Can anything be done for a broken finger?

I'm not totally sure it's broken, but as the days go by I'm starting to think maybe it is.

It happened last Thursday. Took a mare for a coggins and while I was holding her for the vet, she spooked when a large, loud trailer pulled in the lot. I, stupidly, had the lead rope wound around my first 3 fingers of my right hand. When she pulled, I felt a lot of pain in my hand/fingers in general. I shook it off at the time. About an hour later the finger (ring finger, right hand) was swollen but I've always been able to bend the finger. I always thought if you could bend it/move it, it wasn't broken. So I just assumed tendon/muscle damage or bruising.

But now a week later, the swelling is gone, but I have this lump on the side of the first joint, the one just behind the nail. I can still bend it, but gosh it hurts constantly now. Even typing with it is uncomfortable.

So, if I can bend it can it still be broken? I'm wondering if it's just a slight fracture because I'm pretty sure it's not a total break through the bone. So, do I do anything with it? Any point in going to the doctor now? Or do I just let it be and accept it will probably look funky from now on?

Thanks!

I'm not a doctor and I don't even try to play one online--but I would try buddy taping it. Make a popscicle stick splint and use athletic tape to wrap it to another finger. Also for swelling try icing. And if it isn't much better in a week or so go to a real doctor.

Once after a riding accident, I was laying there with my upper arm broken. I knew that because my arm was on backwards from the break down. Yup I could move stuff below the break and that's when I learned you can move stuff with broken bones.

Ouch Parm! Go get that X-rayed PLEASE!

Please get it X-rayed Parmela! Yes, a broken finger can still bend. I broke two different fingers - different horses, a few years apart. One was just splinted and healed fine, just took the splint off in a couple of weeks. The other was a green-stick fracture, so the finger was bent and was put in traction to straighten it. Then when it healed still bent, I had to have surgery on it to re-break it. So depending on the exact kind of break it might or might not heal with no problem.

So sorry...

I would go get it x-rayed. Might be a slight break. Good luck to you!

I did it both ways, DR and no DR! I did the same thing you did but with a big horse. The rope took my pinky and ring finger and spun them. My pinky was completely backwards(finger nail facing the inside of my hand ) I went and had pins put in and all was fine. Ring finger healed just fine with nothing done. I had a goat hit me with his horns and break my ring and middle finger(same hand ) they healed just fine with no DR. visit. Now I just broke those same abused fingers in July in my utility truck accident. I didn't even have the DR look at them when I was there, way to many other things that hurt worse! LOL! 3 months later and swelling has gone down, I have complete use of my pinky(yes you do actually use your pinky ) but my ring finger and middle finger will not bend enough to make a fist. And they HURT/ache, not all the time but half the time for sure! And if I bang them..it will bring tears to my eyes it hurts so bad! Also I still can't get my wedding ring on. My hubby says to give it time, I agree but I'm scared that they are healing in a funky way because I have a huge bulge comming off the side of my nuckles(pinky not included! It's healed just fine! LOL!). I drive a bouncy Jeep Wrangler and that has helped because I hang on to that steering wheel for dear life which in turn excersises those fingers everyday.

Good luck! And believe me I will NEVER hold my lead that way again! To painful of an experience that is forever burned into my mind!

I've seen plenty of just normal breaks that just required splinting and time. And I've seen my mother suffer months on end and multiple surgeries to correct a spiral fracture of one of her fingers. GET IT LOOKED AT if you can at all afford it. Chances are they'll just tell you time and splint. But if its something more serious you need to know!

ditto, xray, but then again you can get burned from one visit, so if it doesn't stop hurting go to a specialist and get checked out. I got my thumb xrayed when I fell over a frozen hoofprint and landed on it while carrying water... emerg. room said nada, just tape it, not broken...

Hurt like the dickens and I couldn't pick anything up for weeks and weeks.. went to a specialist finally, thumb was dislocated! Yeah, emerg room was right, not broken, but dislocated was worse.

He said he would have put me in a cast for 6 weeks if he had seen me initially. Just taped it, it still hurts, two years later and has arthritis in it. Wish I hadn't been so stoic and had persisted in the follow up when the pain didn't go away quickly.

I have broken every one of my fingers due to basketball. Because those were jam breaks, it was usually shattered knuckles or hairline fractures. All of those required just a normal splint that you can buy at wal mart (covers bottom of your finger and then has metal 'arms' that wrap around) nothing else. Even when I dislocated pinky at both joints and had the knuckle broken when it was put back into place, still just that cheap splint. It actually sounds like you may have dislocated your finger. I can not bend my finger very far, but because of all the tissue damage my knuckle is twice the size it should be and my finger has poor circulation (always cold). It still hurts when I touch it or bend it too far. Mine was a bad one, but most dislocations are a quick pop out and then pop back in so people don't realize it was dislocated.

I could never bend my broken fingers, but my fingers always looked like black and blue sausages afterward. You can always go in and see if the doctor will take an xray, but from the sounds of it I don't think it's serious. I only ever went in to make sure my very swollen fingers were getting enough circulation. Splint and when it starts to feel better, buddy taping works great too.

P.s.-after reading some of the other responses I guess I would definitely go have it looked at just in case! If the doctor thinks it is broken he/she will recommend an xray.

Ugh! I have having stupid, little, irritating things like this that aren't clear cut. I guess I'll cave and get an xray. Even though I have a good job, my insurance sucks! If I go to the emergency room, whether referred by a doctor or not, but don't get admitted, it's ridiculously expensive! And then so are those urgent care centers. My insurance is really only good for regular doctor visits or complete hospitalization. Makes no sense.

Thanks for all the advice!

Doctor! Even broken bones can bend.....although not always in the right place You could try going to a "minute clinic" that are often located in some of the major stores - they often have a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant on duty who could possibly help determine if you need something more.

I know it sucks Parm. But a finger is something you need the rest of your life. Taking the chance of having a bad finger the rest of your life......not good. And you might save yourself athritis in it later on too.

Good for you for deciding to go!

Nope go get it xrayed- I broke the side of the joint off of mine when I got dumped off one of the POA's on a hard dirt road one time. Do it now before it heals wrong and causes problems later!! I also broke my thumb a couple of years ago- and didnt realize it was at first either.

Yes, your hands are important, and I would go get it looked at right away!

I agree with everyone else, go to your doc. If you are lucky, your doc will have an xray machine and can deal with it there.