swollen finger? Nail infection?

[funkychunkymonkey]

So my fingertip is swollen in the back. I have tried squeezing to see if there was any pus but nothing came out. I do have a small cut next to my nail. Any ideas what to do to get the swelling to go down and it to stop hurting?

 

[npmommie]

Is the pad of your finger swollen? Throbbing pain? Does it look like there is fluid under?
It could be a simple infection (paronychia). Do warm soaks , that may help.
If it doesnt start improving within the day see a doc.
It could be something else.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

Is the pad of your finger swollen? Throbbing pain? Does it look like there is fluid under?
It could be a simple infection (paronychia). Do warm soaks , that may help.
If it doesnt start improving within the day see a doc.
It could be something else.

Yea, the pads swollen. Im guessing there is fluid in there but ts not wanting to come out

 

[Coconut36]

Is the pad of your finger swollen? Throbbing pain? Does it look like there is fluid under?
It could be a simple infection (paronychia). Do warm soaks , that may help.
If it doesnt start improving within the day see a doc.
It could be something else.

That was my guess as well. I have had that happen to me..generally cleared up on it's own with soaks and I put polysporin on the visible cut (not sure that did anything).

My youngest had it happen once and I did end up taking him in (mainly because he was young and I did want to nip it in the bud). Some antibiotics and he was totally fine (along with the soaks).

 

[npmommie]

how is it today?

 

[Robinrs]

I had a finger infection in my thumb years ago after getting a splinter stuck under my nail while holding onto the subway stair railing.

The pain was UNBELIEVABLE. I never understood the saying "sticks out like a sore thumb" until that day.

I had to go to the doctor to get it drained and he put a splinter on it to keep it from being reinjured. Nightmare. I did have to soak it daily, also.

Hope yours is NOWHERE close to what I went through.

 

[vegasnative]

A friend of mine had the tip of her pinky swollen. There was nothing in there, it was just swollen around the tip. So she kept waiting for it to go down, never did, so she went to the doctor. She had a Schwannaoma tumor. It was something to do with the tissue that covers the nerves. She said the doctor told her they are typically in hands and wrists, but can occur (like hers) in the fingertips.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

its still swollen but not painful. Been pressing on it trying to get pus to come out but no dice off to soak again.

 

[npmommie]

Is it red/ swollen around the nail?

 

[lorimay]

Soak it in the warmest water you can take without burning yourself.

I usually then take a needle (I KNOW ITS HARSH BUT IT WORKS) clean it with alcohol first. And press the side of it into where your finger is infected and push the skin away. Eventually you will be able to break through to the pus and trust me you will feel immediate relief.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

its a bit red along the sides. gonna try making the pus come out later.

 

[muffyn]

from a hang nail, a friend of ours nearly lost his finger.
somehow it got an infection, swelled up 4x its size, had to have several surgeries , even fixing the bone.

yours sounds pretty serious.
i urge you to get it looked at.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

gonna drag my nursing student freind over tommrow after her clinicals to check it out. Attacked it with a needle and got a lil pus but then it hurt again. hopefully a lil first aid tape will take care of the soreness and drag out the pus

 

[robinb]

its a bit red along the sides. gonna try making the pus come out later.

Red streaks? Bad sign. I would see a doctor.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

not streaks just some redness along the sides. figure my nurse to be freind can tell me for sure what I should do (she can check out the infected cut on my leg too... Hasnt been a good week)

 

[npmommie]

You need to get it checked out , sounds like you may need antibiotic rx

 

[U2_rocks!]

Are you only soaking in water? Add some Epsom salts to it - salts draw the infection the the surface. I just finished "fixing" an infected, swollen and painful bump on DD's arm that way. It looked awful and DH was worried that we should take her to get it looked at, but soaking in Epsom salts several times a day for 2 days took care of it.