Do I need to get my rings cut off ?

[rookiemere]

Hi
Yesterday I must have bumped my ring finger doing weights at the gym. My finger has swollen, but it isn't sore and I still have movement in it.
I phoned up NHS 24 but they didn't ask for a picture and just said I should go to a jewellers and get the rings cut off if I need to.

I'm going skiing abroad tomorrow and wondering if I should get them cut off just as it's the safest thing, but I'm not sure if it's needed and I can still move them - they are tight usually and finger has a bit of a groove.

I genuinely seem to be unable to get any further medical advice so A&E is out, the question is simply should I have the rings cut off today or not ?

Wild.

The longer you leave it the more damage it will cause and the harder it will be to get it cut off. Seriously it’s a two minute job in a jewellery shop, and a push go to your local fire station and they’ll snip it.

It must be incredibly painful by now if you haven’t already been to cut them off.

Yes, obviously the rings need to come off! It looks really painful, I hope you get it sorted.

Maybe your finger will end up falling off due to no circulation and the rings would be saved.

The colour of your finger 🥴
this looks like it be medically urgent QUICKLY

You NEED to get those rings off…

I would do the following:

hand above your hand
ice
hand wash
string trick

if that didn’t work I’d be getting them cut at lunch time.

you can’t replace your fingers!!!

good luck OP

I don’t understand how the string trick works with swollen fingers, presumably if there’s enough room to push the string under the ring, there’s enough room to get it off?

Used to love an iced finger from the bakers....😂

Poor you. I'd go to a jewellers and get them cut off (you can get them repaired at a later date). If you weren't going abroad tomorrow I'd say leave it until tomorrow or Monday perhaps but they look particularly sore. I had to have mine cut off - two years later and my finger is still swollen. I think you can just walk in to any jewellers - it takes no time at all. I didn't pay to get mine removed (they get their money from repairing rings!) Enjoy your holiday!

Dental tape, not floss. I had to have mine removed and could only find floss. It shredded my finger.

I work in a&e, they definitely need to come off asap.

Sorry I've skimmed. I would recommend going straight to a walk in or a and e. The colour of your finger looks worrying and could cause real issues if left.

I had swollen fingers, (due to arthritis I think.) I got my wedding ring off using dental floss but had another ring stuck. The more I tried the worst it got, the skin tore. Like you the colour was awful and it was too sore to get off and continued to swell.

I showed GP receptionist and they advised to go straight to A & E - I went to a walk in and the nurse used a special gel. It was tough but we got it off. She said she thought when I came in it would need cutting but the gel worked.

Ice didn't work. Oil didn't work but the special gel they use did.

Def worth a try, plus your finger is so swollen it might need to be looked at anyway.

Good luck.

If NHS 24 saw that photo they'd be screaming at you to get to a&e. Get to a jeweller first if you need to but that finger looks like it's a few hours from falling off!

I wouldn't waste time with the string or dental floss. I tried that once and it didn't work and my finger just became more and more swollen and painful. Definitely get to a jeweller or A & E!

yup try the dental floss/thread method and if not down to get them cut off -its not worth a finger

This is the problem with people feeling A&E is overrun and off-limits, we get situations like this.

Hi
Sorry for delay in responding.

I went to a shopping centre with a pharmacy and some jewellers.
The pharmacist seemed a bit non plussed and said if I could move the rings then it probably wasn't an issue.

The jeweller on the other hand was very definitive and said the ring's needed to come off instantly, so I have had them cut off.

The swelling seems to have reduced and hopefully it will be ok, although its a beautiful colour of purple now.

Yea it needs to be cut
Off asap! I'm not being dramatic here but you could
Lose that finger if you don't do it soon.

Glad to hear it ,better to have had your rings cut off than lose a finger!

I've had some great advice so thanks for that. But for the people being sarcastic, I spoke to NHS111 ( Scottish version of NHS 24) and saw a pharmacist. Neither of them seemed to be overly concerned.

I do think the lady I spoke to yesterday was just trying to save me and them some time by recommending the jewellers rather than A&E , but she basically told me it was up to me and didn't give any useful advice.

I'm not an expert in these matters, my finger doesn't actually hurt that much and I still have sensation in it - I suspect it's broken like the skiing lady upthread experienced. Anyway rings cut now.

Ouch I'm glad you had them cut off. Hopefully they can be repaired. I was in pain just looking at your photo. Hope the swelling goes down quickly

Thank the lord… glad you resolved it OP

Sorry about your lovely rings, you took the right decision, though.

This really does work

Phew - glad you got it sorted, OP.
Very scary. And I'm not at all surprised you got nowhere with medical assistance - it's a shocker of a service these days.

Can we have a picture of the finger now please - I need closure!!!!

I didn't get the pp banging on about a&e and fingers falling off what a lot of drama about nothing. Jeweller to cut rings off and go to local urgent treatment centre walk in to get finger looked at if thought to be prudent.
Glad it's feeling better op.

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

I know now that I shouldn't expect much in the way of advice from the NHS. I use it very little as I'm generally quite healthy.

I'm not going to post a picture as the finger is still looking delightfully purple - plus I need DH to take it and he has gone out, but the swelling has definitely gone down.