How can you tell if you broke your finger?

How can I tell if my finger is broke or just strained?

• I injured my finger about a week ago...it turned blue and became swollen almost immediately. Now the swelling has gone down but it's still slightly blue, I can kind of bend the finger but it feels kind of tight and cause a slight pain, I have to bend it very slowly. When I try to use it the swelling returns any help?

• Answer:

  I had the same thing happen when i was younger. i had my finger bent awkwardly and in a bone between the knuckle and finger broke but it wasn't bad cuz of something to do with the growth plate. but if you have blue purple coloration and you can only slowly move it and not completely bend it in and there is a constant pain of like a 2 or 3 on a scale and greater pain of 5 or higher after rapid movement or sudden unwanted movement of 1-10 it's broken.