Should I go to the ER or not?

Sorry if this sounds like a silly question.
So, I had a little mishap yesterday. Just wondering if I should head to the ER or if there's something I can handle on my own?
The pinky on my left hand is red, actually turning kind of blue, swollen, and it hurts. I can bend it, though straightening it is a bit tough... but I can do it. It just hurts. Like, constantly.
I'm assuming it isn't broken since I can still move it. So, does an injury like this warrant an emergency room visit? I was thinking about seeing my primary care doctor tomorrow since the pain won't quit and the swelling isn't going down.
Thanks.

It’s entirely possible you have a hairline fracture even if you can still move it, and you won't know for sure without an X-ray. Most doctors will just send you straight to imaging if things don't improve or if the pain gets worse.

I wouldn't dream of heading to the ER right now; the weather is just miserable, which makes the staff even more cranky and sluggish than usual, and honestly, my issue is so minor—I'd almost call it ridiculous—that it isn't worth the hassle.

If you were, say, over in Canada visiting an urgent care clinic, they’d probably hand you a bill so massive you could smoke it for three days straight.

Alright, so I'll see my GP tomorrow then? Thanks for the heads up 🙂

brightviper29 said:Don't even think about hitting up the ER; the South is just slow lately, and the staff is extra cranky and half-asleep on top of everything else. Plus, the whole situation is pretty minor—honestly, almost laughable.

If you were over in Canada at an urgent care, they'd probably hand you a bill so massive you could roll it up and smoke it for three days straight.

Look at this orator go! 🎉

And God bless the way they run that emergency department. 🙏

@Amy White63/">@@Amy White63, try putting some cold compresses on your finger and keep it elevated if you can. If you have any kind of topical stuff like Deep Relief, Voltaren, or Fastum Gel, just rub that on a few times a day (assuming you aren't allergic to the active ingredients or the base cream, obviously).
You should definitely swing by your primary doctor tomorrow; you really need to get an X-ray and check in with a trauma specialist or an orthopedist to see if you need any actual treatment.
By the way, just a heads-up, a fracture doesn't always show up clearly on that first X-ray.

If your hand starts throbbing, hurting more, getting red, feeling hot, or turning a deep shade of purple, then yeah, go ahead and head to the ER.

velvetmoose9, I totally get where you're coming from, but honestly, isn't all this excessive worrying and attention just going to make our dear little debater Amy White63 even more sensitive? It might actually end up overwhelming her or even scaring her, don't you think? And not to mention how much unnecessary strain this puts on the entire healthcare system.

I’ve always believed that in these kinds of harmless, minor situations, we should probably just assume everything is perfectly fine unless someone proves otherwise, shouldn't we?😉

Amy White63, please check back in with us in a few days and let us know how you're feeling.
Sending love 😘

velvetmoose9 said:Cheers to that! 🎉

And God bless an emergency service organized like that... 🙏

@Amy White63/">@@Amy White63, try putting some cold compresses on your finger and keeping it elevated. If you have any topical stuff like Deep Relief, Voltaren, or Fastum Gel, apply that a few times a day (assuming you aren't allergic to the ingredients, obviously).
You should definitely head to your doctor tomorrow to get an X-ray and check in with a trauma specialist or orthopedic surgeon to see if you need more serious treatment.
By the way, a fracture doesn't always show up on the first X-ray.

If your hand starts throbbing, hurting more, turning red, feeling hot, or looking really bruised/purple—get to the ER immediately.

It's just my pinky.
It's bruised. Bluer than it was last night. And it feels hot. I think I might have some Deep Relief somewhere. I'll check...

https://ibb.co/gMZOOA
Here’s how it looks now. All swollen, bruised... and hot to the touch.

I remember when I messed up my knee joint; it got all swollen and hot to the touch too. That’s just what happens with a fresh injury.
Whenever I tweak something or take a hit to the arm, I find that ice water actually works way better for me than using those creams like Deep Relief and stuff.
I don't mean you should do it constantly, obviously, but if you apply it every half hour or so, it seems to speed up the healing process.
Back when I was doing physical therapy, they had me icing it every single day using an ice pack after my electrical stim sessions. They weren't just doing that for no reason, either.

Sent from my iPhone 8 using Reddit

Amy White63 said:https://ibb.co/gMZOOA
So this is what we're dealing with now. It's swollen, bruised, and honestly feels pretty hot to the touch.

It should hold out until tomorrow 👍

Just stick to those recommendations I mentioned before 🧐

Just call 911 and ask them what they think you should do.

Wait, is there really no Sunday GP coverage where you guys are? It’s nothing like what we have in Savannah.
In Savannah, the family doctors are on call Saturdays from noon to 7 PM, and then they cover Sundays and holidays from 8 AM to 7 PM. We even have dentists available on Sundays and holidays from 9 AM to 5 PM. I actually had to use the on-call service myself when my asthma flared up, and they were able to get me some Solu-Medrol (though I probably would have been seen in the ER too).

rustymason82 said:Wait, what do you mean there's no Sunday GP on call like they have in Savannah???
In Savannah, they actually have GPs on call Saturdays from noon to 7 PM, and then Sundays and holidays from 8 AM to 7 PM—plus dentists are available on Sundays and holidays from 9 to 5. I actually had to go in during an on-call shift when my asthma flared up, and they gave me some Solu-Medrol (though honestly, they probably would've just sent me straight to the ER anyway)

Yeah, they do, I totally blanked on that. But hey, you can always just call them to get some advice on what to do next.

And honestly, we’re still sitting here waiting to see how this whole thing actually plays out... 🤷

Dear Elizabeth,
I put together a little rhyme about the finger:

what’s the news today
how is that finger of yours 😁
we’re all holding our breath
in fear
on the spoon
on the wire
on this forum
and even so
we wait for some good news
that the finger is healthy
and right

Amy White63 said:https://ibb.co/gMZOOA
That’s how it looks now. Swollen, blue, and throbbing.

I truly hope everything wrapped up okay with your pinky finger, though I find myself rather concerned about your thumb. In case you didn't notice—and it seems quite obvious from the photo—you don't actually have a thumb. Did the thumb suffer through the exact same symptoms as the pinky?