You have a broken finger (fracture). This causes local pain, swelling, and bruising. This injury usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks to heal, but can take longer in some cases. Finger injuries are often treated with a splint or cast, or by taping the injured finger to the next one (buddy taping). This protects the injured finger and holds the bone in position while it heals. More serious fractures may need surgery. It would be done by an orthopedic surgeon. This is a surgeon who specializes in treating bone, muscle, joint, and tendon problems.
If the fingernail has been severely injured, it will probably fall off in 1 to 2 weeks. A new fingernail will usually start to grow back within a month.
Home care
Follow these guidelines when caring for yourself at home:
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Keep your hand raised (elevated) to reduce pain and swelling. When sitting or lying down, keep your arm above the level of your heart. You can do this by placing your arm on a pillow that rests on your chest or on a pillow at your side. This is most important during the first 2 days (48 hours) after the injury.
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Put an ice pack on the injured area. Do this for 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day for pain relief. To make an ice pack, put ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a thin towel. As the ice melts, be careful that the cast or splint doesn’t get wet. Keep using the ice pack 3 to 4 times a day until the pain and swelling go away.
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Keep the cast or splint completely dry at all times. Bathe with your cast or splint out of the water. Protect it with a large plastic bag, rubber-banded or taped at the top end. If a fiberglass cast or splint gets wet, you can dry it with a hair dryer on a cool setting.
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If buddy tape was put on and it becomes wet or dirty, change it. You may replace it with paper, plastic, or cloth tape. Cloth tape and paper tapes must be kept dry. Keep the buddy tape in place for at least 4 weeks, or as instructed by your provider.
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You may use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to control pain unless another pain medicine was prescribed. If you have chronic liver or kidney disease, talk with your provider before using these medicines. Also talk with your provider if you’ve had a stomach ulcer, digestive tract bleeding, or take a blood thinner.
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Don’t put creams or objects under the cast if you have itching.
Follow-up care
Follow up with your provider as advised. This is to make sure the bone is healing the way it should.
X-rays may be taken. You'll be told of any new findings that may affect your care.
When to contact your doctor
Contact your provider right away if:
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The plaster cast or splint becomes wet or soft.
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The cast or splint cracks.
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The fiberglass cast or splint stays wet for more than 24 hours.
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Your pain or swelling gets worse.
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You have redness, warmth, swelling, drainage from the wound, or bad odor from a cast or splint.
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Your finger becomes more cold, blue, numb, or tingly.
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You can’t move your finger.
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The skin around the cast or splint becomes red or swollen.
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You have a fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as advised by your provider.
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You have chills.
