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?

Yes. I broke a fingertip and it was taken very seriously for what I thought was a non injury. It turns out even slight fractures can do a lot of damage to a hand.

NHS advice is to get possible broken fingers checked within 3 days so it can be properly assessed and splinted. Fingers are totally different to toes. ALWAYS get fingers checked out.

Yes, this.

Is the sport netball, by any chance? I've broken a finger that way, and so have many other people.

I think hands are too important to ignore; think about how much you use them. I play the piano, so I very much value all ten of my fingers. It is tempting to ignore having them, and facing the inconvenience of having them strapped up, but long-term consequences could be far worse.

No.i broke my little finger and ring finger on my right hand once. Left that to heal up by itself.

Same with a toe. And possible fractured ribs.

Did get my tennis elbow looked at though 😂 🙄

Netball by any chance?

I'd probably get it checked out if you think it's broken.

Yes. No matter where get it checked - most of the time we do nothing much with fingers and toes beyond buddy strapping etc, but they need to be checked to make sure they are correctly aligned and they are going to heal properly.

Yes. My son broke his finger age about 11 . He ended up having surgery. Fingers are quite complicated (the surgeon told us)
Sons Finger still has a slight bend in it, 10 years on.

Toes can just be strapped, but a broken finger needs checking. Fingers are massively important. We need dexterity for virtually everything we do in life. Also finger injuries can lead to arthritis, and arthritis in the fingers can be incredibly painful and disabling. I'm watching my friend suffer from this and there's SO much that she can no longer do. She no longer drives.

You're only 40. You've been taking risks with your hand that could make the next four decades painful and inconvenient 24/7.

Toes and ribs are entirely different. There's nothing anyone can do about ribs anyway, and toes do not need to be used with the same dexterity and accuracy, or as often, as fingers.

This casual attitude to vital parts of the body is going to come home to roost for many people, who'll live to regret their earlier gung ho approach.

You should get it checked.

I broke my little finger years ago, and did the same as you, just strapped it to the next one and carried on.

What I didn't realise at the time was that it was also dislocated, so it didn't heal straight and I now have a permanent wonky finger which gets very stiff at times.

I didn't find that out until a couple of years later when I broke the finger next to it and thought "shit I really should get this checked given what happened to the other one!" Upon x-ray they explained why the other one hadn't healed, and that it would need to be re-broken and set to fix it!

Have attempted to attach a photo of how it's healed!

Littlebitpsycho - ouch!! Ido wish I'd had my other finger checked.

scalt it is netball. I think I may have to retire fairly soon. Broke my ankle 18months ago and had a significant shoulder injury just before. I love it and I play hard but I don't think my body can cope with that nowadays.

This is my finger this morning. It's very purple. Not sure if a break or was dislocated. I certainly heard it crack.

Can you get to another minor injuries type place with xray facilities before Monday? I wouldn't want to leave that so long tbh, esp with that much localised swelling.

Bloody well done on getting the rings off quickly though!

Why aren't you in A&E or MIU with that?

99% sure I broke my little finger a couple of months ago falling over in the car park at work. Swelled up and went black instantly. Didn't bother going to a&e at the time. Just thought no point as they would just strap it up, it wasn't at a funny angle or anything. I just strapped it up myself for a few weeks. I do still have a bit of a lump and it does twinge every now and again mind. Possibly would have been best to got to a&e just to be sure 🤔😬

Yes. Fingers have so many nerves and tendons that are needed for fine movement, sensitivity of touch etc etc that any damage to them can cause life changing reduction in their usefulness. It is always worth making sure that nothing else is compromised even if it ends up as the finger needing no more intervention than strapping.

I wouldn't wait until Monday.

Yes, I would always take any hand injury extremely seriously. I'm a musician and do various other things for which I need my hands in good condition. I wouldn't bother for a toe, but fingers are important.

User532 I live in a rural county and all MIU are shut on a weekend which makes the a and e wait a long slog.

Ouch! I would definitely get that looked out!

Considering a friend of mine had a similar injury (hearing the crack, taking rings off), and has had to have surgery to pin/metalwork the bone as the finger had shattered with the tendons/ligaments not attached... and it wasnt as swollen as yours looks..

I would get it checked out. You've already had one finger lose use/have reduced function - why risk it with another one, for the sake of a few hours sat to get an xray?

You absolutely must get it checked at a and e. It's not like breaking a toe.
They have specialist hand clinics and everything.
You could ness up your hand forever. Go!!!

Give up the sport! - seriously why would you do something that causes repeated injuries?

I am currently sat recovering from hand surgery which I had on Tuesday. Like you, I so nearly didn’t go and get my finger checked out. I’m so glad I did. Turns out I broke the bone in two places and dislocated the finger.

If I’d left it, it would have healed in the wrong place and caused all sorts of future issues. I hate fuss and really felt like a drama queen going into minor injuries. In the end I realised either it would require medical intervention, or they would check me over and send me away feeling reassured. Either would be worth making the trip for!

I’m with @HeadsShouldersTitsandArse horrible health anxiety too 🤗 but totally agree. When I broke my toe the dr said that if I left it and didn’t get it re set there was a decent chance of an infection.