- Ice it. An ice pack can quickly reduce pain and swelling. ...
- Elevate it. Raising the injured finger above the heart slows the blood flow and reduces the throbbing. ...
- Use it. If possible, keep using the finger to promote circulation. ...
- Take a pain reliever.
What happens if you hit your finger with a hammer?
If you’ve ever caught your finger in a door, or hit it with a hammer, you’ve probably experienced common symptoms of a smashed finger. Any trauma or injury to your finger can lead to: The fingernail on the smashed finger may also fall off within a week or two of the injury.
What should I do if I accidentally hit my Finger?
You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment. Read More... If you accidentally hit your finger with a hammer, ice the area that is swelling and consider taking over-the-counter pain medication for additional relief.
What should I do if I hit my fingernail with a hammer?
If you hit your fingernail with the hammer, there may be significant damage to it. Look at your fingernail and assess the damage. If there is a small blood blister underneath the fingernail, there is no need to see a doctor. Just ice the wound and take over the counter medication if there is any initial pain.
What should I do if my finger is bleeding after hitting it?
If your finger is bleeding after you hit it, you need to clean the wound so you can assess the damage. If there is visible bleeding, cleanse the wound with running warm water. Run the warm water over the wound with the run-off going down the drain, not back into the wound.
How do you treat a finger hit with a hammer?
Rest, ice, elevation, and the use of OTC pain and anti-inflammatory medications are generally the best way to get immediate and long-term relief from this injury. Seek medical attention for injuries that involve the joints, have noticeable abnormalities or breaks, cause severe pain, or don't respond to basic treatment.
How do you treat a smashed finger at home?
Apply an ice pack to decrease swelling. Be sure to wrap the pack in a clean cloth first to prevent cold injury to the skin. Over-the-counter pain medicines may help relieve discomfort. If pain becomes severe, with blood under the fingernail, call your provider.
How do you know if a finger injury is serious?
After an injury, if swelling and pain still limit the use of your fingers, or your fingers become numb, then you will want to seek medical attention. If your injury includes crushed tissue, laceration, exposed bone, you must go to the emergency room or seek medical care immediately.
Should I go to the doctor if I smashed my finger?
People should seek medical attention if a smashed finger causes severe pain. It is a good idea to speak with a doctor to ensure no further damage was done to a joint if more than just the fingertip is involved in the injury.
How do you soothe a throbbing finger?
Immediate First AidIce it. An ice pack can quickly reduce pain and swelling. ... Elevate it. Raising the injured finger above the heart slows the blood flow and reduces the throbbing. ... Use it. If possible, keep using the finger to promote circulation. ... Take a pain reliever.
Is my finger broke?
That said, there are certain particular indicators of a fracture that you should look out for if you fear your finger may be broken: Your affected finger is bent into a strange or unnatural position. There's excessive swelling in one localized area. There's significant tenderness and bruising in one localized area.
How do you treat a swollen finger?
How to Get Rid of Swollen FingersKeep your hand/arm elevated. If you keep your hand down, gravity is keeping the extra fluid in your hand. ... Apply ice to the affected area.Wear a splint or compressive wrap. Do not apply too tightly. ... Take anti inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen.
What happens if you hit your finger with a hammer?
If you’ve ever caught your finger in a door, or hit it with a hammer, you’ve probably experienced common symptoms of a smashed finger. Any trauma or injury to your finger can lead to: severe finger pain, especially aching and throbbing pain. inflammation (pain, redness, and swelling) difficulty using the finger tip.
How to help a finger that hurts?
Once the initial pain and swelling improve, you should increasingly try to stretch and move the injured finger. Avoid any movements or actions that cause your pain to increase significantly. Gently massaging the injury site and the surrounding area can help improve recovery time by encouraging blood flow to the site.
What to do if your finger is smashed?
When to seek help. Speak with a doctor or nurse if your smashed finger causes extreme pain or involves more than just the fingertip. You should also seek medical help if: you can’t straighten your finger. the finger is noticeable bent or crooked.
How to treat a finger that is infected?
Very gently apply an ice pack or compress wrapped in a hand towel or cloth to the injured finger for 10-minute intervals with 20-minute breaks, several times daily. Never expose the skin directly to ice, or for longer than 10 to 15 minutes at a time, to avoid the risk of frostbite or further inflammation.
How long does a bruise on a fingernail last?
The bruise will remain visible for a few months until the affected portion of the nail grows out. If you suspect that your nail may fall off, or the bruise is visible on 50 percent or more of the nail, call your doctor. Your doctor may be able to help prevent the nail from falling off by relieving pressure.
How long does it take for a smashed finger to heal?
Most smashed fingers start to feel much better within three to four days. More complicated or severe cases may take a few weeks or more to fully heal.
How to get relief from a sprained ankle?
Rest, ice, elevation, and the use of OTC pain and anti-inflammatory medications are generally the best way to get immediate and long-term relief from this injury. Seek medical attention for injuries that involve the joints, have noticeable abnormalities or breaks, cause severe pain, or don’t respond to basic treatment.
What to do if you smashed your hand with a hammer?
If you were working with a hammer and accidentally hit a finger or your hand, you need to seek medical support.
What happens if you hit your hand with a hammer?
Swelling. Another big problem with hitting your hand with a hammer is that typically, extreme swelling follows. This is usually because small blood vessels have been damaged or burst when they were struck, so leaking blood is filling up your hand. This is essentially a severe bruise, otherwise known as a hematoma.
Can a hammer damage bones?
Underlying Damage. Hammers are extremely strong and can easily damage bones if they hit in just the right way. This is true of larger bones, which means that the smaller, delicate bones in the hands are particularly vulnerable to being damaged by a hammer.
Can you xray your hand?
In the meantime, your urgent care provider can x-ray your hand to look for significant damage. They'll also use a syringe to hygienically drain the blood from your hand so that the swelling comes down and your pain will immediately go down, too.
What to do if you can't move your finger?
If you can't move your finger or if you can't feel it after a few minutes (you have to give the throbbing time to go away), then you should visit the doctor. Take a pain reliever. Over-the-counter painkillers can help relieve the constant reminder that you didn't move quick enough. 3 .
How to stop a finger from spraining?
Don't keep ice on too long or you can develop frostbite. 1 . Elevate it. 2 Letting your hand dangle at your side after smashing your finger will simply increase swelling and that uncomfortable throbbing. Hold it up to reduce the pressure in ...
How to get blood out of fingernail?
Steps to Relieve a Blood Under the Nail 1 Wash the finger thoroughly. You do not want to develop an infection in the tip of your finger. 2 Open the paper clip so that you have a straight edge. 3 Holding the paperclip with the pliers, heat the tip in the flame until it is red-hot. 4 Carefully touch the red-hot tip of the paperclip to the area of the nail where most of the blood is collected (usually the darkest spot on the nail) and put just a little pressure on it. Keep it there until the paperclip burns through the nail. Don't push hard; just let the heat do the work.
What happens if your fingernail falls off?
Signs of infection. If your fingernail falls off, don't panic. It's not ideal, but chances are very good it will grow back without a problem. While it doesn't necessarily mean you should see a doctor, a missing fingernail is at least worth a call to the office.
How long does it take for a fingernail to hurt?
Depending on the extent of the injury, your finger may hurt for a few days or a few weeks. It may also be sensitive for up to a few months. 6 Draining the blood from the fingernail may help to relieve some of the pain and pressure, but only do this under a doctor's instruction. If the pain is severe or getting worse, check with your doctor.
How to get rid of a swollen finger?
Wash the finger thoroughly. You do not want to develop an infection in the tip of your finger. Open the paper clip so that you have a straight edge. Holding the paperclip with the pliers, heat the tip in the flame until it is red-hot.
How to get a finger out of a sprained finger?
Assuming you've extricated the finger (this would be step one), there are a few things you can do to alleviate your excruciating pain. Ice it. Use an ice pack to reduce pain and swelling. Keep the ice on it for 15 minutes a couple of times an hour for the first few hours after smashing it.
What to do if you can't move your finger?
If you cannot move your finger, then you should seek medical attention. Use over-the-counter medications. Taking a pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen will help with minor pain and swelling. Note: If you have a torn fingernail as a result of the injury, carefully clip away along the torn edge.
How to prevent a smashed finger?
These include: Pay attention when getting out of a car or closing a door in your home. Teach children some basic safety techniques. Take special care when working with or moving heavy objects and materials.
How to treat a fingernail infection?
Keep a bandage over the injured fingernail to protect against infection. For the next 7 days after removing the bandage, soak the affected fingernail in a salt water solution (1/4 teaspoon of salt to 8 ounces of warm water) at least once a day. 2. Medical Treatment.
How to get frostbite out of finger?
Keeping ice on the affected area for too long can lead to frostbite. Elevate the injured finger. Holding your injured finger up reduces blood flow thus reducing swelling and pressure. Don’t dangle your hand after you have smashed your finger. Move the injured finger. Be sure to move your finger gently.
How to burn a nail with a metal clip?
Unbend a metal paper clip or other similar piece of metal wire. Hold the paper clip with a pair of pliers and place the end into an open flame until it is very hot. Touch the hot tip of the paper clip to the injured fingernail where blood has pooled and the heat will burn a small hole into the nail.
What to do if your fingernail is bleeding?
The doctor can guide you through a simple procedure you can do at home to relieve the pressure and prevent the nail from falling off. The procedure is as follows: Clean the injured finger.
How to treat a bruising finger?
Ice the injury. Icing the injury reduces swelling and can reduce bruising by slowing the bleeding into the affected area. Keep the ice on your finger for about 15 minutes at a time over the course of the first few hours. Keeping ice on the affected area for too long can lead to frostbite.
How to stop a finger from spraining?
Ice your finger. Wrap an ice pack or cold compress in a paper towel and place it on the injured finger. Keep the ice on it for 10-minute intervals with 20-minute breaks for the first few hours after you smash your finger. Ice helps to minimize swelling, bleeding, and pain. Be careful not to apply to much weight or pressure with the ice.
How to stop a swollen finger from hurting?
2. Elevate your hand above your heart. Hold your injured finger up in an elevated position above the level of your heart. Do this continuously to limit pressure. If you keep your hand down at your side, blood will rush to the injury, increasing the swelling and uncomfortable throbbing pain. ...
How to pierce a fingernail with a paperclip?
Carefully press the red hot end of the paperclip on the part of the fingernail where most of the blood has collected. Keep it there until the paperclip has burned through the nail. Be careful not to press the paperclip too hard. You want to pierce the nail with the paperclip without burning the skin underneath.
How to clean a fingernail with alcohol?
In addition to washing your finger, you’ll want to use rubbing alcohol to further clean and disinfect the injury. Apply alcohol by pouring a small amount on a cotton ball to clean the surface of the fingernail and then let it dry.
How to get rid of a cut on the face?
If there is any dirt or debris in the wound, remove it with tweezers cleaned with alcohol. Apply an antibiotic ointment on the wound. Apply a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin to the open cut. This will keep the surface of the cut moist and help prevent scarring.
How long does it take for a smashed finger to heal?
After this method is completed, soak the injured finger in warm, soapy water for 10 minutes, 3 times a day for 2-3 days. This will ensure that the injury remains clean and infection is prevented. Most smashed fingernails tend to feel better within 3 to 4 days. More severe injuries may take weeks to heal.
How to get blood out of a finger?
1. Wash your injured finger thoroughly. A few days after the injury, you may notice some blood under the nail that looks like a dark-colored discoloration (red, maroon, or purple-black). You’ll want to release that blood that forms under the nail to further relieve pain and pressure.
