AIBU - to ask if my son should go to minor injuries?

[cossette]

20 year old son works in a concrete factory. Has just sent me this photo. He's says his thumb is swollen and throbbing. I'm just concerned about the blood pooling behind the nail and not sure if it might need lancing. He's done amateur MMA fights so is fairly tough so if he says it's painful it must be pretty sore.
Any advice would be appreciated...

These are super painful. First aider can't do much as to relieve the pain you need to drain the blood and that requires sterile conditions and someone who knows what they're doing!
In my experience if you don't drain it, it does eventually stop hurting but you might well lose the nail after a couple of weeks

Yes they just pop a sterile needle in and release the pressure and it’s such a relief .It is what minor injuries is there for .

They seem to have stopped / reduced the hole drilling. Dd trapped her thumb in the car door last summer and they said they didn’t drill so much these days.

I was very sad as I had been looking forward to it!

Heat a needle in a gas flame, gently hold it against the nail and it will burn a hole and release the built up clotted blood. Instantly hurts less.
Or - you can gently drill it with a fine bit or jewellery bit.
Done this before no bother.

People on MN are likely to be more qualified.

Businesses with under 25 employees do not require someone who is EFAAW trained, just someone that oversees FA.

If anyone has done the Emergency FA at work course, then you will know that there isn't really much training and it is once every 3 years. The focus is on the emergency - so CPR, not thumb injuries.

The NHS 111 website is good for this as you can answer questions and then it will tell you where best to get help.

Sterilise a needle and puncture it to drain the blood. I've done it loads before.

Just a quick update - 2.5 hours in Minor Injuries - x-ray showed no fracture - had nail pierced and blood released and it's sore and tender but the pain is much, much better 😀