How to Treat a Sprained Finger

A finger sprain occurs when there is a strong impact on the tip of the finger, causing a joint injury. It’s a frequent injury in sports, especially volleyball, basketball, soccer, and football. Finger sprains often heal on their own without treatment, but there are a few self-care steps to speed up recovery. In some cases, you may need medical treatment to restore normal finger movement function.

Assess to ensure the injury isn't serious. The level of pain from musculoskeletal injuries doesn't always reflect their severity. In other words, some injuries are very painful but not as dangerous. Initially, a sprained finger can be painful, but it’s not as severe as a dislocated or broken finger. Signs of a dislocated or broken finger include unusual bending, swelling, or bruising. If your finger is painful along with unusual bending, significant swelling, or bruising, it's important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. If none of these signs are present, simply rest your hand and take care of it.

• However, if your finger is extremely painful, numb, weak, swollen, or badly bruised, you should see a doctor immediately.
• A sprain often damages the ligaments around the finger joint and limits its movement.
• Minor sprains are classified as Grade I sprains, meaning the ligaments are slightly stretched but not torn.

Rest your finger and be patient. Incorrect techniques while catching a ball are often the cause of sprained fingers in sports such as basketball, volleyball, and baseball. If the injury occurs while playing sports, you will need to rest your finger for several days to weeks, depending on the severity of the injury. The rest period also depends on the type of work you do; you may need to take a few days off or temporarily switch to lighter tasks to prevent further strain on your hand and finger. Rest is generally essential for sprains, muscle strains, bruising, and most other causes of swelling.

Apply ice packs. Inflammation is the main cause of pain in a sprained finger, so applying cold early is an effective solution as it restricts local blood circulation, reduces swelling, and numbs the nerves. You can use anything frozen, such as ice cubes, gel packs, or frozen vegetables (peas work well). When applying cold, it’s recommended to do so for 10-15 minutes each hour until the pain and swelling subside. After a few days, you can stop icing your finger.

• While icing, elevate your hand/arm with some pillows to counteract gravity and reduce swelling.
• Always wrap the ice pack in a thin cloth to prevent frostbite.

Take anti-inflammatory medication for a short period. Another effective way to reduce inflammation and pain is by taking over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen (Mofen-400), or naproxen (Ameproxen). NSAIDs help control inflammation, which can reduce swelling and pain. However, remember that NSAIDs and other pain relievers should only be taken for a short time (less than two weeks) as they can have negative side effects on the stomach, liver, and kidneys. To minimize stomach discomfort or ulcers, avoid taking NSAIDs on an empty stomach.

• Children under 18 should not take aspirin due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, while ibuprofen is unsuitable for infants under six months.
• If you don't have any NSAIDs, you can take painkillers like acetaminophen (Panadol), but they won't reduce inflammation.
• If you prefer not to take medication, you can apply anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving creams or gels directly to the injured finger joint. These topical treatments can be absorbed through the skin without affecting the stomach.

Buddy tape your injured finger. While your finger heals, it’s advisable to tape the injured finger to an adjacent one to stabilize and better protect the injured area. Choose medical-grade tape to bind the injured finger to a similar-sized neighboring finger. Be cautious not to tape too tightly, as this can cause increased swelling or even cut off blood circulation to the finger. It’s better to insert a small gauze pad between the fingers to prevent skin irritation.

• If you don’t have medical tape, you can use regular tape, electrical tape, or rubber bandage.
• For added support, you can use a wooden or aluminum splint along with the tape. An aluminum splint can be bent to fit most injuries.

Consult with a doctor. If after a week, resting, immobilizing, and other self-treatment methods haven't relieved the pain, swelling, and stiffness in your finger, it’s time to see a doctor. Instead of a sprain, your finger may have a fracture or break due to pressure on the finger's long bone, or a bone avulsion near the joint. A bone avulsion is when a ligament pulls off a bone fragment from its position. If a fracture occurs, the doctor will apply a metal splint to your finger and guide you on how to wear it for several weeks.

• The doctor will need to perform an X-ray to check for fractures or other conditions that may be causing pain, such as osteoarthritis (wear and tear), osteoporosis (brittle bones), or bone infections.
• It’s important to note that small cracks may not appear on an X-ray if swelling is still present.
• MRIs provide clearer images of tendons, ligaments, and cartilage inside and around the injured finger joint.

See an orthopedic or joint specialist. These specialists are experts in restoring the function and mobility of joints, including those in the hands and fingers. If your finger joint is truly sprained or slightly dislocated, they can use a technique called joint manipulation (or chiropractic adjustment) to reposition the joint. When the joint is adjusted, you may hear a 'pop' or 'crack' sound, and shortly afterward, the pain will decrease, and joint movement will improve.

• While sometimes one adjustment is enough to relieve pain and fully restore joint mobility, often multiple adjustments are needed for significant improvement.
• Joint manipulation should not be done if there is a bone fracture, infection, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Request to see an orthopedic surgeon. If symptoms persist or worsen, or if joint mobility isn't fully restored within one to two weeks, you should ask to be referred to an orthopedic surgeon. These surgeons are also specialists in joints but use injections and surgery to treat complex joint injuries. If your finger has fractured and cannot return to normal, you may need a minor surgery. Another option is to have them inject steroids directly into or near the damaged ligaments and/or tendons to reduce inflammation rapidly and allow the finger to regain normal movement.

• The most commonly used steroids include prednisolone, dexamethasone, and triamcinolone.
• Possible complications from corticosteroid injections into the hand include infection, weakened tendons, localized muscle atrophy, and nerve irritation or damage.