Content

• Steps

Have you ever accidentally hit your finger hammer while doing chores around the house, hanging up a picture or packing something in the workshop? This is a frequent occurrence, but can be very painful, and your finger will hurt if it is hit hard. Now you need to assess the extent of the injury to know how to treat it at home and when to see a doctor. You can decide this by examining the wound and determining its severity.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Finger care

1. 

   Check for swelling. No matter how hard you are hit, your finger will swell. This is the most common response to such trauma. The finger will only swell for a few days if the force is not too strong. If the only symptom is swelling, you can place an ice pack on your finger to help ease the swelling and pain.
   • You can also take over-the-counter pain relievers.
   • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) can also reduce pain and inflammation. Take according to the directions on the package.
   • You don't need to see a doctor unless the swelling of the finger stops, the pain gets worse or is numb, or the finger can't move in or out.

2. 

   
   
   Handling fractures. If the swelling is very bad and the pain is severe, you may have fractured your finger, especially if the blow was quite strong. If your finger looks crooked and is extremely sensitive to the touch, chances are it has fractured. This can be accompanied by bleeding or broken fingernails.
   • Seek medical attention if you suspect a fracture. You need an X-ray and your doctor can put a brace on your finger or another form of treatment. Do not put a splint on your finger unless directed to do so by your doctor.

3. 

   
   
   Clean the wound. If your finger is bleeding after being hit, you need to clean the wound to assess the damage. Wash your fingers under warm running water if you experience bleeding. Keep your finger under the tap so that the water that comes out should go down the drain, not back into the wound. Then use a gauze to wash the wound with betadine or another solution.
   • Press on the wound for a few minutes to slow the bleeding, so you can assess how deep the wound is and if you need to see a doctor.
   • Get medical help right away if the bleeding is too much or is a ray.

4. 

   
   
   Evaluate the tear. Once you've washed the wound, check your finger for any cuts or cuts. The wound may still bleed slightly while you are checking, which is normal. Lacerations are usually in the form of ripping or peeling off a piece of skin on the finger. Any apparent tissue damage or skin ripped to reveal bleeding must be examined by a doctor. Sewing may be required if the tear is 1.2 cm or more wide.However, the skin layer may not be able to hold if a complete part is destroyed.
   • Many doctors still sew the damaged skin above the flesh of the finger to form a protective layer as the young skin is growing. The outer skin is cut off as new skin is formed.
   • Lacerations can be shallow and stop bleeding immediately after they are torn, especially if the finger isn't beaten too hard. If this is the case, wash the wound, apply antibiotic ointment and cover it with a bandage.

5. 

   Check for tendon damage. The hands and fingers are a complex system of muscles, tendons and nerves, so it's important to check the finger for signs of tendon damage. Tendon is the part that connects muscles to bones. The hand has two types of tendons: the palm fold helps fold the fingers; and tendons on the back of the hand help straighten fingers. Cuts and bruises can injure or even cut these tendons.
   • You cannot bend your finger if the tendon is torn or broken.
   • Cuts in the palms of the hands or near the folds of knuckles can damage the underlying tendons.
   • You may also feel numb due to nerve damage.
   • Soft palms can be a sign that tendons are damaged.
   • You may need to resort to the intervention of a surgeon if you have any of the above, as treating your hands and fingers is a complicated process.

6. 

   Examine your nails. The nail can be seriously damaged if hit by a hammer. Observe the nail and assess the injury. You do not need to see a doctor if you only see a small blood stain underneath the nail. Just cover the wound with ice and take over-the-counter medicine if it hurts. However, you need medical attention if the pain persists for many days, the blood stain occupies 25% of the nail plate, or if the blood is causing great pressure underneath the nail. It is possible that you have a hematoma under the nail.
   • You may find that part of the nail has come off or has been broken. If the nail bed is deeply cut, get medical attention as the wound may need stitches. If left untreated, the cut can interfere with nail growth, causing the nail to grow out of alignment or cause infection.
   • Get medical attention right away if part or all of the nail is lost. This is a serious condition and requires attention. Damaged nails can be removed or stitched until healthy, new nails regrow. This may take 6 months.
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Method 2 of 3: Cure under-nail hematoma

1. 

   Go to the doctor. If you have a lot of hematoma underneath the nail, that's more than 25% of the nail area. A subungual hematoma means an area of ​​broken small blood vessels under the fingernail. Your doctor may suggest that you extract or cut the nail to draw blood. You can do this yourself if it works quickly. If you feel severe pain, push the skin of the arm cuff deep inside to gently insert the sterile needle. This will be as painless as your injured finger, and the needle will be easier to poke through the base of the nail. Draw a few times until clear fluid drains. This prevents the nail from turning black from the dry blood under the nail.
   • You do not need to do anything if the blood stain under the fingernail is less than 25% of the nail area. The blood stain will move upward on its own as the nail grows. The degree to which the nail may turn black as the blood dries depends on how hard or lightly the nail was hit.
   • If the hematoma occupies more than 50% of the nail plate, the doctor will have an X-ray of the nail.
   • You should see a doctor to treat hematoma under the nail within 24-48 hours.

2. 

   Blood extraction at the clinic. The safest way to extract blood from the nail is to have your doctor do this by burning. During this procedure, your doctor will use an electric burner to create a small hole through the nail. When the burning knife reaches the hematoma under the fingernail, the tip will automatically cool down to ensure that the finger is not burned.
   • After the hole is made, blood oozes out of the nail until the pressure is reduced. The doctor will bandage your finger and send you home.
   • Your doctor may be able to use a size 18 needle instead, but burning is more commonly used.
   • This procedure is painless, as the nail has no nerves.
   • This will help reduce the pressure that builds up under the fingernail, meaning you are less likely to need to remove the nail.

3. 

   Treatment of hematoma under the nail at home. Your doctor may allow you to draw a subungual hematoma at home. Get a paperclip, a lighter, and wash your hands thoroughly for this procedure. Straighten the paper clip and hold the lighter to the ends of the paper clip for 10-15 seconds, until it turns red. Then place the paper clip in the center of the hematoma at an angle of 90 degrees from the nail bed. Gently press down, slowly twisting in place so the paper clip goes through the nail. At that time, blood will flow out of the nail. Use a cloth or gauze to wipe off any leaking blood.
   • If you don't get through the nail at first, you need to lift the tip of the paper clip and try again, pressing down slightly harder so that the tip of the nail is penetrating the nail.
   • Are not Press too hard, as you may hit the nail bed.
   • If your finger hurts a lot, you can take a pain reliever before the procedure.
   • Ask a close friend or family member for help if you can't do this yourself.

4. 

   Wash the nails again. Once the bleeding has gone, rinse your nails again with betadine or another type of cleaning solution. Wrap your finger in a gauze bandage, wrap it into a cotton ball on your fingertips to create a soft cushion, while also protecting your finger from irritation and impact. Fix at the base of your finger with medical tape.
   • You can also tape in an eighth pattern, running from your finger under the palm of your hand. This will keep the tape in place.
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Method 3 of 3: Continue to care for the finger

1. 

   Dressing changes. No matter how injured your finger is, you must change the bandage once a day. However, you need to change it sooner if it becomes dirty before 24 hours. When removing the bandage, wash fingers with antiseptic solution and re-bandage in the same way as previously applied.
   • If stitches are required, check with your doctor before washing them. Take care of your stitches as directed by your doctor. You may need to keep it dry and should not be washed with any solution.

2. 

   Watch for signs of infection if present. Every time you remove the dressing, watch for signs of infection on the wound. Watch for pus, discharge, redness, or heat, especially if the signs are coming from the hand or arm. You should also be aware if you start to have a fever, as complications can develop, including infections such as cellulitis, pyelonephritis (whitlow) or other hand infections.

3. 

   Continue to the doctor for re-examination. A few weeks after the injury, you should see your doctor again. Your doctor will make a follow-up visit if you have stitched the wound or extracted a hematoma from your fingernail. However, you should always see your doctor if you have such serious injuries.
   • Be sure to contact your doctor if other symptoms arise, you suspect an infection, dirt has entered the wound and cannot get out, pain gets worse, or the wound begins to bleed uncontrollably.
   • You should also contact your doctor if you have symptoms of nerve damage, including: loss of sensation, numbness, or the formation of a scar tumor called a "nerve tumor", which often causes pain and feels like electric shock when touched.
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