How to Fix a Dislocated Finger

Treating a Dislocated Finger

Notice if your injured finger is abnormally bent, painful, and won't move. A dislocated finger won't move because it's out of its joint. Similarly, the finger will likely be bent or pointed in an awkward way. You'll likely experience pain and swelling, and your finger may look pale. If the injury is severe, you may feel tingling and numbness around the area. It's best to see a doctor if you think your finger is dislocated, especially if you experience a lot of pain and swelling. It's possible to experience both a dislocation and a broken bone at the same time, so getting a proper diagnosis is important.

Remove any jewelry from your dislocated finger. As soon as your finger has popped out of joint, it may begin to swell. To prevent rings (or other jewelry) from being stuck on your finger and potentially cutting off blood flow, remove them as soon as possible. Use a little lotion, dishwashing detergent, or spit to lubricate your finger if the rings are stuck. If you can't remove rings or other jewelry from your dislocated finger, a doctor may need to cut the jewelry off.

Apply ice to your dislocated finger to reduce swelling. Hold an ice pack or a frozen gel pack against your finger as soon as possible after the injury occurs. Situate the ice in such a way that it doesn't put any further pressure on your dislocated finger, to avoid worsening the dislocation. Applying ice to your finger will prevent excessive swelling and should also help reduce the pain. If you don't have an ice pack or frozen gel pack, put 5–6 ice cubes in a damp washcloth and hold it against your injured finger.

Elevate your injured hand above the level of your heart. Be sure to keep the ice on your dislocated finger, and raise it to at least shoulder height. Keep your hand at this level until you can see a doctor. If possible, find something to prop your hand on so you don't exhaust your muscles. For example, in the car on the way to the doctor's office, prop your injured hand up on the back of a seat. If you don't elevate your hand, blood may pool in your dislocated finger. This could cause blood vessels to tear or external bleeding to worsen.

Seeing a Doctor

Visit your doctor immediately after you dislocate your finger. Unlike when dealing with sprains (which require relatively little treatment), dislocations can be difficult to put back into place. Never try to force the joint back together, or you'll risk causing further damage to the finger. Instead, see your doctor as soon as you can. If the dislocation isn't too bad, they may manipulate the joint back into place then and there. If it's nighttime or a weekend, go to an Urgent Care facility. You shouldn't need to visit an Emergency Room for a dislocated finger unless it's the only available option. Your doctor can realign your dislocated bone, and they will use local or oral anesthetic so it’s less painful.

Receive an X-ray to determine the extent of your dislocation and rule out broken bones. If the doctor agrees that your finger is dislocated, they may recommend an X-ray so they can assess the extent of the damage. In most cases, they'll provide the X-ray in the office and you won't need to visit a specialist. Without an X-ray, the doctor won't know if the bones in your finger have been broken or if there are bone fragments in the joint. Don't worry—if your doctor suggests an X-ray, it doesn't mean that your dislocation is particularly bad. Most likely, the doctor wants to see the position of the dislocation before they attempt to fix it.

Request surgery if other methods won't relocate the joint. If your finger has been severely dislocated, it may need to be surgically repaired. Your doctor may also perform surgery if the bone and cartilage surrounding the dislocated joint have been damaged. The surgery is usually minimally invasive and you may be able to return home shortly after it's finished. Since both the surgery and putting the joint back into place can be painful, the doctor may give you a local anesthetic to numb the sensation in your finger.

Allowing Your Finger to Recover

Wear a padded finger splint for 3–6 weeks until the bone has healed. Once the doctor has relocated your finger (with or without surgery), they'll provide you with a padded finger splint to wear. The splint will wrap around your injured finger and hold it stiff, preventing further injury. Keep the splint on for as long as the doctor directs to allow the finger to heal fully. Your doctor may give you “buddy tape” instead of a splint. Buddy tape wraps around your injured finger and 1 adjacent finger, and it keeps your finger nearly as stable as a splint would.

Ice your injured finger for 30 minutes every 3-4 hours. Remove the splint from your relocated finger and hold an ice pack or frozen gel pack against it for at least 20 minutes. Do this every 3-4 hours, or at least 3 times every day. Continue to ice your finger for 2–3 days to allow the damaged finger to heal itself and to prevent complications caused by swelling. Purchase an ice pack or gel pack at a local pharmacy or drug store.

Elevate your hand as often as possible for the first 2-3 weeks. Elevating your injured hand will decrease inflammation and allow the damaged finger to heal quickly. So, as you go about your daily life, try to keep your hand elevated (chest height or above) as often as is realistically possible. For example, prop your hand up on a few cushions when you're sitting on the couch, and rest it on several pillows as you lie in bed. Also try propping your hand up on a few books as you sit at a desk at your school or work.

Perform any physical therapy exercises as your doctor directs. Your doctor may suggest, once your finger has healed for 3–4 weeks, that you try basic physical therapy to rebuild the muscles and ligaments in your finger. Basic moves will likely include stretches and repetitive finger curls. In cases of a severe dislocation, your doctor may refer you to work with a licensed physical therapist. Following doctor's orders and doing the therapy as directed will help your finger heal quickly and with minimal lasting pain or damage.

Talk to your doctor if the finger continues to hurt once the splint is off. It takes time for bones and ligaments to heal, and you can expect your finger to hurt for roughly 4–6 weeks. However, if it's still painful after this time has passed, talk to your doctor. Ask them what they'd recommend for the pain. Your doctor may recommend NSAIDs or other drugs to combat pain and swelling. Before taking any medication, be sure to read the packaging and always follow the printed dosage instructions.