Would you seek medical attention for a potentially broken finger?

[Noonelikesasloppytrifle]

For context I play a sport where I have historically broken many digits. I generally just tape them up and crack on. However, last November I'm fairly sure I broke my index finger and it is still knackered - still swollen and I can't use it for fine motor skills or opening cans etc.

Tonight I have either broken or dislocated the knuckle on my ring finger. I heard it crack so removed my rings straight away. It is very swollen from the middle knuckle down and has already started to go purple. We have no minor injuries open on a weekend but I could go on Monday morning for an x-ray but I don't know if I should bother as there's not much they can do anyway.

WWYD in this situation?

Unless it's a thumb no I wouldn't bother

I'd get it checked

I have extreme health anxiety so probably not the best person to answer.

But yes, untreated broken bones can cause infection in the bone or bone marrow.

Yeah I'd probably get it looked at.

Sounds like you're knackering your fingers pretty badly, so yeah I'd want it looking at.

No, but again I do a sport where finger breaks and dislocations are common, so I pull ans strap them myself.

I also do a sport where fingers and toes regularly get broken and I strap them and carry on BUT- as you seem to be a bit concerned, I'd have it checked out. For the simple reason that you don't normally worry about it.

Yes I would, but only because you've previously ignored an apparent break with long term consequences. Go get the hand xrayed and see if they can advise on whether these breaks are normal or happening too frequently / too easily.

My last broken finger was an open wound down to the fracture so needed antibiotics etc so not quite the same. I also had a DEXA scan after my last ankle xray found multiple healed fractures...

100% yes!

I've broken my little finger twice. First time was a very bad break. Hand therapy and unable to drive for three months. Second time less serious but still had arm in cast for three weeks plus hand therapy and unable to drive.

I can use my hand but have reduced grip. My dominant hand is quite a bit weaker than my other hand now. I find it difficult to carry heavy objects in one hand and anything that puts sideways pressure on my hand like sweeping! It's okay but I do wonder how it will fare as I age.

Please ignore people who say, "It's only a finger!". Go and get it x-rayed. It's a right royal pain in the arse not to have a fully functioning hand.

I'd get it checked - although fractures can be minor, they can also be permanently disabling, depending upon the type, location and severity. Said as the person who lost all function in one finger permanently because her mother didn't think it was worth bothering about.

Yes definitely. I broke my index finger and had to do exercises for months to be able to bend it properly again. You don't realise how important your fingers are until you can't use them, I struggled to do loads of ordinary things while that finger was out of action, it was such a pain.
Hospital told me I was right to come in.

Bloody hell. Fellow health anxiety sufferer here... I'll be adding that to my long long list of worries

If no minor injuries unit , def get it checked out on Monday.

Yes - I ended up getting a finger operated on with external pins twice - a friend who had an almost identical injury but did not go to hospital, has suffered for years with pain and swelling. Mine is pretty much fine,

Well don't. This is borrowing trouble.

It's approx a 1.8% risk of infection if the break isn't linked to a wound
The risk is increased if you have an open fracture or a wound to the bone as I did, but you would go to the hospital for that and they'd treat it!

After slamming my hand in a car door, I had a week of antibiotics to avoid infection. I had to soak the wound in salt water for a week or so and then I redress it daily for a few weeks. That's it.

Please get it checked, it's really important. There's all sorts of complications with fingers that need to be ruled out.

@NCForQuestions thank you, actually you've reassured me! Without hijacking the original topic of the thread.. it genuinely is very easy to read a simple comment and mentally bank it as a worry, with health anxiety. Especially with no context or statistics. I'm really grateful for you explaining more into it!

WTF? Swallow your bravado and go to a&e

If a finger broken last November is still swollen and not functioning as it should then it’s not healed correctly so I’d get that looked at. And they might as well X-ray the most recent injury too.
I strapped up a broken finger ( hit it with a sledgehammer knocking a wall out) and a broken toe ( walked into a door) healed perfectly each time. Whereas friend’s son had months of hospital visits after breaking a finger at football so you never know how these things will go.

Thanks all. I'll go on Monday morning. I loathe any kind of fuss but I'm mid forties and I just don't heal as quickly anymore.

I don’t think anyone heals from a dislocated finger without having it popped back in (under 40 or not). The bone will just fuse it together in the wrong place. Maybe that’s what happened to your other finger.

I definitely would get it checked.Dd broken middle finger needed urgent surgery .

Obviously, yes!
But tbf I would probably be cradling it,wailing, and announcing that I can see a bright light calling me.
I'm a wuss.

Yes. My son broke his finger playing netball. He needed to see a hand specialist. So it was strapped properly in the right position. And didn't heal incorrectly. Despite this he still has some weakness in it ). The consultant said fingers often need surgery.
You are risking severe impairment

Google “Rob Green hand” and look at the photos (warning for anyone squeamish!). Untreated finger breaks can have long term consequences.

Pretty sure this is what happened to my dsis. She broke her finger while travelling sos didn’t get it looked at and it’s not straight now-it looks like exactly what you’ve just described.