Anyone ever break their finger?? (x-ray, painful, surgery, swollen)

[hollygolightly]

I had an incident with my finger about 2 or 3 weeks back where it got caught in my dog's collar, and really stuck. It swelled up to the point where I had to have my boyfriend butter up my finger to take my ring off (LOL)! Now it is still swollen to the point that I cannot put my ring back on, although I can bend it (not easily). Anyone have any experience with broken fingers? I don't have health ins., so I'm trying to avoid going to the ER.

Thanks, folks!

[verynicebecky]

I broke my finger while horseback riding when I was 10. No one thought it was broken so we didn't go and get it set at the hospital. It was swollen for several days. It is on my left hand and I am left-handed and I do remember having to write at school with my right hand. The break is at the joint between the knuckle and the tip and it is crooked there.

[hollygolightly]

Originally Posted by verynicebecky

I broke my finger while horseback riding when I was 10. No one thought it was broken so we didn't go and get it set at the hospital. It was swollen for several days. It is on my left hand and I am left-handed and I do remember having to write at school with my right hand. The break is at the joint between the knuckle and the tip and it is crooked there.

Can you wear a ring?? I am concerned about it being my ring finger...

[verynicebecky]

This was over 30 yrs ago. It is my middle finger but if I wanted to wear a ring on it I could.

[ontheroad]

I had my wrist and tendon in one finger broken about eight years ago. I had the wrist break taken care of in the area I was in (I did have insurance) but the ER team made a bad diagnosis as they didn't realize my tendon had snapped.

Long story, short, to this day I can't use that hand fully. And I had to have surgery to take one tendon from one finger and replace it in the other by a specialist in hand surgery.

Having a bone broken and not taken care of can result in various difficulties and how it heals has long term effects.

Insurance or no, I suggest you at the very least have an x-ray of the finger to see if it is broken.

And good luck.

[travelmate38]

I've broken three fingers, all playing football. All three were "repaired" by myself. All three fingers work, but are crooked. Yes it is painful, more painful then when I broke my arm. To fix it yourself, get two popcycle sticks, cut to length, place one on each side of finger, pull bone straight (say ouch, it hurts), wrap, tight, but not too tight and leave in place for 3-4 weeks.

If you think the bone is broken as in shattered or in multiple locations, then you may need surgery, or a pin. You have to make sure it was a clean break in one location for the above to work. I would suggest seeing a doctor, but if you have no choice.......

[southernnaturelover]

I broke my right pinky finger and had surgery on it. The surgeon had to put tiny little screws in it to hold the bone together and also put in temporary pins to hold the finger straight(it was a rare type of break). That was six years ago and my finger still won't bend all the way and never will again. FYI, the surgery was around $12k, but luckily I had insurance.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

You don't have to go to the ER, you can go and see a doctor and get them to x-ray it OR order an xray, that would be better and cheaper for you if you don't have insurance.

I recommend seeing someone because if it doesn't set right, you might have more of a problem with arthritis later on in life.

I broke my thumb in a roll over car accident, my left thumb was broken no doubt when my hand went through the plexi on the dash board. When I was in the ER not even knowing my own name, this idiot was saying he was going to have to CUT off my claddagh ring. I told him to get some Windex and it slipped right off.

[hollygolightly]

Thanks guys, for your input!! I'm so scared, though, I guess I might set it myself (ouch!!)

[ashpatt]

i actually have a broken finger right now!! you need to go get it exrayed!! and btw i did the popsicle thing it doesnt work!! i have to go to the doctor so they can put a pin in it! cause if it is swollen for 3 weeks it is a really bad brake!!!