Why is my finger getting such a lot of NHS treatment?

[Greenbleak]

I dislocated it in June. It was put back at minor injuries and I was referred to hand therapy, where I have been going every 2 weeks ever since.

It hurts a lot less than it did, there's still some pain if I catch it wrong and I still can't fully bend it, but it's my ring finger and I can honestly say it hasn't hindered my daily life at all, beyond the first couple of days.

I've previously had other musculoskeletal problems that have had me in agony, that I couldn't get any help for on NHS at all (back and foot) and really did affect every part of my life.

Why is this finger being prioritised so much?

Dexterity loss is a life changing injury. It affects your ability to grip, which can have longer term effects on safety and for many, quality of life. It can become a disabling factor which has future costs for both you and the NHS.

Regaining function is really important.

Gosh, we can never get it right, can we?!

You’re free to decline any appointments you don’t wish to attend. Although if it’s helping, you could try being grateful that ensuring you have full use of both hands is being taken seriously. 👍🏼

Why the assumption that it's a complaint or the sarcasm for a supposed caring profession?

It was a genuine enquiry. I couldn't do anything, barely get to the loo with my foot problem and didn't get any help for months, until I paid for it myself, when it turned out to be fairly easy to fix.

It's not Ok to ask why the different priorities?

Honestly, I know we moan a lot about the NHS but I have found the same with physio. 10 years ago, tennis elbow, took me three GP appointments over several months to convince the GP to refer me. This year, injured foot, self-referral and into the system straight away. I’m not complaining.

I know, it's weird isn't it. I have had amazing treatment for a small burn that wasn't healing, and MIL sometimes gets an absolutely first rate rehab package when she comes out of hospital, and sometimes gets nothing. My Dad keeps getting proactively contacted by his surgery and put forward for all kinds of helpful interventions. Where I work we go really above and beyond too. And yet so many patients can't get any help at all. I hope we can level up not down, because I would say all that was the norm 20 years ago, not the exception. Big thanks to all the brilliant people working in these services.

I am sometimes bemused by what's prioritised by the NHS. I once called 111 in the hope of getting a GP appointment through them (my GP surgery was impossible to get hold of directly at the time - this was during COVID) due to a suspected trapped nerve, meaning I'd largely lost the use of my little finger and ring finger on my left hand. I'm right handed so beyond being a bit annoying it didn't really impact me.

The 111 operator insisted I needed A&E right away and she was sending an ambulance 😳. I managed to persuade her not to in the end, not least because I live 5 mins walk from the hospital so if it was an A&E job (it wasn't IMO) I could easily get there without being blue lighted in! I would really rather the ambulances, paramedics and A&E staff were free to help people who really need it than me and my stupid finger!

111 is a shambles, they refer to A&E to cover themselves or call unnecessary ambulances and when you turn up at A&E there's lots of eye rolling when you say 111 sent you. I have an allergy and it's their default response to any allergy-related query, there's zero nuance and it's all determined by an algorithm.

I hit my thumb very hard and after that it was very painful for months - had a little lump with nerve pain. I spoke to the APN at my surgery when I was there for a routine appointment and he took it really seriously. I ended up referred to a hand surgeon, had an X-ray and an MRI. It was diagnosed as neuroma. As there was a contract for this type of surgery with the local private hospital, I had it removed there. I was put in a bed prior to the very quick procedure under local anaesthesia and had to stay in bed for a couple of hours afterwards.

I can only describe the type of procedure I had as very similar to what happens when a cyst is removed. It took all of 10 minutes. However, hands and fingers are apparently very tricky things because they have a lot of blood vessels and nerves.

I'd like to say my thumb was good as new but it still tingles all the time (which I was warned could be the case). It is better than it was and I'm very grateful.

As an NHS physio told me, “when it comes to hands and eyes, we really don’t mess around”.

i had very minor surgery on my hand and was given weekly physio appointments (at a time of my choosing!) for 6 weeks then fortnightly appointments for another 6 weeks until the physio was satisfied that my mobility and strength were back to normal. I was very impressed.

Are you an nhs professional??
Is that how you speak to patients!
It’s a shame you didn’t take @ButtSurgery
constructive approach!