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When to Call for Finger Pain

Care Advice

Mild Finger Pain

1. What You Should Know:
   • Finger pain can be caused by many things. Overuse can cause pain. A bruised funny bone can cause brief hand and finger pain. A fingernail infection or ingrown nail can cause pain. Pain can also be caused by arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendinitis.
   • The best way to treat finger pain will depend on the exact cause.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Cold or Heat:
   • Cold Pack: For pain or swelling, use a cold pack or ice wrapped in a wet cloth. Put it on the sore area for 20 minutes. Repeat 4 times on the first day, then as needed.
   • Heat Pack: If pain lasts over 2 days, apply heat to the sore area. Use a heat pack, heating pad, or warm wet washcloth. Do this for 10 minutes, then as needed. For widespread stiffness, take a hot bath or hot shower instead. Move the sore area under the warm water. Caution: avoid burns. Make sure it is warm, not hot. Never sleep on, or with, a heating pad.
3. What to Expect:
   • Pain from overuse should start to get better in a couple days. The pain should go away within one week.
   • Pain from a fingernail infection should go away in a couple days of treatment with warm water soaks.
   • Pain from a bruised funny bone should go away in a few minutes.
   • Pain from carpal tunnel syndrome can last days to weeks. It gets better quicker if you avoid doing the activity that caused it.
   • Pain and stiffness from arthritis can be chronic. That is, it can last weeks, months or years. Sometimes the pain can flare up and then get better after a couple days.
   • What to expect in other cases will depend on the cause of pain.
4. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe pain
   • Pain keeps you from doing normal activities (such as school, work)
   • Pain lasts more than 7 days
   • Signs of infection occur (such as spreading redness, red streak, warmth)
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Overuse of Hand and Fingers

1. What You Should Know - Overuse:
   • Hand and finger pain are common following overuse of the hand. Such activities can include washing the car or scrubbing the floor. Other types of repeated forceful motions can also cause this (such as sports and work). This problem happens when your body is not used to this amount of activity.
   • The main symptoms are soreness and tenderness of the hand and fingers. Pain increases with certain movements.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Apply a Cold Pack:
   • Apply a cold pack or an ice bag (wrapped in a moist towel) to the area for 20 minutes. Repeat this in 1 hour and then every 4 hours while awake.
   • Do this for the first 48 hours after an injury.
   • This will help decrease pain and swelling.
3. Apply Heat to the Area:
   • Beginning 48 hours after an injury, apply a warm washcloth or heating pad for 10 minutes three times a day.
   • This will help increase blood flow and improve healing.
   • Caution: avoid burns. Make sure it is warm, not hot. Never sleep on, or with, a heating pad.
4. Rest vs. Movement:
   • Continue normal activities as much as your pain permits.
   • Avoid heavy lifting and active sports for 1 to 2 weeks or until the pain and swelling are gone.
5. What to Expect:
   • Minor overuse should start to get better in a couple days.
   • The pain should go away within one week.
6. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe pain
   • Pain keeps you from doing normal activities (such as school, work)
   • Pain lasts more than 7 days
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Bruised Funny Bone

1. What You Should Know - Bruised Funny Bone:
   • You can treat a "bruised funny bone" at home.
   • A blow to the back of the elbow can cause numbness, tingling and burning pain in the elbow. Pain shoots down into the hand, usually into the middle, ring, and little fingers.
   • Your "funny bone" is actually a nerve (ulnar) which wraps around the back of your elbow.
2. What to Expect:
   • Symptoms from "bruising your funny bone" usually last just a few minutes.
   • If the symptoms last longer than 30 minutes, you should call your doctor.
   • If this happens often, you should call your doctor.
3. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Infected Fingernail and Ingrown Fingernail

1. What You Should Know - Infected Fingernail:
   • The medical term for a fingernail infection is paronychia. This can occur because of an ingrown nail, a hangnail, or from cutting your fingernails too short. Often, there is no good reason to explain why it happens.
   • The main symptoms are redness and pain of the skin fold (cuticle) around the nail.
   • Usually you can treat this at home with water soaks and antibiotic ointment. If a pus pocket forms under the skin, you may need to see a doctor to have it drained.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Treating a Fingernail Infection - Soak the Finger in Warm Water:
   • Soak the finger in warm water for 15 minutes three times a day.
   • Dry the finger completely.
3. Treating a Fingernail Infection - Antibiotic Ointment:
   • Put an over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotic ointment on the red area.
   • Do this 3 times a day.
4. Treating an Ingrown Fingernail:
   • An ingrown fingernail can cause pain where it cuts into the skin. To treat this, the sharp corner of the nail needs to be lifted up. This will keep it from cutting into the skin. Here are two ways to do this.
   • Method 1: Place a small amount of Cotton from a cotton ball under the corner of the nail, where it is cutting into your finger.
   • Method 2: Or instead, you can use Dental Floss. Take a short strip of dental floss or fishing line and try to pull it under the corner of the nail. Lift the nail upward. Trim ends of dental floss so that about a half inch (1 cm) is left on each side.
   • Do this every day until it feels better.
5. What to Expect: The redness and pain should get better in 2 to 3 days.
6. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Redness spreads up the finger
   • A pus pocket forms under the skin
   • You are not getting better in 3 days
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Over-the-Counter Pain Medicines

1. Pain Medicine:
   • You can take one of the following drugs if you have pain: acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).
   • They are over-the-counter (OTC) pain drugs. You can buy them at the drugstore.
   • Use the lowest amount of a drug that makes your pain feel better.
   • Acetaminophen is safer than ibuprofen or naproxen in people over 65 years old.
   • Read the instructions and warnings on the package insert for all medicines you take.
2. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.