Index Finger Infection
Discussion
Hi all,
5 weeks ago I was helping a friend cut down a Cycad palm tree and got a thorn stuck in my palm through the gloves. There was no blodd and thought nothing of it. Around 2-3 hrs later it was heavily swollen and very painful to bend so the next morning I went to the GP and she referred me to the A&E as she had no idea what was going on. Turns out I had an infection and had to have a tendon sheath wash a couple of times.
Last night out of nowhere my finger swelled again and became hot and painful to bend especially upwards if pushing it backwards with any force. I had an ultrasound today and they found a 3mm object that they felt was the thorn tip and lots of fluid and heat around the tendons. a referred me to the orthopeadic department where the doctors were about to admit me for another sheath wash and then they thought they'd check with the head of dpt I guess who was doing rounds. He literally prodded it for 5 seconds, asked if I could bend it and then said no operation needed, just antibiotics as he said fishing for a 3mm object would be useless.
He said to come back if any more painful or in a week. The pain is probably worse than before the first operation and definitely a lot more heat there around my finger.
Do I go back tomorrow if no better or just let the anti biotics do their thing as he said my body would get rid of the object itself?
5 weeks ago I was helping a friend cut down a Cycad palm tree and got a thorn stuck in my palm through the gloves. There was no blodd and thought nothing of it. Around 2-3 hrs later it was heavily swollen and very painful to bend so the next morning I went to the GP and she referred me to the A&E as she had no idea what was going on. Turns out I had an infection and had to have a tendon sheath wash a couple of times.
Last night out of nowhere my finger swelled again and became hot and painful to bend especially upwards if pushing it backwards with any force. I had an ultrasound today and they found a 3mm object that they felt was the thorn tip and lots of fluid and heat around the tendons. a referred me to the orthopeadic department where the doctors were about to admit me for another sheath wash and then they thought they'd check with the head of dpt I guess who was doing rounds. He literally prodded it for 5 seconds, asked if I could bend it and then said no operation needed, just antibiotics as he said fishing for a 3mm object would be useless.
He said to come back if any more painful or in a week. The pain is probably worse than before the first operation and definitely a lot more heat there around my finger.
Do I go back tomorrow if no better or just let the anti biotics do their thing as he said my body would get rid of the object itself?
Stick some magnesium sulphate paste on the wound and see if that will help draw the thorn tip out
http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-magnesium-sulphate-p...
Use a cotton wool bud to put a good layering of the paste over the wound, cover with a large plaster or a dressing stick down with some tape and leave it overnight.
http://www.boots.com/en/Boots-magnesium-sulphate-p...
Use a cotton wool bud to put a good layering of the paste over the wound, cover with a large plaster or a dressing stick down with some tape and leave it overnight.
I had something similar on the top of my index finder. Big thorn went in until it hit bone and the end snapped off.
I didn't get the infection you did but about 2 weeks later I developed a spot on my finger. When squeezed, a load of pus came out with the thorn tip included.
Key think now is getting rid of the infection.
I didn't get the infection you did but about 2 weeks later I developed a spot on my finger. When squeezed, a load of pus came out with the thorn tip included.
Key think now is getting rid of the infection.
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