Treating Index Finger Pain

If you are experiencing index finger pain, it is important to start the proper treatment. There are many ways to treat and alleviate this pain from home. However, if the pain is severe or if you suspect the finger is broken, seek the care of a doctor or other medical professional.

First, determine why the finger is in pain. The cause will determine the right kind of treatment. If the finger was injured, it will need to be treated differently from a finger that is sore from arthritis. Old injuries can also flare up, even months after an injury has healed. Once you know the cause, you can begin treatment.

Fingers Hurt by Trauma

If there is index finger pain from trauma, you need to first get the swelling down. Swelling is a natural process your body goes through in an attempt to heal itself. Cells and fluid gather in one area, which is why the finger begins to swell. However, this can potentially cause more harm than good. Swelling can prevent blood from flowing to the area, which can cause rupturing.

To stop the swelling, you need to do two things. First, you need to apply ice to the injury. Be sure to wrap the ice or cold pack in some cloth. Never apply ice directly to the skin, since this can cause additional injuries. It can also help to gently massage the sore area while you are icing. Keep the ice on for 10-15 minutes, but no more. The other thing you need to do is to keep your index finger elevated. This will help excess fluid drain, which will again reduce swelling.

If ice is not available, you can also perform a cold water immersion. Simply fill a cup with cold water and submerge the finger in the water. This is a great method for the index finger because the cold water will surround it, as opposed to only getting to the sides which is a problem when using ice.

Once the swelling has gone down, access the damage. If the finger appears sprained, it will need to be splinted. The severity of the sprain will determine the kind of splint needed. If the sprain is painful, but not severe, then a buddy splint can be used. A buddy splint is the taping of the index finger to the middle finger. The middle finger thus acts as a “buddy” by supporting the injured finger. Apply one strip of tape to the top of the fingers, and another to the bottom. You should still be able to move both fingers. If the sprain is severe, then an aluminum splint should be used. The splint is adjustable, and it will keep the finger immobilized. These splints can be found in most drug stores.

As the swelling continues to diminish, you can start some basic range of motion exercises to regain strength and motion. Find a tennis ball or stress ball and gently squeeze the ball in your hand. Hold the squeeze for a moment, and then slowly relax. Start off gently, there should not be too much pain. Your ligaments need time to heal, and rushing the process can cause more damage. This squeezing exercise can be performed ten times about every hour.

Finger Soreness

Conditions such as arthritis, old injuries, and overuse can also cause pain and discomfort. These are treated differently than fingers injured from trauma. There can still be some swelling, but since this is often chronic, heat can be used instead of ice. Hot water bottles, hand warmers, and warm massage oils can be used to alleviate pain. Creams and ointments that contain Capsaicin provide a warming sensation that reduces pain and swelling. Massage the joint while applying the heat. This will help get the blood flowing, which encourages healing.

Be preventative if possible. If there is a situation that will potentially cause soreness in your finger, use creams or other methods of heat ahead of time. Rub the finger before, after, and during the event or action to help reduce pain.

Index finger pain is a serious condition that can affect your life in many ways. It is important to properly treat this pain. Injuries like sprains can be treated at home with ice and possible splinting. Once the injury begins to heal, simple exercises can help get strength and motion back. A finger that is sore from a chronic condition can be treated with heat. Get the right treatment for your painful index finger.

Magnet Therapy – A Solution To Your Index Finger Pain?

Magnets have a long history in medicine (MRI’s – magnetic resonance imaging – use magnetic fields to visualize and locate problems in your body), but should you consider using magnet therapy to treat your index finger pain?

Before we discuss the possible benefits of magnetic therapy it is imperative that you discuss any and all treatments with your doctor first. It is by no means meant as the only solution to help you with your index finger pain (or any other kind of pain for that matter), but it could be a reasonable treatment that works with whatever your doctor prescribes.

With that out of the way, how is magnet therapy supposed to work? By wearing a magnetic band around the area that hurts (there are bracelets, pads for the back, wraps for your ankle or knee), the effects of the magnet are supposed to relieve you of your pain. It is believed that magnets can improve the levels of oxygen in your blood, decrease deposits of toxic materials in the blood vessels, or relax blood vessels, thus increasing the amount of blood to the area of your body that needs healing. Other positive effects are believed to include altered nerve impulses, increased endorphins, and muscle relaxation.

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Mallet Finger Treatment

What is Mallet Finger?

Mallet finger is the result of some kind of blunt force trauma to the top of your finger, causing the tendon on the back of your finger to separate from the muscle connecting to it. It is a common sport injury amongst baseball and basketball players, but it can happen to anyone. In fact, I had mallet finger and all it took for it to happen to me was jamming my hand on a bag full of laundry (real glorious, huh?). When this happens, you lose control of the topmost part of your finger and it just droops down (the tendon that keeps it straight is broken, so your finger literally has no place to go). Because of this, it is commonly referred to as drooping finger or trigger finger (your finger looks like it’s squeezing the trigger of a gun).

That's my drooping finger

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Understand Pain Between Thumb And Index Finger

Pain between your thumb and index finger is an injury that should not be treated lightly. For one thing it can greatly diminish, or worse, completely prohibit your ability to grasp an object between your thumb and index finger. That is something we probably take for granted, but once it’s gone, you will see that you actually lose out on doing a number of things.

If you are experiencing pain that’s between the thumb and index finger, it is most likely caused by one of two things: injury or carpal tunnel syndrome. We’ll examine both cases so that you can be best informed as to why you have the pain and than know the best plan of action to treat it.

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A Hand Specialist Spells Relief From Index Finger Pain

If you are suffering from index finger pain, you probably think it is a result of some kind of unpleasant incident such as bashing your finger against something hard. You may think the pain will disappear soon and dismiss the idea of visiting a hand specialist.

At times, such ailments disappear on their own but very often, the pain and or swelling in the index finger does not subside. If the pain is because of a trigger and you know where to apply pressure on your index finger, you may be able to make the pain disappear.

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Causes And Relief Of Index Finger Joint Pain

Let’s Face It, Index Finger Joint Pain Sucks!

Many people often suffer from unexplained index finger joint pain. There may be different causes of this disruption. The most common reason a person gets joint pain is due aging and arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that leads to stiffness, swelling, and the deformation of joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that effects cells that lubricate most joints in the body. Another form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, may only effect a single joint, like in the finger.

Doctors have been unable to pinpoint the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis in the fingers and hands. It is an extremely common disorder that affects a large amount of Americans throughout all ethnic backgrounds. Women are more likely to suffer from this form of arthritis. It has been linked to genetics, environmental factors, and hormone levels.

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