How can I help a bruised finger?

Soft tissue damage in finger?

• Nearly 2 weeks ago i was playing basketball in pe in school and when iwent to catcj the ball it hit my ring finger and pulled it back i continued playing and when it was over it was swollen and bruised this was at 3:30 but i didn't go home till about 4:30 as i had an extra maths class after school but when i did get home i put ice on the finger and then taped it up. For the first my mam kept telling me to go to the hospital but i wouldn't go as the last time i was there i spent nearly 7 hours waiting to be seen. On the saturday after it happened i went hospital because i was still unable to bend it and it was sore to touch i was never told what was wrong with it until my mam rang up they told my mam that it was soft tissue damage but someone will look at the x-ray's first. It's been wrapped up since until yesterday as my mam is telling me that i have to bend to help it get better but i'm still unable to do this as it still hurts to bend and still has bruising on the back of the finger from the part where the finger is attached to the hand upto the start of the first phalanges. Should i go back and get another x-ray or should i just keep it taped up until i can bend it again and could you tell me how long it will take to heal as ihave my leaving certificate in about 6 weeks and i write with my right hand and it's the one i injured but i can still write anyway.

• Answer:

  I used to jam my fingers in basketball every year. This sounds very similar to that. It usually takes about 3 days for the swelling to go down and about 3 weeks until it is back to normal. I would recommend taping it to the finger next to it to immobilize it and not use it for a few days. You shouldn't move it until the swelling is gone and it feels tight and sore, not painful. An x-ray will only show if there is something wrong with the bone. If the x-ray is fine, then the only alternative would be damage to the tissue and possibly the tendons. I would give it a couple of days at least and if there is no improvement at all, or if it is getting worse, then go back to the doctor.