Getting a ring cut off

[Oliver1971]

Hi, my elderly mother has a ring that needs removing. The care home she's in has contacted me to arrange it's removal if possible. Her hand is clenched due to arthritis and Parkinsons, and movement is painful. I'm told it lools a little infected possibly.
The care home nurse is asking me to get a taxi and take her to a jeweller and get it cut off.
I'm not so sure this is the best course of action? Would a jeweller want to do this given her frailty? Do GPs have the ability to cut rings off? I'm hoping this won't be an A&E visit, because those can do more harm than good ie a frail person having to wait 12 hours in a busy corridor!

Any advice welcome? Thanks

I’d ring a jeweller and ask in the first instance. I doubt a GP, while possibly willing, would have the right equipment

failing that I might look up the right kind of tool to do it myself

edit- had a google and it def does NOT look like a diy job

Most jewellers will cut it off, as will the fire station

I can't remember the name for it but the proper saw for this kind of thing is one that vibrates so doesn't cut skin.

If the care home think a jewellers have the equipment maybe it would be worth ringing around and seeing if that's the case?

My husband as a paramedic has never failed to remove a ring with KY jelly (or other water based lubrication jelly) with a little patience

A&E will do it, I doubt GP nurse will have the tool - if they did the care home could ask for a district nurse to do it.
Jewellers your best bet.

Call your local jewellers and ask if they will provide the service based on her wellness/or lack thereof. GPs won't have the equipment.

ok it sounds like the consensus is get her to a jewellers. Thanks guys. I'll try to organise it tomorrow. I hope they don't turn her away or give up due to her condition. But it's worth a shot before more drastic measures. As said, I don't want to put her through A&E, it's almost guaranteed to kill people off these days lol

We went to a GP when my son got one stuck on his finger and he was great with him. Really gentle

I've never yet cut a ring off in 10y of Anaesthetics. YouTube how to remove it with string its not hard

If I unserstand what the op is saying - the hand is fixed clemched into a fist, so nothing short of cutting the ring off will work. If there's arthritis its likely the knuckles will be swollen.

You can get a ring cutter on amazon, but, if its infected it may need medical attention anyway... May be worth calling minor injuries or 111, our local 111 service will book a timed appointment slot for things like this, and minor injuries should have a ring cutter.

Having a ring cut off is not painful. I had to have mine cut off when pregnant. It was done at a jeweller’s.

The fire brigade will come and do this if there are no signs of infection, 111 can arrange, I've had to do this for a resident recently.

I worked in a jewellers and this is a fairly common occurrence. It doesn’t hurt but it needs to be done by a jeweller. Usually a tool is put underneath the ring and then the ring is cut but it’s really important that the hand isn’t moved immediately after the ring is cut because the edges of the ring are really sharp. The jeweller needs to use pliers to prise the ring apart and then all done. Jewellers know how to cut rings to “save” the ring as well as the finger, whereas emergency services usually prioritise the finger!

Go to an independent jewellers because chains won’t do it for health & safety

That said I’d just buy this and do it myself I’ve done it before.

An elderly lady I know had a visit from the fire brigade to cut off her ring. It made her day!

Exactly the same happened with my DM. The staff in the home asked my permission to try and remove her rings and when that failed they asked if they could organise having them cut off by the Fire Service. They called back when it was done and said that they had had a wonderful visit and the residents were all of a flutter to have had some special visitors. DM couldn't remember them coming, didn't know her rings were removed. I had bought a couple of cheap rings and a chain on Amazon for her to wear round her neck in their place but she didn't want it.

If a jewellers can't do it, call your local non emergency number for the fire brigade. They can also do it and may even be willing to come to the home.

Jewellers are best because they have very tiny saws. Much less chance of injury than anything a GP would have.

My mums rings had to be cut off in a&e as her hand had swollen. This is the like gadget that the staff nurse used. It took about an hour and my husband ended up doing it in the end.