I'm pondering...could I perhaps have broken my finger?

[stepfordknife]

Was walking the dog (big strong dog - around 45lbs), and had just put her back on the lead and was in the process of looping it around my hand...had only one finger in it (was about to get a proper grip) when another dog came bounding toward her. She pulled mighty ferociously with all her body weight yanking my one teeny tiny finger bone.

This happened around 3pm today. It hurt significantly for about 10 minutes then appeared to settle, but after a while it became stiff and sore (not acutely painful but uncomfortable).

It is now still painful (not at rest, only when I try to use it), moderately swollen (can't remove my ring) and I can't bear to straighten it

Broken?

Go and get an x-ray, not sure what they do for broken fingers, i am guessing a splint and strap it up, but you need to get it x-rayed, if it is broken it may not heal straight

IME of several broken fingers.. it throbs like nothing on earth.. you don't want anyone to touch it and the swelling and bruising spread down the hand.

IIWY get your ring off.. elevate .. ice pack and cooking oil... should do the job.

keep hand at rest and elevate.. take some pain killers and if it's not any better in the morning... pop to A+E

It'll wait until tomorrow won't it? (she says hopefully). I haven't the energy for a late night A&E visit

Sounds like good advice from BCNS, cant blame you for not wanting to go to a&e this late

"it throbs like nothing on earth.. you don't want anyone to touch it and the swelling and bruising spread down the hand."

Well it is painful and sore but it is not as acute as that description

However I had a 'green stick' fracture of my arm as a child and from what I recall that wasn't too bad either....

If I can get away with not going to A&E I will, but if I have broken it then I don't want a crooked finger. Dilemmas, dilemmas!

Oh, and thanks both for the benefit of your advice

Stepfordknife phone nhs direct if you are worried, thay can advice you whether you need to get to A&E tonight or if it can wait till morning

Oh, and thanks both for the benefit of your advice

I have a broken bone in my right hand.

I left it for about a week and it got more and more unbearable. Only mild swelling. I went cos I couldnt do things like strap kids in car seat, cut food etc. Have a hand support and its loads better.
Go to a and e in the morn

Ooops

Okay princess - I'll take a good book!

broken fingers a couple of times, ime they use what looks suspiciously like a lolly stick and roll of sticky tape to splint it to the next finger. i dont think it would hurt to wait until the morning

Broke a bone in my elbow in july and didn't go atall for a month. It was just tender with a huge lump. Then I started to get pain in my hand. By the time i went it was too late for them to do anything. I'm tough me! lol

No probs.. one of my breaks was a lot more pain ful than the others.. but it had broken in 3 place ( now have a "s" shaped finger as they used to strap it to the next finger!

remember to keep an eye on the colour of finger and hand.. you don't want anything to greyish .. and press the end of your finger every so often to make sure it pinks up normally.

If it goes numb.. or feels fizzy or turns a weird colour.. or doesn't pink up... go to a+e straight away HTH

and get the ring OFF!! ( before it cuts into your finger or restricts blood supply)!)

I really can't get the ring off - I've tried with vegetable oil, soap etc. But the swelling does appear to have reached a peak (it's not swollen any more in the last couple of hours) and finger doesn't feel constricted by the ring.

It's all nicely pink too. I am thinking simple fracture or really bad sprain

"It is now still painful (not at rest, only when I try to use it)"

Then it's not broken. A broken finger hurts all the time - there is no position at which it doesn't hurt. Sounds like some tendons were broken. It should hurt when you press joint(s) from both sides.

Strap that finger to the next finger with two thin strips so those two fingers move together.

"It should hurt when you press joint(s) from both sides."

Yes that fits. If it is tendons, should I not bother with A&E then?

still get it checked.. tendons are pretty important for movement

Ok thanks. You've all been very patient with me. I shall definitely go tomorrow (oh joy!)

good luck and take a book