Jammed Finger Treatment

As the name rightly suggests, a jammed finger is an injury caused to the finger. It is an impact injury, wherein the affected person experiences finger joint pain and swelling. This condition may range from mild to severe ones, which include finger fracture and joint dislocation too. The symptoms, treatment and recovery is based on the severity of the injury. Let us take a look at the various aspects of this condition, especially, jammed finger treatment.

What Causes a Jammed Finger?

The definition of a jammed finger can be derived from the name itself. A jammed finger is basically an injury of the ligaments in the fingers. These ligaments get stretched or torn as a result of some impact. Such a condition may also involve fracture of the finger bone, to which the ligaments are attached. This condition is called a jammed finger, which is otherwise also known as mallet finger or baseball finger. Anybody can develop a jammed finger, but, it is mostly observed in sportspersons, who have to use their hands and fingers regularly. Such finger injuries are more common in sports, like, tennis, baseball, basketball, rugby, etc. Sometimes, you reach out to catch the ball, which accidentally hits the tip of the finger/fingers. This impact gets transferred from the ligaments in the fingers, to the bones and the finger joints. Such impacts may either not cause any injury, or causes injuries like, ligament tear, bruises in the finger joints, broken finger bones, dislocation of finger joints, etc. In short, jammed finger is a common name for all the above said conditions, which can range from mild to severe conditions. It is not necessary that only sportspersons develop this condition. It can also occur when your fingers get caught in a car door or if something heavy falls on your fingers. Scroll down for more information about jammed finger treatment.

How to Treat a Jammed Finger?

The symptoms of a jammed finger include pain, swelling, redness, numbness and loss of motion or difficulty in moving fingers, etc. The finger joints may get swollen too. The severity of the symptoms may vary with the type of injury. A deformity or complete loss of mobility of the finger may point towards a fracture or serious dislocation, which needs immediate treatment. Jammed finger treatment is also decided as per the severity of the injury. You may also read more about sprained finger.

It is said that the most effective jammed finger remedy is to pull the finger out of the jam. However, this is not applicable for severe cases, like a fracture or dislocation. If the symptoms are mild with very little swelling, you can start with applying ice over the injured area. You may also try some remedy for a common sprain. However, if the swelling or pain increases, or if the finger turns white or blue, you have to call the doctor. If it is too painful for you to move the finger, then it will be better to immobilize the finger with a splint or gauze. You may also tie the adjoining finger with the injured one, for support. In case of very severe injuries, prefer an arm sling. In short, the treatment for jammed finger is based on the severity and type of injury, with serious cases requiring immediate medical attention. Mild cases of jammed finger recover completely within a short time. However, in case of fracture or dislocation, healing and recovery may take some weeks or even months. Physical therapy may also speed up the process of recovery.

You know have a basic idea about jammed finger treatments and remedy. A jammed finger can cause momentary numbness and pain in almost all cases, but if it worsens and additional symptoms, like, swelling and difficulty in movement develop, it can be considered as a condition, which requires medical attention.