Broken finger or thumb
Overview
Get medical advice as soon as possible if you think you have broken a finger or thumb. It may need treatment to heal properly. A broken bone is also known as a fracture.
Treatment
A doctor or nurse might: try to straighten your finger – they'll give you an injection of local anaesthetic to numb the painput your finger in a splint or cast, or strap it to another finger to keep it in positiongive you a tetanus injection or antibiotics if there's a cut, to prevent infection You may need surgery for complicated breaks – for example, if it's broken in lots of places or the nerves are damaged. You may be invited back for a follow-up appointment to check how your finger or thumb is healing.
When to see a doctor
If you think you have broken your finger or thumb, there are some things you can do while you're waiting to see a doctor. You should: try not to move your finger or thumb – it may help to tape it to the finger next to itlift your hand up to reduce swellingapply an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours to reduce swelling – this is not suitable if you have chilblains or Reynaud'sif there's a cut, cover it with a clean dressingtakeparacetamolto help ease the pain – when you see the doctor they may suggest different or stronger painkillers if you need themremove any rings from the affected hand