Gardening injury - does this sound familiar to anyone?

[Psipsina]

I was clearing some brambles earlier and managed to scratch my little finger through the gloves, somehow.

I didn't even notice at the time, there was a little cut when I took off the glove and I squeezed it a bit. Wihin about an hour it had got very very sore - not bad if I leave it alone but if I try and bend it it feels as though it's physically impossible to, like there's something actually in the joint preventing it?

Fairly sure there isn't any of the thorn left in there as there was no thorn to begin with, just a scratch.

It's not visibly swollen, it's just bloody painful to bend. Also I have managed to bend it on and off, with caution, and it was Ok - but then it reverts to being impossible again.

I'm wondering what's going on though somehow this feels like it may have happened before and just be an internal reaction to the scratch?

Any thoughts?

first thought, gp or minor injuries. might be an infection.

Thank you, not sure where our nearest walk in is but if it gets worse I'll find out and go along.

Having googled it looks to be a common problem after a thorn scratch, so I will keep a close eye on it.

It's really odd, feels like I broke my finger! Only when I move it though.

Are you up to date on tetanus shots?

eeh - no. But I had one about 12 years ago and they haven't given me one since as they said I should no be protected for life.

Thing is it wasn't a puncture wound or even a deep cut. Just a surface scratch.

I think thorns must carry some sort of toxin that set off an immune response in the joint. Looks to be quite a common reaction from googling.

I will wait and see and if it looks dodgy I'll go and get it seen to. I don't want antibiotics if it isn't infected, which it can't be after 5 hours, and I suspect that's all they'd suggest.

I'm sure this has happened before when I got scratched by a cat or something.

*now

btw I think this is probably karma for my spiky hedge thread the other day

my dm got quite ill from a thorn injury, quite swollen

she used that mag paste

Thank you. I would use mag sulph but have had a good poke around with a needle and not found any evidence of thorn etc.

Took nurofen last night partly for headache and it was fine overnight, looks the same this morning but not even pink any more, and the tiny cut looks healed.

The finger still won't bend - it's very very slightly swollen below the knuckle I think, but barely noticeable, and doesn't feel infected. It's as though it has a splint inside it.

It hurts to be constantly bending it slightly when I use it by mistake so I've put a thick plaster around it which is keeping it straight, and now it doesn't hurt at all.

Very weird! I am sure it's a form of teno-synovitis, something's happened to affect the tendons and the joint. Monoarthritis is another great word I've learned since yesterday!

Will see someone if it doesn't sort itself out, we're in town on Thurs so will book a Dr apt then if necessary.