Please help - incredibly painful finger, weird thing on it!!

[newnamenellie]

Does anyone recognise this please?

It started a few days ago, just painful to touch initially and very slightly red. Next day there seemed to be a more obvious bump and a bit more redness, GP prescribed antibiotics to be on safe side. I had to send her some photos which weren’t the best and she wasn’t sure what it was. Said to start ABs then go back if no better in a few days.

Four days on now from initial pain and it looks like this -see pic.

The pain is so bad, if I catch it on anything it makes me scream out!!

Have taken 4 out of 28 antibiotics so far so not expecting them to be doing much yet.

I think it looks more viral maybe?? The pic was from this morning taken with magnifier and torch.

We call it a whittle, and it does look like one but are you sure it’s not a spider bite or a splinter?

sorry to keep wanging on about the spider bite but it happened to a friend of mine and the fang was stuck in it 😱and it got very badly infected.
Did you cut or scrape it or do you remember feeling a pinch at any stage before it got sore?

Hi all,

Just posting an update.

I went back to GP on Monday. By this stage, there was a more obvious viral-looking lesion on my finger. It was still red and extremely painful but it hadn’t spread.

GP and I agreed that it’s most likely a whitlow and she prescribed oral antivirals for seven days alongside the abx previously prescribed.

It’s still incredibly painful after nearly a week but I gather it can take about three weeks to fully heal, so I’m keeping it covered and trying to ignore it!!

@newnamenellie that sounds v painful, really hope the treatment works. Glad you went back to GP, I wouldn't hesitate to go back again if it is not improving.

Am so cautious after DH's experience!

Ah, OP, I'm v glad it's sorted and been seen. Hope you are tolerating the AB and it clears up soon.
Happy Christmas x