how to figure out a broken finger

[pike n' whities]

well, i was creek fishing with my buddy the other day. i slipped into the creek, tried to get up and my buddy lost his footing and stepped on my hand. long story short, its been about 3 days now, my finger still looks like a sausage and is purple around the joint closest the the primary knuckle (my best description lol). its pretty tender. feels like just a bad sprain but im not sure. im too stuborn to wait 3 or 4 hours to get it checked out so im hoping someone on here knows? or you know..... has some sorta medical knowledge towards breaks and sprains.

 

thanks!

Edited April 5, 2010 by pike n' whities

[Syn]

Just go to the hospital to get it checked just in case, get xrayed. Worst thing is if it is broken through the joint (my finger), then you might not be able to ever bend it to full flexion ever again. All they do is use a popsicle stick splint, but it was good to know from xray if it is truely broken or not.

[Terry]

do what I did when I broke/sprained my thumb..

 

if it still hurts 3 weeks later it's broken but at that point it's too late to do anything about it so live with it

[tjsa]

Just go to the hospital to get it checked just in case, get xrayed. Worst thing is if it is broken through the joint (my finger), then you might not be able to ever bend it to full flexion ever again. All they do is use a popsicle stick splint, but it was good to know from xray if it is truely broken or not.

 

What Syn said, did this to my right hand pinky finger over 15 yrs. ago, hooked a really good fish while fall chinook fishing. Missed the rock I was aiming for, and my finger was bent sideways at a 45 degree angle. Gave my rod to my bud(he landed the fish, just a lake trout). While he was downstream I had my hand in the cold water, looked at it, then gave a pull and it popped right back in. It was dislocated. Wrapped it to the next finger with electrical tape and kept fishing. But, now I am dealing with this, and it gives me grief from time to time. I have also dislocated it 5 or 6 more times at least, the tendons are not that strong any more along with the calcium buildup. My doc says its not really repairable at this stage.

 

Sorry for the blurry pic, I am right handed and the shutter release is on the right hand side of the camera.

 

 

I also broke my wrist in 1995, went into emerg, they wrapped me in a sling after x-rays and was waiting there for them to give me more info. A kid was there, whose thumb had been broken the week before. He just did not think so. They froze it, and I got to watch the emerg doc try to re-break it, with help. Couldn't be done. He was taken off to make an appointment for surgery to repair it.

[Syn]

yep I broke my right pinky too Tjsa. My broken finger joint must have grown some extra bone during healing. The joint is too tight to flex and no amount of rehab will fix it. It would have to be opened up and the bone shaved down to normal size to make it flex all he way again

[pike n' whities]

hmm, my borthers pinky looks the exact same way! i stepped on his hand about 7-9 years ago... maybe its just karma bitting me in the rear?

 

thanks guys.

Edited April 5, 2010 by pike n' whities

[Syn]

What are the chances of breaking the right pinky..... 1 in 10 lol

Edited April 5, 2010 by Syn

[tjsa]

It only takes 1 time lol . I put my hand down to brace for impact. Did the same thing again in 1995 when I broke my wrist, now I tuck my arm in and fall on my side. Might get wet and sore, but no severe damage to body parts since.

[bare foot wader]

if you're that concerned about it then get it checked out...4 hrs will be worth your time now if it is a nasty break....

 

example: broke a bone in the outside of my hand back in college and never got it checked out...it set back in place on its own but not properly inline, my grip now suffers a little bit and that hand gets pretty sore some days...most likely going to have arthritis because of it and my doctor has suggested re-breaking the bone and setting it properly if I continue to have pain or loss of grip

[TC1OZ]

I suggest not typing with that finger!

 

 

Perhaps you should go to the hospital... I'm paying taxes so everyone can go whether or not they work!

[fish_fishburn]

I f you go and get it checked out they will probably tell you to come back when the swelling goes down. So soon as the swelling goes down go and get it exrayed if its pooched they will fix it for you right then and there. Just tell them you waited for the swelling to go down before you came in. Most of your discomfort is probably from the swelling. I'm not a doctor just relaying my experiences with messed up fingers.

[pike n' whities]

thanks boys!

 

tjsa, i think i broke my wrist the same year! same way too, except it was a dirtbike accident (trusty ol' kx100) so i flew over the handle bars and braced for impact and sure enough she let go. my wrist ended up being the palm of my hand sorta. was pretty nasty to look at. great day though, i gotta say.

[pike n' whities]

I suggest not typing with that finger!

 

 

Perhaps you should go to the hospital... I'm paying taxes so everyone can go whether or not they work!

 

 

are you suggesting in a way, our health care system should go to the older american system? in a way i agree... i do see some benefits. i wonder how much cash travis pastrana (you should know who he is) has put into that system already.

[tjsa]

thanks boys!

 

tjsa, i think i broke my wrist the same year! same way too, except it was a dirtbike accident (trusty ol' kx100) so i flew over the handle bars and braced for impact and sure enough she let go. my wrist ended up being the palm of my hand sorta. was pretty nasty to look at. great day though, i gotta say.

Mine was not that bad, it was lined up perfectly. Broke it moose scouting. Bud ahead of me got a soaker walking into a swamp, said thanks Ken, then proceeded to slip off a hidden rock in the weeds, lol . Finished the 10 minute walk out, then 10 min. later said to my buds, I gotta go to emerg, I think I broke my wrist.

 

Still, watching the emerg doctor and technician trying to re-break that kids thumb gave me a queezy feeling.

 

They gave me a prescription for Tylenol 3.

I read it, and interpreted it differently.

My bud had a pizzeria, and sold Toby's, so I went there and drank 3 of them, lol

 

Gave my prescription to my Dad, he got them for free, for being over 65.

I never took one pill.

Ya gotta get a freebie every now and then.

[pike n' whities]

the good ol' t3's eh... their the best out there for pain, IMO.