What to do when a finger is jammed?

[MatticusMania]

So, yesterday, playing my beloved dodgeball, I took one of those rubber playground suckers at a bad angle. Whist trying to defend myself I moved my ball in for a block, and got WHAM! I get hit ont he tip of my left index finger. My most used fretting finger.

It hurt like an S.O.B. and then I go to look at it and CRIMINIY! I think the ****er is broke. From my middle knuckle to the tip its bent at about a 45 degree angle! While in shock I said eff it and went for it. Crack! Popped that sucker right back into place.

But now, my pointer is swollen up like a sausage ready to burst from its casing! There's no pain when I put pressure on it, so I know its not broken. I can bend it at the knuckle slighty, until its stops because of all this swollen tissue.

So, is there anything I can do besides alternate hot & cold on it to help the swelling go down? Ive already put rehearsals with both of my bands on hold til further notice, but Im supposed to play with them both comes thir Friday. If the swelling goes down enough I should be good to go.

[R. Laevinus]

I would think that anti-inflammatories would help. If I were you, I'd hop along to my doctor or hospital so that they can make sure it's going to be okay, and give you a shot of some fun anti-inflammatory drug.

I popped some deep-tissue scars inside my left wrist a couple of weeks back (long story, don't ask), and couldn't bend the wrist at all for the swelling and the pain - the good doctor at the hopsital gave me a jab of something and I was right as rain next morning.

By the way... that looks like it blows, I'm sorry to see/hear about this.

[sloasdaylight]

There's not really much you can do. The defensive line coach on my football team told us to stick our fingers into a warm wet place if we sprained them, but I don't know if that's exactly the best advice.

[lowendfriend]

ice it.....ibuprofen


Ice reduces swelling and when you take it away, there is a blood flow increase. Heat only does the increase part.

[MatticusMania]

Nah, its certainly not as bad as it looks. Unless I put some mean pressure on the side of my knuckle, like between fingers, it hardly hurts at all. Ive sprained fingers before that were a lot worse than this.
A friend of mine said he had something that was supposed to be an anti-inflammatory, but I dont like taking pills too much, though I might give them a try.
Im pretty sure it'll be okay in time. I dont have medical insurance right now so I can't get in to the hospital or the doctors at the moment.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by lowendfriend

ice it.....ibuprofen


Ice reduces swelling and when you take it away, there is a blood flow increase. Heat only does the increase part.

I read online that it was good to alternate hot and cold. Heat first, let it swell, and then cold to bring it down. About 12 minutes each 4 times a day or so.

I like sloasdaylights approach though... I know warm wet place I can put it...

[MJ5150]

I done that a million times when I was playing football. I usually puked each time I snapped it back into place.

You should be fine by the weekend gigs. If not, get some lidocaine spray and keep it on top of your amp. A spray here and there between songs should keep you going all night.

-Mike

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by lowendfriend

ice it.....ibuprofen


Ice reduces swelling and when you take it away, there is a blood flow increase. Heat only does the increase part.

+1 This, your lig's and tendon's need to deflame and settle, looks nasty man : (

[SoonerMatt]

Jammed my finger playing rugby a month back. Ice, ibuprofen, and a brace did the trick for me. You can just make one by wrapping a popsicle stick in coach's tape and then taping that to your finger.

[Eric Perry]

Def. no heat. Ice it for short periods at a time.

[Relic]

You know, sometimes you can break stuff without actually realizing it's broken. Sure you don't want to see a doc for that bro?

[Disco_Gee]

Ice. Keep it cold.

[MatticusMania]

My fiancee played nurse and put a bag of frozen peas on it last night. Things got a little out of hand and someone has some peas to clean up off the bedroom floor. I'm gonna put it back on ice as soon sa I get off of work.

I dont have the money to see a Doctor uninsured right now, otherwise Id go just to get it checked, and maybe to get some vikes. The swelling is still there, but its gone down a little bit, as I can bend my finger a little further down. If its broke I can live with it as is, but I honestly don't see how it could be broken and yet still so pain free. I attributed the lack of pain last night to the massive quantities of Bass and 1554 I was drinking, but it isnt really hurting now and even the bruising is subsiding. I could probably play bass with it right now, that sort of pressure doesnt hurt a bit. I think I caught a lucky break. Or unbreak.

[hover]

Originally Posted by Relic

You know, sometimes you can break stuff without actually realizing it's broken. Sure you don't want to see a doc for that bro?

gonna have to agree with this. Hope yer digit is ok soon mang. the fact that it's purple at the end already points to some sort of internal trauma

[MatticusMania]

Its only purple at the second knuckle, which isnt even the knuckle that bent, and I can put a lot of pressure on that joint with no pain whatsoever. Most of the pain is at the first knuckle, onl the inner left side of the joint. Just looking at it I can tell theres a grip of busted capillaries. Theres definitely some torn ligaments in there, but I'm pretty sure no bones were broken.

[SelenaBassGirl]

ice it and take ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is an anti-inflammatory and will help with the pain too. As a MA, I would've went to the ER to get it checked in case.
Hope it gets better soon and you can get back to playin' soon! Get better soon!

[jonathan_matos5]

to reduce swelling on a joint injury remember t mnemonic RICE
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate.

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

to reduce swelling on a joint injury remember t mnemonic RICE
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate.

I think we have a winner!


Still, doesn't hurt to soak it in cider.....

[BoomingBass]

I also jammed my finger playing dodgeball. It got swollen, it hurt, then it got better, and my ring finger is still crooked to this day.

[SelenaBassGirl]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

to reduce swelling on a joint injury remember t mnemonic RICE
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevate.

I started to say RICE too, but the elevation part..got thinking ankles lol!