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Common Finger Injuries Discharge Instructions


About this topic


Fingers are made up of many small bones. Ligaments are strong bands of tissue that hold your bones together. There are also muscles and tendons in your fingers. These attach to the bones and help move the finger up, down, or sideways. Nerves and blood vessels also run through your finger. The nail protects the end of your finger. Damage or injury to any of these structures can lead to finger pain and problems. ‚  
Common finger injuries include: ‚  
  • Broken or dislocated bone
  • Problems with tendons and ligaments
  • Cuts, bites, or infection
  • Problems with the fingernail
  • Amputation


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What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
  • Rest and avoid activities that make your problem worse.
  • Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over your finger. Never put ice directly on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
  • Prop your hand up on pillows when possible to lessen swelling.
  • Wear a splint to keep the finger from moving or for support if your doctor suggests you do so.
  • Tape fingers together to limit movement if your doctor suggests you to do so.
  • Lightly wrap the finger in gauze or a finger bandage to help lessen swelling.
  • Change wound dressings if you have an open area. Your doctor will tell you how to do this.
  • Take drugs to lessen pain and swelling or to prevent or fight infections if you doctor orders them.
  • Do exercise that your doctor or therapist suggests.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctors may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • Your doctor may send you to physical therapy (PT) or occupational therapy (OT) for treatments and exercises to help you heal faster.
  • Your doctor may also send you to a hand specialist or surgeon.

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling, like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). These are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
  • Help with pain, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Prevent or fight an infection

The doctor may give you a shot of an anti-inflammatory drug called a corticosteroid. This will help with swelling. Talk with your doctor about the risks of this shot. ‚  

Will physical activity be limited?


You may need to rest your finger for a while. You should not do physical activity that makes your health problem worse. If you work out or play sports, you may not be able to do those things until your health problem gets better. Based on the problem, you may have to go to physical therapy (PT) or occupational therapy (OT) for a few weeks or months. You may have to wear a splint or brace for a few weeks. If you have surgery, recovery may take about 3 to 6 months before you can go back to normal activities. ‚  

What problems could happen?


  • Loss of finger movement or strength
  • Ongoing pain or stiffness
  • Long-term disability
  • Injury to nerves, blood vessels, or other tissues

What can be done to prevent this health problem?


  • Wear protective equipment when playing sports.
  • Take rests often when doing something with repeat hand motions
  • Follow all safety precautions when running machinery.
  • Do not wear rings when working with machinery.
  • Do not run equipment or machines when tired.
  • Use caution when cutting with knives. Make sure the blades stay sharp. Dull blades can slip and cause injuries.
  • Do not approach fighting dogs or animals. Be careful when getting near an animal that you do not know.

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, wound that will not heal.
  • Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
  • Numbness and tingling get worse
  • Hand or fingers feel cold and pale
  • Health problem is not better or you are feeling worse

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my condition.
  • I can tell you how to care for my injured area.
  • I can tell you what may help ease my pain.
  • I can tell you what I will do if I have more pain or numbness and tingling or swelling.

Where can I learn more?


American Society for Surgery of the Hand ‚  
http://www.assh.org/Public/HandConditions/Pages/default.aspx ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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