Aaaargh Owwww!

[LollipopViolet]

I have a whitlow, or that other similar one I can't remember, on my finger :( It's sooo painful. My mum's a nurse and has wrapped a dressing on it, but is there anything I can do? I really DO NOT want it to get worse, can't face it being lanced, am a big wimp when it comes to needles and scalpels and stuff :(

I've used magnesium sulphate paste, or poultices to draw the pus out before now. You could try that, but watch out for a red line going up your arm, (sorry if that's obvious info. - am sure you know what to look out for if your mum is a nurse).
Or can you get to a walk in centre for AB's? - they won't necessarily lance it.

Oooh thanks for the advice. Just spoke to my gran (I live with my grandparents and mum, and my gran is a retired nurse!) and she says there's no infection YET so I'm not sure what I've got now! There's no pus though, just swelling.

Right, what's this magnesium sulphate stuff I keep reading about? I'm tempted to get some from the chemist on the way to my placement tomorrow, as well as some plasters. Will putting the 2 on my finger cause me mre pain or will it draw out whatever's in there and make me feel better. I had some tape on it earlier and that helped but it wasn't waterproof. What about soaking in hot water?

IT comes in a little pot of gooey paste - you can get it in chemists or supermarket pharmacy area. It draws the 'poison' out.

I'd definitely try hot water too, hot as you can bear, maybe with a bit of salt or liquid antiseptic in it.

Right, will have a hot bath tonight, and see if that helps. It did earlier when I immersed it in hot water. My mum says it's never going to go away :( I think she's being mean.

If no joy with that, I shall get some magnesium sulphate from Boots or somewhere tomorrow, because it's really painful, no one is giving me any sympathy and oh yeah, it really hurts!!! I can't see any pus so I can't pop it (I wouldn't want to tbh, sounds like that'd hurt more! That said, I've had blisters popped and that didn't hurt...)

Oh well, I think I've cured my nail biting habit, I ain't going through this again.

Oooh, I can actually see, a tiny bit of what looks like cuticle lodged in it, would removing that release everything or leave me prone to something worse?

I'm not sure, - I think I'd be tempted to remove it to see what happens, - but I haven't got a sore finger.

I hate to contradict a professional, but your mum is incorrect - it will go away - have you been moaning to her about it a lot by any chance

Hope it clears up soon anyway, but do go to a walk-in place or GP if its really painful.

Not particularly! Might have mentioned it's a bit painful but nothing compared to what I'd have done if I was younger!

I'm not going to do anything to it yet, I don't want to rip the cuticle and then have an entry point for something even more nasty! Been reading that magnesium sulphate has got rid of some people's within a day! Definitely need some of that!