Not knowing how large the spines were or the type of cactus I would check with your MD if you have redness, swelling, warmth at the  site and pain.

Maureen