any broken bone/finger experts out there?

Question

i was playing football yesterday and during a collision i hurt my hand. its my fourth finger and the top part. right below the nail is purple, as is the top joint. on the palm-side of my hand, the upper-most part of my finger is also purple. it doesnt hurt if i push on the front and back of the finger, but if i push on the sides it hurts a little. do u think its broken, got sprained ligaments, or just jammed?

i actually tore 3 ligaments in the same finger a few years ago, but the injury is only on the top third of the finger, so i figure its either broken of jammed really badly

Answer 1

I can't give you a medical diagnosis, only a Medical Doctor can do that and usually with the benefit of an X-ray or MRI, etc. But maybe I can be of some help due to my Professional training and personal experience. I am an RN who taught Nursing for over 25 years AND perhaps my best qualification is that I broke my ring (4th) finger on my right hand, my dominant one, playing Real Football with pads, helmets, the works while I was in the Faculty of Nursing at University many moons ago. My finger had a complete break just below the knuckle. I knew that it was broken immediately due to the pain, swelling, bruising, etc. However I chose not to see my Family Physician until after the Big Powderpuff Game 10 days later. I used ice on my finger as much as possible and taped it using miles of adhesive tape to my middle finger using it as a splint. I couldn't use my right hand for anything due to the pain but played Defensive Halfback No.22 in the big game which we won by one touchdown. After that I saw my doctor, had X-rays, and had a caste put on my right hand as the break was so near the main portion of my hand.
Now back to your questions. The good news is that it seems to only involve the distal digit of your ring finger and doesn't hurt if you push on it anteriorly or posteriorly and "a little" if you push on it lateraly. The bruising and some swelling is expected with sprains, strains, or fractures but the amount of pain is not very supportive of a fracture. As I said previously only an M.D. can diagnose but it sounds like a sprain . For the first 48 hours keep ice on it for 20min. periods when possible, then you might try soaking it in warm /hot to tolerance salt water. (1 tbsp. salt to 1 gal. water). To keep the tip of the finger protected you could pick up an aluminum finger protector at any drug dept. and tape it in place or tape the finger for support to your ring finger and in a slightly flexed position meaning slightly curved which is a functional position for healing fingers. Obviously if the pain, swelling, bruising gets worse in the next 72 hours please have a physician check your finger. These suggestions are not intended to be Medical Advice or to replace the services of a Physician. Good luck to you and God Bless.

Answer 2

im an xray tech, not a doctor. purple sometimes means broken. but broken you usually know. trust me. if in doubt-------xray!