Smashed fingernail, doctor needed?

Rend

Pictures, spoilered.

Here is a shot of the bruised nail. I might be crazy but it looks like since last night the bruise has spread.

This shows the discoloration on the bottom of my finger. Probably normal. Super paranoid.

This shows the level of swelling of my finger. Massive.

I smashed it yesterday around 5 o clock, so this is about 11 hours in. I don't have medical insurance, so going to the hospital will cost me dearly. Is this doctor worthy? I know that for most smashed fingers you just wait it out and you're good to go, and that it's not recommended you drain it unless you really need to. It hurts pretty bad but if necessary I can live with it.

Wuss, or in legitimate need of medical attention?

Myiagros

You are fine. Couple months ago I hit my thumb pretty hard with a hammer and split the skin next to it, just wrapped it up and left it. Two weeks ago the broken nail fell off and left a nice gooey new undernail. Your swelling should be gone within 2 weeks and the bruise will be there until the nail has grown completely out.

Enc

You're probably fine, but keep an eye on the swelling. You'll likely lose the nail at some point and have to go through a bit of pain as that skin is exposed (it's super sensitive). If the pain grows unbearable, the swelling persists, or you think it might be infected (or any other abnormality) go in and see someone.

Rend

I have heard that if the pain gets real bad I can drain it myself and relieve the pressure, using a drill bit or a red hot paperclip/needle/etc

Enc

If it gets to that point I would go see a professional, honestly. A walk in clinic (like CentraCare, Carespot, etc) would be much less expensive than an ER and would be completely able to help you with this.

minirhyder

Rend wrote: »

I have heard that if the pain gets real bad I can drain it myself and relieve the pressure, using a drill bit or a red hot paperclip/needle/etc

I can attest that this works. In fact, you must drain it, if too much blood collects underneath, pain or not. It shouldn't hurt too much, you just need to puncture the nail.

Ego

Rend wrote: »

I have heard that if the pain gets real bad I can drain it myself and relieve the pressure, using a drill bit or a red hot paperclip/needle/etc

If you do this, don't use a drill bit, use a hot sewing needle. And (even though you'd be heating it up) please wash it with alcohol first. I've seen people do it and, personally, I'd probably do it myself before going to a doctor --but I'm in Canada, where managing to infect myself with something nasty by trying to lance something with a hot needle wouldn't bankrupt me, just really suck. So like Enc said it's probably wise to at least investigate a cheap but professional option if the pain gets that bad.

Rend

I briefly tried to do this this morning, but the needle just became charred on the end. I should wash it obviously first, which I did not do (it was the trial run) but I did it with a candle, when maybe I should have used my stove as well.

If you can give me any tips on how to successfully do this I would seriously be in your debt. The pain is growing today and I can tell it's from the pressure. It feels like the bloated abomination which I once called my finger is trying to shed the last of the bonds holding it to me. The more details the better (I am impatient, impulsive, absent minded, and analytical, so things like "this will take like 10 minutes so be prepared to wait it out" or things like that are preferred)

Jam Warrior

I thought you guys had elected the right man to make home surgery no longer a financially attractive option?! Damn slow government wheels a turning.

It's your life and your thumb, but there's no way in hell I'd be trying that out on myself. Thumbs are pretty useful things that feature heavily in my future life plans.

Is there really no cheap medical prefessional option available to you? Some kind of walk in centre or something?

DevoutlyApathetic

Soak the hell out of it. Like, watching a tv show? Warm water and a bit of Epsom salts so you don't bloat your finger. If you can bear the pain, flex your finger to help it get into the dried/caked blood.

This is all I did to one that was much worse than what you had about a year ago. It's going to be on the scale of months that this feels weird. Drilling a hole is just going to speed up the soaking process, it long ago stopped pumping new blood under the nail.

Edit: Oh, if you go to a medical professional for the love of your pocket book do not go to the ER. Prompt/Urgent care at most.

Bowen

That's a large amount of blood under the nail by the way. If it were smaller I'd say no. It's larger, you can try these home remedies but be careful you don't fuck up.

ceres

I wouldn't worry about it unless you have to do something to it.. and then I'd maybe think about seeing a doctor just because whatever needs to be done they will be able to do more sterile than you.

Wassermelone

ceres wrote: »

I wouldn't worry about it unless you have to do something to it.. and then I'd maybe think about seeing a doctor just because whatever needs to be done they will be able to do more sterile than you.

Well, if the pressure under the nail is not relieved, he could lose the nail.

I have actually done the hot sewing needle thing under advisement by my mom who used to be a nurse. Its pretty easy actually. All I did was wash the needle and the top of the nail, heat the needle on a candle (which did char it a little), and then push the needle through. There was a little squirt of blood under high pressure - a bit like a cheesy effect from a japanese film. It began to feel a bit better almost immediately.

It should not take much pressure. In fact, you should go slowly and hold it firmly so you don't push it through too suddenly because its actually alarming how little pressure it will take. Going through the nail shouldn't hurt at all (other than the initial pressure on bruise thing), so a good way to know that its gone to far IS if it hurts.

Bowen

Yeah last thing I would worry about is saving a few bucks on inpatient services like removing a clot under a nail to spend a whole lot more bucks on fighting infections and trying to heal a wound under a fingernail.

Enc

bowen wrote: »

Yeah last thing I would worry about is saving a few bucks on inpatient services like removing a clot under a nail to spend a whole lot more bucks on fighting infections and trying to heal a wound under a fingernail.

This is absolutely the concern. While possible to do this sort of thing on your own you could just go down to your local college campus medicine center or walk in clinic, pay $20, and have someone who knows what they are doing do quick triage in a safe and clean environment.

If you are in that degree of pain you might as well get a professional to look at it anyhow, just in case you have more going on than just swelling and blood.

schuss

Yep, done that to my toenails a few times (skiers curse). Worse comes to worse, heat the needle on the stove to just about red hot, then poke it in.

Rend

You convinced me to go have a doctor drain it, which I did, and he did. I am no longer afraid of infection, but now it hurts worse! Probably because he used a needle, but decided just to up and push it in, instead of red-hotting it, etc.

So, there we go. Thanks for the advice!