Finger Nerve Damage

Many times, we tends to damage our finger nerves and bones. Be it playing outdoor games, doing household chores, or while cooking, etc. However, not all the accidents result in nerve damage. The symptoms of this nerve damage vary from excessive bleeding to finger deformity, and from bruising to inflammation.

Some of the other serious symptoms include pus formation in the finger and fever due to an infection, that develops many hours after the accident. Here are the various reasons for this condition.

Direct Blow: Sometimes one's finger may get jammed due to a direct blow, like if someone hits it badly or if it gets caught in the door, etc. At such times the ligament, nerve, or bone in the finger may get damaged.

Animal Bites: Animal bites can also result in this condition. For example, a dog bite or poisonous insect bite may cause severe infection in the finger which can lead to nerve damage.

Finger Cut: If one gets a deep cut, it is most likely that the nerve of the finger too is cut or damaged. Such accidents generally happen to women while cooking.

Apart from this, fingernail damage can also result in causing harm to the underlying nerves. The aforementioned causes can result in impairing the ligament of the finger. Sometimes, it may also result in causing a fracture to the finger bone which in turn damages the nerve.

In severe accidents, the bone structure may be completely changed causing a grave bone dislocation. Joints of the bone can also be adversely affected by nerve damage. Many people report of loose joints after severe finger injuries.

Due to these causes, an affected person may be unable to bend or straighten the finger. Numbness in fingers is also the result of nerve damage. In some cases, the affected person may lose the ability to have a good grip on the things or move the fingers completely.

The treatment would depend on the kind of injury. The doctor would first try to ease the pain with a local anesthetic. In severe cases, the doctor may prescribe a painkiller to alleviate the pain.

In case of open wounds, he may bandage the wound after cleaning it with sterilizing agents. The affected person may also have to bear some stitches to close the skin if it has opened significantly.

In many accidents, the ligaments and nerves are pithed out of the finger and damaged completely. In such cases, the affected people are referred to hand surgeons who generally reattach the amputations in the finger. Sometimes, skin grafting is also suggested if some part of the skin goes missing due to the accident.

Doctors also check for the fractures and dislocation in the finger and suggest the right remedy for it, which is generally a finger plaster that has to be kept for few weeks. To control the infection, some affected people are also prescribed antibiotics till it is healed completely.

On a conclusive note, it is the condition and severity of the damage that determines the treatment of the same. But whenever one injures his/her fingers, it is advisable to first stop the bleeding and try to soothe the inflammation if the finger has been jammed or so. Also, try to wash the injury thoroughly to avoid an internal infection.

Observe the finger carefully after an accident and check for unusual changes in it or its movements. And on observation of one or few changes, visit the concerned doctor as soon as possible and seek medical help. These primary precautions can help one minimize the damage that can be caused to the finger nerves.

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.