Blood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes a black-and-blue colour that may become purplish black, reddish blue, or yellowish green as the bruise heals. Rest and home treatment can help you heal.
Seek medical attention right away for any of the following: The finger is bent and you can't straighten it. The skin is cut open and bone is exposed. The injury involves the palm or any of the joints, such as a finger or the wrist.
If you smash a finger, the first step is to relieve the swelling and pain with an ice pack, elevation, and an over-the-counter painkiller if needed. Moving the finger helps promote circulation. If there is blood beneath the fingernail, do not drain it yourself unless your healthcare provider gives you the OK.
If you fear your finger may be broken or dislocated, do not wait to see the doctor! When left untreated, broken and dislocated fingers can cause serious problems in the long term, including permanent loss of movement and sensation.
Most jammed fingers aren't serious injuries that require immediate medical attention. If you have a mild sprain, you can usually treat the injury at home. If you experience severe pain, swelling and/or stiffness, you should visit a healthcare provider.
Typical symptoms of a broken finger include swelling, stiffness, and bruising. Within several minutes of the injury, your finger may experience swelling. Bruising and the inability to move or bend the finger often follow this swelling. Numbness is also a common symptom of a break.
The area will also bruise, giving the finger a bluish or purple hue. The finger may also look slightly deformed or out of place.
Bleeding under the fingernail will cause pressure under the nail, which can eventually cause it to fall off. In cases where most of the nail is affected, a doctor may be able to prevent the fingernail from falling off by draining the blood from the bruise to alleviate the pressure.
When purple finger occurs, it's a sign you're not getting enough oxygenated blood to that or perhaps other areas of the body. If it persists, especially after warming the hands, or if it appears with other concerning symptoms, seek a medical evaluation. Both stress and cold weather can lead to an attack.
If you experience any of the following, it is probably time to contact your primary care physician or an emergency room: You cannot bend the finger in any direction. The swelling and pain in the finger is severe. There is a deformity or bump at the tip of your injured finger.
The fingertip will usually stay a little bit swollen permanently, but it should not interfere with function. It will take longer than you think is reasonable, about six to twelve months, for the swelling to go down as much as it will.
A person will need emergency treatment for deep cuts that require stitches, or for a fingertip that is partially or fully severed. People should also seek immediate medical attention for the following: a wound more than three-quarters of an inch in length. a wound more than a quarter of an inch deep.
Contact your provider if: Your finger pain is caused by severe injury. Your finger is deformed. The problem continues after 1 week of home treatment.
Most infections will look pink or red and feel tender to the touch. When a cut on the finger becomes infected, symptoms include: swelling. redness.
Immediate action required: Go to A&E if:
You have had an injury and the finger or thumb: is pointing at an odd angle. looks blue or feels numb. is cut and you can see bone through it.
The trapped blood will eventually be reabsorbed, and the dark mark will disappear. This can take 2–3 months for a fingernail, and up to 9 months for a toenail. If there is severe damage to the nail bed, the nail may be malformed or cracked when it grows back. Or, it may fail to regrow.
You may be able to relieve severe, throbbing pain by draining blood from under your nail. This procedure is not necessary and is not recommended if you are not having pain.
A bruised finger can sometimes be just a painful as a fractured or broken finger. However, unlike a broken finger, there is no bone break or fracture. The impact it the injured finger causes bleeding under the skin.
This injury generally takes a few days to a few weeks to heal. During that time, the bruise will typically change in color from reddish, to purple-blue, to greenish-yellow, then to yellow-brown. A finger bruise may be treated with a splint or buddy tape (taping the injured finger to the one next to it for support).
Even a “sprain” can bruise and swell; however, with broken bones you will experience a deep dark purple-blue-black color. If swelling stays in the finger or area for several days, it will not hurt to have a doctor examine it.
Crushed or Smashed Fingertip.
The end of the finger may get a few cuts or a blood blister. Sometimes, the nail can be damaged. Broken bones are not common with this kind of injury. If they do occur, they are at risk for a bone infection (osteomyelitis).