ARGH Hangnail!

lermgalieu · #1 10-28-2002, 01:32 PM

I don't even know for sure that it is a hangnail, but all I know is I have some wicked swelling action going on in my middle finger, left hand, to the right of the nail. Anyone have any solutions? It has its own pulse...I am going to the doctor at 3, I don't think I can play in this condition. I don't know where it came from as there is no visible sign of a cut, hangnail, or anything, just red swelling.

David Kaczorowski · #2 10-28-2002, 01:48 PM

That's an infection. The pain is caused by pressure from puss. Disinfect a needle with rubbing alcohol, lance it, and squeeze out as much of the puss as possible. The pain immediately decreases and should be gone by tomorrow.

lermgalieu · #3 10-28-2002, 01:52 PM

David, thanks...I am at work and don't have the necessary implements, so I will go to the doc as planned and if he tells me to take aspirin, I will do as you recommend. Thanks for the tip.

myrick · #4 10-28-2002, 09:54 PM

soak in warm, salted (or epsom salted) water for 10-15 minutes before treating. It will take the edge off the pain and swelling before you attempt any lancing or prodding. Most likely the edge of the nail is growing into the flesh, or is broken or otherwise damaged, leading to irritation and infection. You may need to trim away a bit of nail around the corner from the tip, along the side of the nail. Wash everything down with antiseptic before and after treatment. after you finish, a bit of breathable bandage tape, applied in just the right way, can be made to pull the flesh away from the side of the nail a bit, easing the pressure and allowing things to heal better and more quickly. This works great on toes with ingrown nails, but I've used his trick on fingers as well.

hope this helps

lermgalieu · #5 10-29-2002, 10:32 AM

man. OW, I can't get this thing to drain. I am still trying though. Thanks for the tips...

mje · #6 10-29-2002, 11:46 AM

Soaking or wiping in alchohol will NOT sterilize a needle! Boil it. Flame sterilization is tricky; you can make the tip so brittle it'll break off in your finger.

Best tool to use is a sterile, disposable #11 scalpel blade. You can drill through a nail by resting the tip on the nail and rotating the blade., It'll drill down through the nail until it makes a tiny pinhole, which will be enough to release blood or pus.

And if all this seems like a bit much, and you value your digits... see a doctor ;-)

lermgalieu · #7 10-29-2002, 12:24 PM

Yeah I went to the doc, and he gave me antibiotics, which I am sure will fix it, but I dunno if it will fix it in time for my Thursday gig. I tried playing my plank last night and couldn't do it, so I am pretty sure I can't play my DB. I guess I will just cross my fingers and hope the swelling goes down via soaking and anitbiotics...I get the feeling that this thing just isn't 'ready' to drain yet, because all I get from lancing it is pinpricks of blood...

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #8 10-29-2002, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lermgalieu
I tried playing my plank last night and couldn't do it, so I am pretty sure I can't play my DB...

Hey guys, based on the terminology being used, it looks like WORMBALLET is starting to come around to our way of thinking. It warms my heart to see this happen...

Lerm - good luck with the finger. Stuff like this blows.

lermgalieu · #9 10-29-2002, 07:35 PM

wow - the brainwashing was so complete that I didn't even notice the shift...

Chris thanks. I am soaking right now (and one-hand typing). I hope to god I can play on thursday because I just picked up my bass from getting fingerboard dressed and bridge reshaped and even with the gimp finger this thing is playing like a DREAM!

lermgalieu · #10 10-29-2002, 09:57 PM

Not to gross you guys out - but I just hit the motherload of puss! Woohoo! Dang it hurts, but I don't care now!

lermgalieu · #11 10-29-2002, 10:02 PM

God I need some booze

lermgalieu · #12 10-31-2002, 02:41 PM

Well everyone, I thought I would give you an update after the saga the other night (see my blow by blow above). After soaking in epsom salt/water for a long time, the thing was ripe to bust, throbbing like crazy. I will spare you the gory details of false starts and almost passing out, but I finally got the thing to drain, which I had to do repeatedly tuesday and yesterday.

By last night the finger was feeling good enough that I actually went to rehearsal (plank only). Tonite is the gig, and the finger has improved so much that I am not even worried about it anymore.

Lesson learned, soak, soak, poke. Repeat.

cgipson1418 · #13 03-09-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lermgalieu

Well everyone, I thought I would give you an update after the saga the other night (see my blow by blow above). After soaking in epsom salt/water for a long time, the thing was ripe to bust, throbbing like crazy. I will spare you the gory details of false starts and almost passing out, but I finally got the thing to drain, which I had to do repeatedly tuesday and yesterday.

By last night the finger was feeling good enough that I actually went to rehearsal (plank only). Tonite is the gig, and the finger has improved so much that I am not even worried about it anymore.

Lesson learned, soak, soak, poke. Repeat.

Can you tell me what antibiotic Doc wrote you for?

Marcus Johnson · #14 03-09-2008, 09:22 PM

Got a time machine? Last time Lerm posted was in 2005, and this thread's from '02.

Interesting first TB post, BTW.