To ask for help? Finger scratched during vaccination

[buttonmoon19]

Sorry everyone, I know this isn’t the correct place to ask this question. I’m in serious pain, but it seems too trivial to go to the GP with.

Six months ago my youngest had her vaccinations, and as she started crying I moved my hand to hold her leg at the same time the nurse was removing the needle. It ended up stuck it the middle joint of my finger, if you know what I mean. I apologised, she apologised, all fine.

But since then I haven’t been able to bend that finger without pain. I can feel a lump on top of the joint now, and it’s seriously painful. Sometimes it swells and throbs; tonight I can’t bend the finger at all and it hurts like hell. And I have a very high pain threshold, honestly. Hand on heart, I’ve broken fingers in the past and they hurt less than this .... any idea what could have happened here? What can I do?

Go to the GP

Sounds like an abscess? Does it feel hot?

I wonder if the tip of the needle came off in your joint? Would possibly explain the swelling and pain? GP!

Maybe the tip of the needle is stuck in your finger..? Definitely not too trivial for a GP appointment.

Gp asap!

Sounds like an abscess? Does it feel hot? No, not hot at all... nothing visibly different either.

I never considered that it could be the tip of the needle... wouldn’t it get infected if that we’re the case, being a foreign body? Would explain why it hurts so much, but wouldn’t there be bruising? All very weird!

If it was the tip of the needle, I would think it would be similar to a splinter; you'd be able to feel pricking when you press on the spot. Does it feel like that?

It could be bit of bone or the needle could have hit the tendon. Time for a GP visit.

I have given more jags to babies than I care to remember but pleased be assured this problem is not connected to a scratch with the needle. I don't know what it could be but see your GP if you are worried for there is no point in worry if you can put your mind at rest

It is possible that you did some damage to the bone or soft tissue. I'd definitely suggest getting seen if it is that painful.

It's also possible that what may have happened is that you got an infection or inflammation in there that got in through the track left by the needle. I've seen a number of cases of soft tissue infections caused by nothing more serious than a bump or scrape.

Gp

I don’t really know what you mean and how deep it went at the time or where you even mean you were injured?

Do you remember what the vaccine was for?

If it hurts more than a broken finger, how is it too trivial to go to the GP?

Honestly I'm constantly baffled by the knots some people will tie themselves in just to avoid going to the bloody doctor.

Go to the doctor

Thanks for your help everyone. It was the MMR vaccine, for the poster who asked. I just assumed it would get better over time, but it hasn’t, so I’ll make a GP appointment. Thanks again!

I've had the broken-off tip of a pencil embedded in my right knee for the last 21 years, and it never got infected. It wasn't painful either though.

If the pain is worse than a broken bone it can’t possibly be too trivial for a GP, and no one here can diagnose you. Go and see a doctor ASAP.

As an aside, did the nurse complete an incident form? She really should have done for a needlestick injury.

How are you feeling now op?