Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Medically Reviewed on 3/11/2019
Doctor's Notes on Broken Finger Pictures, Symptoms, Home Treatment, and Surgery
A broken finger is a fracture, or break, in any of the bones of the fingers. A broken finger is usually caused by a traumatic injury to the finger or fingers, such as playing sports, workplace injury, falls, or accidents. A broken finger may involve a fracture of a single bone or of multiple bones at the same time.
Symptoms associated with a broken finger include pain that may be severe, redness, and swelling of the involved area. Swelling may also be seen in the hand or in adjacent fingers. Other associated signs and symptoms can include stiffness or inability to move the finger, deformity of the finger, and limited range of motion if the finger is still moveable. With any traumatic injury there may be other associated injuries like cuts, scrapes, bruises, or bleeding.Trauma and First Aid : Training and Supplies Quiz
QuestionEmotional trauma is best described as a psychological response to a deeply distressing or life-threatening experience.
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Boxer's Fracture
A boxer's fracture is a break through the bones of the hands that form the knuckles. Boxer's fractures usually occur from a person punching another person (fist fight), a wall, or other hard object. Most boxer's fractures require medical attention. -
Broken Bone (Bone Fracture)
Fractures occur when bone cannot withstand the outside forces applied to the bone. Fractures can be open or closed. Types of fractures include: greenstick, spiral, comminuted, transverse, compound, or vertebral compression. Common fractures include: stress fracture, compression fracture, rib fracture, and skull fracture. Treatment depends upon the type of fracture. -
Broken Hand
Broken hand (fractures) are caused by trauma to the hand, crush injuries, falls, sports injuries, improper use of tools, and workplace injuries. Broken hand is usually diagnosed with an X-ray. Treatment of a broken hand depends on the bone or bones that were fractured. -
Finger Dislocation
Finger dislocation occurs when the bones of the finger are moved from their normal position. Symptoms and signs of a dislocated finger include pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, paleness of the injured finger, and/or a break in the skin. Treatment involves administering an anesthetic into the finger and then reducing the dislocation to allow the medical professional to realign the bones of the finger. -
Finger Infection
Finger infections can be caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Types of finger infections include paronychia, felon, herpetic whitlow, cellulitis, infectious flexor tenosynovitis, and deep space infection. Symptoms and treatment of a finger infection depend on the type. -
Finger Injuries
Finger injuries can vary from small cuts, lacerations, puncture wounds, broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, nerve injuries, jammed fingers, and animal or human bites. A person may experience bleeding, bruising, deformity, swelling, redness, or pus there is infection. Treatment for a finger injury depends on the type and severity of the injury. -
Fractures or Dislocations
Fractures are breaks in bone and are classified according to several different categories. Compound fractures are the most dangerous; the bone is broken into fragments that come through the skin. Treatment includes setting the broken bone and splinting the injury, among other steps. Steps are taken to prevent infection if the skin is broken. -
Hand and Finger Injuries: One ER Physician's Story
Hand and finger injuries are common, especially in the workplace. Serious hand and finger injuries include: lacerations or cuts, simple or compound bone fractures, and tendon or muscle injuries Serious cases may require surgery. -
Hand Injuries
Hand injuries can be divided into six categories. 1) cuts and lacerations, 2) fractures and dislocations, 3) soft tissue injuries and amputations, 4) infections, 5) burns, and 6) high pressure injuries. Treatment of hand injuries depends on the type of injury. -
Mallet Finger
Mallet finger is an injury to the outermost joint of a finger. Causes of mallet finger include tendon damage, small, or large fractures. Symptoms of mallet finger include pain, swelling, redness, tenderness, and the inability to extend the injured finger. Treatment for mallet finger depends on the severity of the injury. -
Nail Bed Infection (Paronychia)
An infection that develops along the edge of the fingernail or toenail is called a paronychia (pear-ah-NIK-ee-ah). Symptoms and signs include redness and swelling around the nail, pus, and pain. If an abscess has formed, the recommended treatment is to drain the abscess. -
Nail Injuries (Fingernail, Toenail)
Injuries to the fingernails and toenails can range in seriousness from a simple bruise to complete separation from the nail bed. The nail may be permanently deformed as a result. -
Skier's Thumb
Skier's thumb describes an injury of the soft tissue that connects the bones of the thumb together. Symptoms of skier's thumb include pain at the base of the thumb, swelling, bruising, tenderness to touch, pain in the wrist, thumb pain that worsens with movement in all directions. Skier's thumb can be treated at home with RICE, however, in certain cases surgery may be necessary. -
Splinting
A suspected broken bone or dislocation should be immobilized, splinted, or both. Splinting helps to prevent further injury and can provide pain relief. -
Subungual Hematoma (Bleeding Under Nail)
A subungual hematoma is a collection of blood in the space between the nailbed and fingernail. Subungual hematoma results from a direct injury to the fingernail. Symptoms and signs include a dark discoloration under the nail and intense pain. Treatment involves icing the injured digit, elevating the injured digit, taking pain medications, and draining the blood beneath the nail. -
Torn or Detached Nail
Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done to repair a nail once it has detached or become torn. Damage to any surrounding tissue warrants a visit to a doctor. Any loose portions of the torn or detached nail should be removed. After cleaning the nail bed with soap and water, apply petroleum jelly or an antibiotic ointment and cover the nail bed with a clean bandage. -
Wrist Injury (Wrist Fracture)
The wrist injury can be a sprain, strain, or fractured or broken bone(s). Symptoms of an injury or fracture include pain, deformity, heat, swelling, and inability to move the joint. If you have severe pain, deformity, numbness, or are unable to move your wrist, call your doctor immediately, or go to an urgent care clinic, or hospital emergency department. Treatment of a wrist injury depends upon the type of wrist injury.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.