Table of contents:
- What are finger injuries?
- What are some common finger disorders?
- What are the treatments and diagnoses for finger injuries and disorders?
Almost all of our daily activities involve our hands. Therefore, it is natural that the fingers are prone to injury because we expose the fingers to many activities.
What are finger injuries?
Our fingers are covered with more nerve endings than any other part of the body. Finger injuries can easily damage these nerves. There are many common types of finger injuries, including:
- Scratches — a cut finger may only affect the skin or damage the blood vessels, nerves and tendons that are just beneath the skin.
- Avulsion — similar to a finger cut but more severe. This condition can cause parts of the skin or soft tissue to tear.
- Amputation — skin tissue is actually sliced or lifted from the finger.
- Fracture or broken finger bones — usually associated with injury to a tendon, ligament, nail, or other soft tissue.
- Dislocation — injury to a joint that causes the bone to slide out of its normal position. The surrounding ligaments often become stretched and damaged even after the bone has been put back in place.
- Sprains — injuries that affect ligaments. The ligament may tear as a result of stretching or forceful impact, leaving the joint unstable and prone to further injury.
- Tendon injuries can also occur as a result of the impact on the fingers. Tendon injury may refer to injury to the tendon itself, or to the tendon sheath. The tendon attached to the bone may tear.
- Nerve injury will reduce the sensitivity of the touch of the finger. Damaged nerves can cause numbness in the fingers.
What are some common finger disorders?
Apart from injuries, the hands and fingers may experience disorders that affect the function of the tendons and joints of the fingers. Disorders of the tendon are trigger finger / thumb and De Quervain's syndrome.
In trigger finger, your finger will lock before straightening when you try to bend your finger. This condition causes limited movement of your finger because it won't change position when you try to straighten it. This is caused by swelling of the tendons that prevent you from controlling your own fingers.
In De Quervain's syndrome, the tendon outside your thumb will be affected. This causes pain when you move your wrist or when you try to grab an object. This syndrome is thought to be caused by tendon swelling, but there is no definite cause for this condition. Repetitive movements can make the pain worse.
Swelling is very common in the fingers. Sometimes, temperature is also a factor that triggers the swelling. At high temperatures, your blood vessels can dilate and release more fluid in the soft tissues, causing swelling. Some conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or osteoarthritis, can cause swelling that is accompanied by pain, stiffness and possibly numbness in the finger. The common causes of swelling in the fingers are ganglion cyst, a fluid-filled cyst that collects on your finger. These cysts are classified as benign, although they can come back after treatment.
What are the treatments and diagnoses for finger injuries and disorders?
When you have an injury to your hand or finger, tests such as motion tests and sensitivity tests may be needed to determine the condition of the injured tendon, ligament or nerve. In some cases, an x-ray examination may be performed to see the condition of the bones.
Treatment for injuries to the hands and fingers can be performed using a bandage or cast bandage for more serious cases of fracture. If the finger is damaged too much, an amputation may need to be undertaken. Loss of fingertip sensitivity is a common symptom and can last for months. In some cases, finger deformities and stiffness may result from treatment.
