1. First Aid Essentials Slideshow Pictures
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Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Broken fingers frequently cause immediate pain after trauma and sometimes a deformed finger either at a joint (commonly a dislocation) or through the bone as a fracture. If there is no deformity, a sharp pain is felt very specifically at the injury site.

• A true fracture usually will be painful, but do not be fooled by a finger that has some range of motion as the finger may be able to bend. Depending on their stability, some fractures may hurt more than others.
• As time goes on, usually within the next 5-10 minutes, swelling and bruising of the finger will occur and the finger will become stiff to move. Swelling is not as specific as pain, and may affect the adjacent fingers as well.
• If the fracture is severe, bruising from released blood may be seen immediately.
• Finally, if the swelling is excessive, numbness of the finger may occur because the nerves in the fingers are compressed.

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