“Should I get it checked out”
I smashed my fingers 2 days ago and 2 are slightly swollen and bruised. I can't bend one of them all the way. I am not able to put a lot of pressure on them.
Female | 21 years old
6 Answers
I am sorry to hear about your fingers, you need to go in right away to get an x-ray to make sure there are no fractures.
Yes. Need X-rays to make sure not broken.
Good day and thanks sharing your finger/hand issue with the FATD community. I will share my thoughts, tips and suggestions with you.
If you had broken a bone you would have markedly swollen digits filled with black and blue coloration, with a high amount of pain upon any motion.
However, fingers occupy a small space, and therefore after a crush injury there will be bruising of soft tissues. This will lead to inflammation: swelling, warmth, redness (bruising) and pain. Loss of function (inability to fully bend it) also occurs. Once it occurs, it can last for 2-8 weeks. And for fingers, sometimes it is even longer and sometimes ‘full motion’ never returns.
Suggestions: ice (fingers into ice water for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day for 2-4 days), elevation (above the heart for the first 3-5 days), anti-inflammatory medication [with food, Advil (4 times a day) or Aleve (2 times a day) for 3 days, and motion (both active and passive motion beginning 5 days after the injury)].
The swelling prohibits ‘fully bending’ the fingers. Manually bending all joints in the fingers (3 joints in all fingers, 2 in the thumb) with the other hand helps a lot, but can cause discomfort. If this is done in the first 2 weeks, icing afterwards can help. It may take 2-4 months to get full motion back (depending on several factors).
I hope this helps.
If you had broken a bone you would have markedly swollen digits filled with black and blue coloration, with a high amount of pain upon any motion.
However, fingers occupy a small space, and therefore after a crush injury there will be bruising of soft tissues. This will lead to inflammation: swelling, warmth, redness (bruising) and pain. Loss of function (inability to fully bend it) also occurs. Once it occurs, it can last for 2-8 weeks. And for fingers, sometimes it is even longer and sometimes ‘full motion’ never returns.
Suggestions: ice (fingers into ice water for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day for 2-4 days), elevation (above the heart for the first 3-5 days), anti-inflammatory medication [with food, Advil (4 times a day) or Aleve (2 times a day) for 3 days, and motion (both active and passive motion beginning 5 days after the injury)].
The swelling prohibits ‘fully bending’ the fingers. Manually bending all joints in the fingers (3 joints in all fingers, 2 in the thumb) with the other hand helps a lot, but can cause discomfort. If this is done in the first 2 weeks, icing afterwards can help. It may take 2-4 months to get full motion back (depending on several factors).
I hope this helps.
yes you should get an x-ray
Yes, I'd recommend a formal evaluation, including an x-ray.
I would recommend following up with your primary care doctor for X-rays. If you have a fracture or significant limitations on motion, you may need referral to an orthopaedic provider to ensure there aren't any soft tissue injuries (tendons or ligaments) that may be contributing to your symptoms and that may need to be addressed.
