ProudGrandma Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 if it's not obviously broke (like bent weird or anything)? My 12dd hurt her finger on Friday. It's probably jammed, but we aren't sure. It is swollen, black and blue and very sore (although she says it feels alittle better today). We have it slpinted with 2 popsicle sticks and tape. Even if it was broken, a doctor probably wouldn't do much more for it than that, right? Yesterday she said the pain was about a 9 and today she said maybe an 8. She tried to play the piano and it hurt. What should we do? What would you do?? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Get a splint from the pharmacy - it will be more comfortable. No piano playing! Let it rest for a week or so. The only concern might be if it's impinging a nerve. It doesn't sound like there's any numbness, but keep an eye out for that. I broke mine in a car door. It hurts a whole lot for such a little thing, doesn't it?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 good idea on the splint thing...we will do that today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 My son broke his thumb a few weeks ago. It was similar to what you describe. We thought it was just a bad sprain at first but by the third day it was still quite sore and swollen so we took him in for an x-ray. It was broken and he ended up with a cast. I don't know if they cast other fingers as well. His fracture went into the growth plate which could have needed surgery. It turns out he didn't, but that might be something to consider for your daughter's injury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I would see a doctor for an xray. If it is broken and you splint it incorrectly, it could heal wrong and then you would have bigger problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 I would never mess with a finger. It could be a simple break where a small splint is given, or it could need a pin and a cast. My son had a cast to his elbow for a finger that was broken in two places. The orthopedist told us that he gets a lot if adults that come in 20 years after breaks to see why their hands don't function properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 REALLY??? UGH.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Hands are too important to daily life, and too complicated to mess with. You don't want to deal with nerve damage or growth plate problems. Take her in for an evaluation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 You don't...unless you get an x-ray. Then have someone who knows what they're doing set it. Fingers are important and you want full functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murmer Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 When my son hurt his finger black and blue lots of pain...the doctor asked him to make a fist and then open it and declared it fine. So if you want an x-ray you may have to really push for it because some doctors seem to be of the opinion if you can move it at all it can't be broken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 His fracture went into the growth plate which could have needed surgery. It turns out he didn't, but that might be something to consider for your daughter's injury. Good point. My break was as an adult and I did have it x-rayed - only to be told to splint it. But the growth plates and all... yeah, I'd take DD if it was her. OP - how is your DD doing today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Get it x-rayed. Fortunately, my 20yo dd's finger wasn't broken on Thursday when the swing she was sitting on broke. I still need to replace it. I was replacing the swing about every 2 years, but this one has lasted nearly 5 years. I thought for sure that it was broken or fractured because of the swelling and discoloration, but it wasn't. I got her a splint at Walgreen's. She could tape it, but she would have to do it herself since she is back at school now. Since that's really hard to do one-handed, she is mostly using the splint. I actually haven't asked her if she still needed it today or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 We've had two broken fingers here, same symptoms- swelling, pain, no bruising though. X ray confirmed, dr splinted, waited 3 weeks and good as new. Then dh broke a finger (same finger as the boys, his middle...I find this hilarious for some reason) and he didn't want to go in. Wed done the er for fingers twice, we even had a finger splint that fit him...he put it on and called it good. Only, unlike toes, fingers are a whole lot messier if they heal wrong, it turns out. And he later had to have surgery for it, and it became a big old mess! it won't curl as well as the fingers on the hand, and this turned put to be a bigger problem than you'd think. So, go in for an X-ray, as annoying as it is. A splint is probably fine, no resetting needed, but...just in case, go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 we didn't go yesterday because we had plans already in place. I did call our clinic and they said we could wait until today and shee how it's doing. She isn't in as much pain, but it does still hurt...but the now weird symptom is that she says it sort of tingles from the tip to the first knuckle when she bends the tip of her finger. It is still swollen and sort of bruised looking. I dont' want to go, spend the money just to have a doctor say it's just bruised...but if it is really hurt, I want to know. So, what is the tingling sensation all about? DOes anybody know??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvnlattes Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I would take her in, or at least call them back and discuss the tingling. When we took my ds in for a follow-up on his thumb, the ortho asked him if he was experiencing any tingling. He wasn't, so it didn't go any further than that, but it was a specific question that was asked so it must mean something when/if it occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I wondered about that...I plan to call our clinic as soon as it opens at 9:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I am taking her in this afternoon. The tingling sort of unnerves me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I am taking her in this afternoon. The tingling sort of unnerves me. The tingling is an indication of pressure or trauma to a nerve(s). This may be due to swelling or, more likely, it may be due to an actual injury. It is definitely a symptom to worry about, and your daughter should be evaluated ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I really appreciate all of the responses here. I have a HUGE tendncy to second guess myself. We have spent enough time and money with doctor visits we didn't really need...but stuff like this scares me. She uses her hands so much...piano, accordion, crafts, art work, and this being her right hand, (she is right handed) also concerns me. I will no longer second guess myself...we are just going to have it checked out this afternoon. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMJ Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I would see a doctor for an xray. If it is broken and you splint it incorrectly, it could heal wrong and then you would have bigger problems. I agree. I broke my hand when I was a young teen, and we didn't realize right away. We eventually got it taken care of, but the bones never lined up quite the same way again, and that has significantly impacted what things I can actually do with it (my fingers don't line up as well as the other hand). I'm just thankful it's my non-writing hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I would never mess with a finger. It could be a simple break where a small splint is given, or it could need a pin and a cast. My son had a cast to his elbow for a finger that was broken in two places. The orthopedist told us that he gets a lot if adults that come in 20 years after breaks to see why their hands don't function properly. Yep. I had a half-cast up to my elbow for a broken pinky! A chunk had actually broken off the side of the knuckle. One of my sister's broken fingers needed to be popped back in place to heal properly. The one we thought was just jammed when she was 6 healed strangely and is still uncomfortable today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 just got back from the doctor. She said it's not broken...but she buddy taped it and if after a week its not feeling better then we will need to see a specialist. Thanks for all of your responses...and hoping for the best...it will probably be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 just got back from the doctor. She said it's not broken...but she buddy taped it and if after a week its not feeling better then we will need to see a specialist. Thanks for all of your responses...and hoping for the best...it will probably be fine. Did she take an xray? I would insist on one if she did not (says the person who broke something that the doctor insisted wasn't broken but was and required a lot of therapy to use it correctly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 no she didn't. But she did have my daughter put pressure on her hurt finger in all directions and there wasn't really any pain to speak of. I would think (and I am thinking so did the doctor) that a broken finger would have caused pain doing those things....am I wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 no she didn't. But she did have my daughter put pressure on her hurt finger in all directions and there wasn't really any pain to speak of. I would think (and I am thinking so did the doctor) that a broken finger would have caused pain doing those things....am I wrong? It can depend on the break. I had no pain with pressure just when doing certain things like putting on a shirt nothing really. DS ended up with a severe sprain and had pain with pressure. If it were my child, I would demand an xray especially with the tingling she complained of. In your other thread you said you haven't been to the doctor for it. Please tell me that the eye doctor wasn't the one to look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 she had both an eye doctor and a reg doctors appointment today. The general prac. looked at her finger...but didn't x-ray it. I don't have to rush back into the emergency room tonight, do I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 she had both an eye doctor and a reg doctors appointment today. The general prac. looked at her finger...but didn't x-ray it. I don't have to rush back into the emergency room tonight, do I? Call the doctor first thing in the morning and ask for the xray referral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 And make sure they actually put the xrays on a light table rather than holding them up to the light in the ceiling. When I took my oldest to the ER on Sunday morning after she had fallen on her foot, the ER doctor took xrays and walked back into the room holding them up to the light in the ceiling and said it wasn't broken. I assumed that he had used the light table in the hall just outside the room. Three days later, she was still crawling (5yo) and I called our family doctor who immediately sent us to an orthopedist. That doctor had me pick up the xrays from the hospital and bring them with me. It was a fabulously fun appointment to take my 5yo to. My 2.5yo was nonverbal and I was 7 months pregnant. I had to carry my 5yo into the office and then go back and carry my 2.5yo into the office. The orthopedist put the xrays up on the light table and even I could see the three breaks quite clearly. The only reason for the doctor to have missed seeing the breaks was not putting the xrays on the light table. They were right next to the growth plate, but fortunately the growth plate wasn't damaged. He got my dd casted and everything worked out just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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