Medical people?

[Jermys]

I need advice and MIL is in Cape Cod.  

I stabbed my left pointer finger on the inside of the first joint yesterday with a (cleanish) utility knife.  I could see fat, but it wasn't a long cut, so I didn't get it glued or stitched or anything.  Just washed it, threw neosporin on it and covered it with a bandaid.

Now I have a spot right above the cut that is completely numb.  The entire middle joint on the palm side is like someone shot it with novocaine.

Am I losing a finger here, or am I okay?  I don't want to be the third person in my family to lose part of my left pointer finger.

[studytime45]

Could you have damaged a nerve? I would go into urgent care for that, if possible. You don't want to lose feeling/movement in that finger.

[katietornado]

Dude. Get to the ER. WTF.

[ginger]

Holy crap at your last line!

Non-medical person here, but could you have gotten the bandaid too tight? How long has it been off?

[kristie]

Go to the doctor. Sounds like some nerve damage. Is the end of your finger still pink? If you squeeze the nail bed does it turn pink in less than three seconds?

[MrsAggie]

Probably nerve damage. Please see a doctor.

[Jermys]

I'm totally not going to the ER unless a medical professional sounds nervous. Our ER co-pay is $150 and I can move it, just can't feel that middle joint on the palm side.

[kristie]

Answer my question and I will tell you if I am nervous!

[chickadee77]

It's totally fate.

Okay, snark aside, go to the doc. This is no bueno.

[Jermys]

kristie, the tip of the finger is pink, and the nail bed returns to pink immediately after pushing on it

[angelaa73]

does it feel hot?

[Jermys]

And the people missing fingers are my grandfather (not a dumbass) and my brother (TOTAL dumbass).

[Jermys]

May 18, 2013 14:27:30 GMT -5 angelaa73 said:

does it feel hot?

Not at all.  Feels exactly like the rest of the finger.  Also it's not swollen or red. 

[Deleted]

Numbness isn't a good thing, but you're still profusing your finger so its not going to fall off. Make an appt with your doctor for next week and go into the office. If the numbness spreads, your finger starts getting pale, cold or it get really painful, I'd go to urgent care. Very little gets me hopped up enough to go to the ER.

[angelaa73]

for $150, i would just keep an eye on it.

[kristie]

You might just have a dead spot on your finger from now on. You probably won't lose it. Lol

[Deleted]

  I wouldn't go to the ER, but would go to an urgent care place I think.  Or as long as it doesn't seem infected call my doctor first thing Monday morning to get fit in to have it looked at right away.

[Jermys]

I just hate going to the ER for nothing. And a five millimeter cut is nothing. A dead spot is fine.

[angelaa73]

on the bright side, if the finger falls off
NO MORE STUDENT LOAN DEBT
PERMANENTLY DISABLED!

[Jermys]

Woo hoo!!! That would be a plus!

[pooh8402]

May 18, 2013 14:32:48 GMT -5 @kande818 said:

Numbness isn't a good thing, but you're still profusing your finger so its not going to fall off. Make an appt with your doctor for next week and go into the office. If the numbness spreads, your finger starts getting pale, cold or it get really painful, I'd go to urgent care. Very little gets me hopped up enough to go to the ER.

I'm a nurse (formerly ER and trauma) and completely agree with this. As long as you are still perfusing, I wouldn't consider it emergent. I'd see a doc on Monday.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using proboards

[new2this2]

Meh. I'd wait until Monday morning and call around for orthopedics who work specifically with hands. I severed a tendon and nerve in my finger last year. It was clearly pretty bad and I was talked into going to the ER. I totally could have waited until the ortho office opened. Someone should be able to see you as most docs keep emergency appointments for things like this. You could have damaged a nerve.

For the most part, I got the feeling back in my finger and I did some serious damage to it. It's a little numb right where I cut it but the rest of it is fine.

[glitzyglow]

I cut my pinkie finger on a piece of glass as a kid right under where the main joint of the finger is (opposite side from knuckle) and on the side. It only had 5 stitches in it to close it. The entire middle part was numbed due to the cut as well as half of the tip of my pinkie and I've never regained feeling. Pinkie is still in tact and works, I just can't feel it for the most part. Every now and then I'll hit it and it'll tingle like when your leg is asleep and waking up, but for the most part I don't think about it.

[game blouses]

I cut my hand below my left pointer finger about 10 years ago, and I still don't have all the feeling in that finger. It's not so bad. I'd still go to the doc but maybe not to the ER.

[Deleted]

I cut my finger at the knuckle and lost feeling for a few weeks in one spot while it healed. The nurse I saw said I'd probably cut some of the tendon or ligament. She just told me to keep gently moving the area. It's fine now. I would see a doctor if you're at all concerned.