Jammed finger when to see a doctor

Examples would include complete tendon tears joint dislocation or broken bone. One of the most important things is to rest your finger.

A jammed finger occurs with direct impact to the tip of a finger and is generally a mild sprain that resolves in a few days.

Jammed finger when to see a doctor. Although splinting your finger can help it heal when you jam your finger there are more severe injuries that can occur. Its very important to see a health care professional who will do a thorough examination of your finger and correctly diagnose your injury. A doctor will also ask the person to try to move their finger.

A jammed finger will usually have some range of motion but if a person has a broken finger they will hardly be able to move it. In feel you want to press lightly on the injured joint. Generally this will produce mild soreness with a common jammed finger.

But if your light touch feels really painful thats a red flag indicating the need for urgent evaluation. Significant pain with light touch is. A jammed finger occurs with direct impact to the tip of a finger and is generally a mild sprain that resolves in a few days.

Some finger injuries can be more serious and require urgent evaluation. Examples would include complete tendon tears joint dislocation or broken bone. Symptoms of a Finger Fracture.

Inability to move injured finger. Deformity of injured finger. If you have significant bruising or any deformity consult a hand orthopedic specialist for evaluation as these are tell tale signs of a fracture.

A jammed finger can be a common sports injury and its usually nothing to worry about. But if pain in your finger lingers you probably should have a physician check it out. Tom Miller speaks with Dr.

Nikolas Kazmers a hand surgery specialist who says fingers that are actually broken or dislocated are more easily treated early rather than later. Doctors can better analyse your situation and prescribe the best medicine for your condition. There could possibly be many things happening to your finger due to being jammed.

There could be damage to the joints there could be blood clots and so many other things. I strongly recommend that you visit a doctor as soon as possible. Often you can diagnose and treat a jammed finger yourself.

If youre in a lot of pain or you cant bend and straighten your finger see your doctor or go to an emergency room for treatment. When to see a doctor for a jammed finger. See a doctor immediately if.

The affected finger appears crooked or abnormally bent Dont try to straighten the finger by yourself. The finger feels numb and starts turning white or very pale. You develop a fever following the injury.

The finger becomes extremely swollen. Your doctor will need to know how and when the injury occurred. Physical examination is performed to check finger position movement pain and swelling.

X-rays are usually taken. On occasion other studies may be needed such as an MRI or CT scan. A jammed finger may be treated without or with surgery depending on how severe the injury is.

Although jammed fingers in adults often do not require medical attention a jammed finger in a child should be seen by a physician because it may involve the growth plate the area where new bone develops and negatively alter the future growth of the finger. The doctor will need an X-ray to evaluate the bones in the finger and decide on the best treatment plan. Heres more on jammed slammed or broken finger first aid.

When Should I See a Doctor for a Broken Finger. After injuring your finger you should seek medical care if the pain swelling and limited motion continue or if numbness begins. A jammed finger can result from broken bones or fractures.

If you try moving your finger in every direction and you feel a sharp pain which prevents you from moving it you may have a broken finger. Go to a doctor right away. The simplest way to relieve pain is to rest your finger until it gets better.

If you suspect your finger is broken visit a doctor as fast as possible in order to correctly start the healing process. My Finger Wont Straighten Out. If your finger is jammed or smashed and as a result no longer straightens out at the tip this is known as mallet finger or mallet fracture.

If you injure your finger and it wont straighten out within three days you should see a doctor. If it happens at a weekend football game you can wait until Monday for example. This isnt something that needs to go to the emergency room unless you see blood under the fingernail or the fingernail is coming off.

A jammed finger can be treated with painkillers icing the area and a splint. Also avoid using the finger yes athletes. This means you need to take a break from your sport of choice.

The finger should be back to normal within a week or two. If it isnt you may have a more serious injury and need to visit an orthopedic doctor. Test your fingers mobility.

If you try to move or bend your finger and feel a sharp pain and experience a lack of motion you may have a broken finger. If this is the case see a doctor right away. Rest the injured finger.

One of the most important things is to rest your finger. If you have an injured jammed or broken finger you may harm or increase the severity of the injury by moving it. The main tool to diagnose broken fingers is with an X-ray.

The doctor will need to do an X-ray to see the position of the broken finger bones. For more complex injuries the doctor might need to get the advice of an orthopedic whos specializes with bones and joints. Or your doctor might need to consult with a hand surgeon.

Jammed Finger vs. Broken Finger Treatment Healing Time. For a jammed finger.

If youve jammed your finger ice it for 15 to 20 minutes at a time then immobilize it without the ice. If the pain is too uncomfortable or disruptive take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Ibuprofen. The finger should heal within one or two weeks.

Be certain range of motion is normal. Your child should be able to bend and straighten each finger. If movement is limited your doctor must check for a broken bone.

Soak the hand in cold water for 20 minutes. If the pain is more than mild buddy-tape it to the next finger. Smashed or Crushed Fingertip.

These are the most common injuries. The end of a straightened finger or thumb receives a blow. Most often this is from a ball.

The energy is absorbed by the joint surface and the injury occurs there. This is called traumatic arthritis. For jammed fingers always check that the fingertip can be fully straightened.

If your finger is very swollen or painful or if you think its fractured you should see your doctor for an evaluation. Last medically reviewed on July 11 2018.