Jammed Thumb

A jammed thumb is described as the injured tendon (the tissue which connects bone to muscle) or bone located in tip of the thumb. It is known as mallet, baseball finger, or a skier's thumb. It is often prone to getting jammed against something, or getting hit by something straight on. Some of the signs are redness, swelling, and pain particularly on moving.

The thumb gets bent in an abnormal or unnatural way when it gets jammed. Many people develop a jammed thumb when they hit it against something hard and firm like the floor or a ball during some sort of a sporting event.

That is why this condition is fairly common among sports people. The tendon or ligament may get stretched or torn, or the bone is fractured. Sometimes, the ligament which commonly gets injured in case of thumb injury is the collateral ligament.

When your thumb is injured, assess the movement in it to find the extent of injury caused. If your thumb is too painful to be moved, the bone might have broken. Otherwise, your thumb has developed sprain. Both these conditions need medical intervention. However, the latter may be treated at home to some extent.

• Wrap a cube of ice in a clean cotton cloth.
• Rub this ice cube gently on the injured thumb.
• Alternatively, dip the cloth in ice-cold water, and place this cold compress on the affected thumb. It will relieve the pain and swelling.
• Keep applying the ice cube or the wet cloth for about 10-15 minutes until you feel the pain subside.

• You may use a splint or bandage on the wounded thumb. Immobilization will prevent worsening of the symptoms.
• Take an over-the-counter painkiller, but make sure that you are not allergic to any of its components.

If the above home remedies fail to cure the symptoms, visit a doctor as soon as possible. He will take an x-ray of your thumb to determine bone breakage. He will examine your thumb to find whether the tendon or ligament is injured. He may make use of a cast or a splint as part of the treatment. 

The purpose of using a splint or a cast is to hold the ligament in place. This is done to assist healing, particularly when the radial collateral ligaments are partially torn. When the ulnar collateral ligament is completely broken, the doctor will stick its end behind a tendon. Ligament tears commonly need surgical treatment and reconstruction.

In majority of the cases without bone fracture or dislocation, the thumb gets healed completely on its own over a period of time, which is generally small. In case of fracture or dislocation, it needs medical assistance, and takes several months for healing. Physical therapy exercises may prove to be helpful. 

The doctor is most likely to refer you to a physical therapist, who will make you perform some thumb exercises under his supervision. Make sure that you attend the sessions regularly. The healing time differs from case to case. On an average, it takes 1-2 months.

Disclaimer: This is for informative purposes only and not intended to replace the advice offered by a medical expert.