How to Cope with a Jammed Finger or Toe
A jammed finger or toe happens when there's an impact injury, resulting in tremendous pain and swelling. A simple jam can be easily treated at home and the pain will subside in a week or two.
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Instructions
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Asses the severity of the injury. An obvious fracture, immediate bruising or mobility loss could be signs of a dislocated or broken finger or toe.
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Soak, ice and elevate the finger or toe for 20 minutes a day until the pain goes away. Use epsom salts for further pain relief.
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Immobilize extremely painful jams by using a finger or toe splint. Use a specific finger splint found at drugstores or wrap a popsicle stick or tongue depressor with medical tape against the finger or toe.
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Tape the jammed finger or toe to a healthy one next to it. This is usually done for shorter fingers or toes that are too small to use a splint. This will also help with mobility and pain relief.
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Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief. This will also help the swelling go down. Once the swelling is under control, the pain is usually reduced.
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Make certain you can bend and straighten each finger. If not, you may not just have a jammed finger or toe. Call your doctor to make an appointment.
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Tips & Warnings
Most jammed fingers and toes heal without problems in a week or two. However, if there's bruising or the pain gets worse, see your doctor for an x-ray. Also, if it's taking longer than 2 weeks to heal, there may be a fracture or dislocation. These will take months to heal and you may need to seek medical advice.
