Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Robot Parade Leader]

Not asking for med treatment online but some med people hang around.... "Referral?" "Go see doctor?" 

So I fell and caught myself and the only part of me that hurts is the tip part of my finger because of how it all landed. Very Hard landing, all on that fingertip. Hurts 2.5 to 3 days later. No discoloration, deformation, or swelling, but it hurts when I move it a bit and return it. Range of motion intact but some pain on motion. 1/10 maybe 2/10 with movement.

Have not treated, except cold pack, and avoiding movement. Talked to RN on insurance's phone line, said watch out but treat at home for now.

Thoughts? I get there is a pandemic on, but I make a living with my hands. Some medical people hang around here and I just wanted to ask:

1.) At what point do I see a physician? Get an x ray? Appointment with physician office or "urgent care" for what treatment?
2.) What do I do until then? The nurse just said treat at home, keep off it and cold packs. Will this heal on its own?

I get it is just a finger but ... possible bone.... Is it necessarily broken (Wishful thinking/hoping for less)? I am lucky it was only a finger hurt in that fall and that I have insurance. I just want things healed.

[ChairmanPoo]

It's of course impossible to tell without beeing there and running a battery of tests, but to me it doesn't sound too bad? I've broken fingers and other bones, and I had a reduced range of motion, and severe pain.

I think the nurse gave you fairly sensible advice, give it a few days and see how it goes. It might be just bruised. If the pain/motion doesnt improve, or specially if it noticeably worses, that'd be the time to seek medical advice, IMO.

The usual disclaimers apply: this is not medical advice and we do not have a patient-doctor relationship, use your own common sense etc..

[Iduno]

Not asking for med treatment online but some med people hang around.... "Referral?" "Go see doctor?" 

So I fell and caught myself and the only part of me that hurts is the tip part of my finger because of how it all landed. Very Hard landing, all on that fingertip. Hurts 2.5 to 3 days later. No discoloration, deformation, or swelling, but it hurts when I move it a bit and return it. Range of motion intact but some pain on motion. 1/10 maybe 2/10 with movement.

Have not treated, except cold pack, and avoiding movement. Talked to RN on insurance's phone line, said watch out but treat at home for now.

Thoughts? I get there is a pandemic on, but I make a living with my hands. Some medical people hang around here and I just wanted to ask:

1.) At what point do I see a physician? Get an x ray? Appointment with physician office or "urgent care" for what treatment?
2.) What do I do until then? The nurse just said treat at home, keep off it and cold packs. Will this heal on its own?

I get it is just a finger but ... possible bone.... Is it necessarily broken (Wishful thinking/hoping for less)? I am lucky it was only a finger hurt in that fall and that I have insurance. I just want things healed.

Broken fingers and toes are pretty hard for doctors to do anything about, as well. Tape something to it (Popsicle sticks? chunk of a plastic bottle? Other non-sharp object?) that holds it in place and keeps you from banging it on anything, and it should get better.

[Robot Parade Leader]

Just wanted to thank you both. I completely get the disclaimers. Gotta do what you have to. I am very very grateful now especially.

Distal phalanges (finger bone). Right index finger, Very sensitive to pressure. Can't click a mouse button or press a keyboard key. Typing with nine fingers.... 

So basically ice it, stay off it and monitor. I just keep it slightly curled naturally.... Try not to bump it. Hurts to straighten so ... splint? or not?

It could be bruised? I didn't really understand the gist, but I hope for that. It got hit hard, but I didn't immediately feel a crack. I noticed the pain a few hours later when clicking a mouse.

Does it really take 6 weeks for healing?

Well, as long as it all turns out ok I guess. I just hope for no malunion/nonunion or complications. Ice, leave it alone, don't hit it or touch anything. 

[JamT]

Hi! In any case, I would advise you to see a doctor. Because the probability that you just broke your finger according to the description is quite high. Perhaps the finger itself will recover, but there is a chance that something will grow together incorrectly and this will give great complications in the future.
And in old age you will go crazy with joint pain.
So it’s better to visit a doctor ...

[Robot Parade Leader]

Well, it started hurting more so I went to an urgent care after checking with my insurance. Importantly, I did this within 72 hours, coverage....

Anyhow, the nurse practitioner looked at the x-rays and said she didn't see any obvious fractures, but that she was not the radiologist. She would call me if she heard anything. In the meantime, padded metal splint. Probably bruised due to pain and limited range of motion with swelling. Ultimately, that's staying on for a while with icings while awaiting x ray interp. It could be something else, bit unsure.

Whole thing took well under an hour so far. She said I was smart to come in after I offered to go if they had more pressing matters like COVID. Nurse insisted it was not a busy time at that moment, but that if the department of health demanded, their operations could be "prioritized" to treat any COVID cases, but they had not received that yet though. She explained staff from "elective procedures and other areas" were rotated through facilities like this for "acute trauma accident emergency coverage," and to receive additional "respiratory/cardiopulmonary training" for later reassignment. I guess, the medical personnel there were not used to dealing with respiratory/ER type matters and were being trained in that, instead of their usual elective procedures and other duties. She said she had worked in a facility for psychiatric disorders before retiring and was now getting this training. I guess that kind of makes sense.

In the meantime, glad she didn't see clear fractures, but still hurts. Thoughts?

[Robot Parade Leader]

Feels better as long as I keep it in splint. Otherwise, not as much. I learned washing hands is more difficult with a broken finger.

Also, typing is harder too. Interestingly, I was off by 100 in each one of my assignments, because the number was in the 100s range and I had it in the 200s range. Again, my right index finger is messed up. Think about that on a number pad on a keyboard. I don't know why my finger only hit the 2 instead of the 1, but it did so 4 times.

[Iduno]

Also, typing is harder too. Interestingly, I was off by 100 in each one of my assignments, because the number was in the 100s range and I had it in the 200s range. Again, my right index finger is messed up. Think about that on a number pad on a keyboard. I don't know why my finger only hit the 2 instead of the 1, but it did so 4 times.

Oh. Oh, no. That's terrible.

[Robot Parade Leader]

I didn't bring it up, working from, home but yeah. Maybe I should do it in casual conversation sometime

[Robot Parade Leader]

OK, been a bit and I'm still wearing that padded metal finger splint.

Finger still swells a bit.... Still icing finger. Still stiff.

Just updating.

[Robot Parade Leader]

Ok, not exactly 2 months but close.

Still wearing splint, and typing with 9 fingers. I can bend it a little better than last time but not like usual and it is still sensitive.

I have a doctor's appointment on June 11 (Thursday). I would like to ask for some guidance for a couple reasons:

1.) It's only over the phone because of COVID 19.... I guess he can refill a prescription but I'm not sure about examining my finger that way.

2.) Um, after 2 months almost shouldn't things be largely back to normal?

I still can't really put pressure on it or bend it all the way (it's better than before but not back to what it was). At least I can touch it (no pressure) with out it going nuts). The worst part is the tip (that's what got the brunt of the force). Hurts when pressure applied. First knuckle does not want to bend (and oddly the third closest to the hand only has about 80% bending too.

So ... any ideas?

Also, I'm trying to do the responsible thing and see a doctor, but the phone part is odd.

I might be crazy but it seems like the tip of my finger isn't as full as before. Rougher skin with some flaking.

[Robot Parade Leader]

Splint off soon. If the occupational therapy does not work, rhen surgery.

[Iduno]

Does it feel mostly healed? I know the muscles and whatnot will be somewhat atrophied, but other than that?

[Caz]

when i broke my hand it took 6 months before i could even lift a cup without pain and get any grip strength at all. make sure to do the right physio exercises and stretches (look them up) several times a day. like these. physio will increase strength and range of motion

[Caz]

Does it feel mostly healed? I know the muscles and whatnot will be somewhat atrophied, but other than that?

no muscles in fingers