Hubby thinks I may have broken my thumb

[3NAB]

Symptoms or is it reallllllllllllly obvious?

Check back later. Off to drown my sorrows with a 24 and a cup of milk.

It'll hurt quite a bit, double in size and possibly turn an interesting shade of purple.

If you can bend it, it's not broken.

If you have broken it and you go to the hospital, they will strap it to the next finger and that's all. May be best if you can straighten it, to use plasters to make a soft split against the next finger. If it's your index finger it will recover in four to six weeks. If it's your thumb - oh gosh it will really hurt tomorrow.

What did you do to hurt/break it?

Its quite easy (and painful) to damage or snap a tendon in your fingers -I did mine whilst moving a mattress.

Okay. doesn't sound like it is broken then.

Still bloody hurts and I will stick with the nerve damage.

Put deep heat on and can only just feel the heat now after 15 minutes.

Correction - that might be the pain again I can feel.

It may not swell up - I broke my wrist years ago and it did not swell up, but the x-ray showed a clear break.

Sometimes other types of damage can hurt more than a break.

You could try taking some painkillers especially when you want to go to bed. Hope the pain eases for you soon.

What about gout? Can't that affect more than just big toes

I fell over about 5 weeks ago and landed on my thumb. It swelled up, went purple and I couldn't bend it - it still hurts a bit now! Not sure if it was broken but was very painful.

Off to hospital in a bit

Started last Sun and is worse now.

Not as swollen as it was and hasn't gone purple but is annoying and I can't drive.

What did you do to it?

I have no idea.

It started going tingly and fizzy which a pharmacist said the computer could have set it off.

I know I have done some nerve damage but it isn't getting any better and is worse from last week.

Perhaps you have mumsnetitis

I hope they can tell you what's wrong, it sounds really painful

Let us know later x

How did you get on, Nab? Hope you are home and more comfortable by now. And didn't have to hang around for ages and ages waiting to be seen...

Don't put deep heat on!!! It's the worst thing you can do.

NICE is the acronym for this sort of damage -

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory i.e. ibuprofen
Ice
Compression
Elevation

Assuming it's not broken, then you have damaged muscle or tendons. There'll be inflammation and subsequent damage from the inflammation itself. You need to get the inflammation down and help the tissue to calm down so that it can start healing quicker.

The above is used in sports injuries, and the sooner the better. It's really useful to remember for when DS or DD come home with injuries. Last year, my 65 year-old arthritic mum tripped in the garden and landed on her knee. I started the above instantly using a bag of frozen peas for the Ice, and kept it up all evening. The next morning she had a small sore spot, but no other problems.

Although if it's been a week now, there's probably not much point in taking action.

thanks all

was seen just under 2 hours and had 2 xrays to check for breaks and degenerative damage. have neither.

muscle damage caused by lifting ds2.

have a wrist splint on but it sstill really hurts.

just took 2 ibroprofen.

cant drive or type very well

I am getting better at one handed typing.....

I'm really glad it's been looked at, there's nothing worse than wondering what the hell is wrong.

Hope it is more comfy this morning x

it still hurts just as much wearing the splint as without and the nurofen set off my asthma

That's rotten luck. I'm glad you can still type though.

Glad you had it looked at NAB, it eases your mind a little!

TBH I wish I could do everything else rather than type as it is going to be a nightmare getting the kids to school and looking after the youngest one.