Finger Pain When Pressed
Treatment – People with mild symptoms may not require treatment. However, for more severe symptoms, a doctor may recommend surgery to remove the cords to allow the fingers to straighten. A person should see a doctor for any pain that impacts their ability to carry out their daily activities or job.
- It is important for people to seek prompt medical attention for suspected fractures, dislocations, and wound infections.
- To diagnose the cause of finger pain, a doctor will typically review a person’s symptoms and medical history and conduct a physical examination of the affected finger.
- They may also order imaging and blood tests to help with their diagnosis.
Self-care measures for finger pain may include:
applying an ice pack to the affected area for up to 20 minutes at a timeresting the finger as much as possibleprotecting and immobilizing the affected finger using a splint or by buddy taping itkeeping the finger elevated above the level of the heart to reduce swellingtaking OTC pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen
Finger pain is often the result of minor injuries. People can often treat finger pain at home with rest and immobilization. However, severe, worsening, or recurring pain may be the sign of a more serious injury or an underlying condition. Possible causes of finger pain include tendon conditions, arthritis, ganglion cysts, and infections.
Contents
- 1 Why does my finger hurt to touch but not swollen?
- 2 Why does my finger skin hurt when I touch it?
- 3 Does arthritis hurt when pressed?
- 4 How long should finger pain last?
- 5 Why does my finger hurt when I bend and straighten?
- 6 What does arthritis feel like in fingers?
- 7 When should you go to the ER for a hurt finger?
Why does my finger hurt to touch but not swollen?
5 conditions that can make your finger hurt with minimal swelling when bending it – You may not think your finger pain fits a common diagnosis, especially if your finger hurts when you bend it and you don’t notice swelling. However, many injuries and conditions can lead to minimal swelling, even if your finger hurts every time you bend it.
Osteoarthritis — One common issue that can lead to finger pain with minimal swelling when bending the finger is osteoarthritis, This type of arthritis occurs when the cartilage in your finger joints has naturally worn away over time. Although swelling and pain are both common symptoms of osteoarthritis, pain is often one of the first symptoms you’ll notice. This pain often worsens when you bend your fingers, but not every individual experiences swelling right away. A lack of swelling could simply be how your body reacts to arthritis. On the other hand, arthritis in your finger may not have progressed yet, meaning that significant joint damage has not yet occurred. Physical therapy exercises can help prevent further joint damage due to arthritis. Peripheral neuropathy — Another condition that can lead to pain when bending your finger with minimal swelling is peripheral neuropathy, Peripheral nerves are nerves that are not located in the brain or spinal cord. When these nerves are damaged — whether by diabetes, blunt force or an infection — peripheral neuropathy symptoms can occur. Peripheral neuropathy in the fingers can happen after a traumatic work injury, such as accidentally smashing the fingers with a hammer. People with peripheral neuropathy may experience pain when moving the affected body part. Numbness, tingling and muscle weakness are also telltale symptoms of this condition. Physical therapy can help release tension around the nerves in your finger and help ease your pain. Bone fractures — Finger bone fractures can cause pain when you bend your finger, and they may not always cause swelling. Although fractures are often linked to symptoms like swelling and redness, a smaller, hairline fracture may not produce enough swelling for you to notice a difference. In most cases, finger bone fractures are injuries that happen during sports or in accidents at home or work. You should see a medical professional as soon as possible if you suspect you have a finger fracture; a poorly healed fracture can lead to other finger issues later.
Carpal tunnel syndrome — Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when a major nerve in the hand is compressed by the carpal ligament. Tingling and numbness are usually the main symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and they can begin in the finger and travel down the wrist. You can get carpal tunnel syndrome after repeating the same hand motion over a long period of time, or by injuring the median nerve. Some people with carpal tunnel syndrome say their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though little or no swelling is apparent. Manual therapy and rest can often help ease carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Tendinitis — Tendinitis can occur when you stretch or tear a tendon due to overuse or trauma. If you strained a tendon in your finger, you may feel pain that intensifies when you engage your other fingers, your elbows or your wrists. While those with tendinitis often experience swelling, it is possible to stretch your tendon with little to no swelling. Rest, ice and compression can help treat a finger strain. Gentle strengthening exercises can especially help restore your weakened muscles and encourage healing in your finger.
Are finger pains normal?
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We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Finger pain is a common condition. It’s usually caused by a hand injury such as a broken finger, a cut, or a broken fingernail. It may also indicate an underlying medical conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Finger pain is a throbbing, cramplike, or achy pain that’s felt in any of your fingers, including your thumb,
- It often results from an accident or a medical condition.
- In most cases, finger pain isn’t serious and will go away on its own.
- However, unexplained finger pain can be a sign of a more serious medical condition.
Be sure to visit your doctor if you experience ongoing or unexplained pain in your fingers. The most common cause of finger pain is a hand injury. Injuries to the finger can cause an open cut, a bruised or fractured bone, or muscle and tissue damage. Common injuries that result in finger pain are:
broken fingers, which are often caused by jamming the finger during contact sports or while improperly handling heavy-duty equipmentcuts broken fingernails
Medical conditions that affect the nerves, muscles, or bones can also cause finger pain. For example, osteoarthritis (OA) causes the breakdown of cartilage, This breakdown causes bones to rub together and triggers pain and stiffness. In the hands, OA can affect the joints at the base of the thumb, in the middle of the finger, and near the nail bed.
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) osteoporosis muscular dystrophy multiple sclerosis (MS) carpal tunnel syndrome systemic sclerosis, a rare autoimmune disorder Raynaud’s phenomenon, a disorder that effects blood vessels boils nodules cysts tumors
A compressed or pinched nerve in the arm, wrist, or hand can also contribute to finger or thumb pain. Finger pain may feel dull and achy, or it may be sharp and cramplike. The pain may start suddenly and then go away.
Why do I have a weird pain in my finger?
Finger pain is pain in one or more fingers. Injuries and many medical conditions can cause finger pain. Nearly everyone has had finger pain at some time. You may have:
TendernessBurningStiffnessNumbnessTinglingColdnessSwellingChange in skin colorRedness
Many conditions, such as arthritis, can cause finger pain. Numbness or tingling in the fingers may be a sign of a problem with nerves or blood flow. Redness and swelling can be a sign of infection or inflammation. Injuries are a common cause of finger pain. Your finger may become injured from:
Playing contact sports such as football, baseball, or soccerDoing recreational activities such as skiing or tennisUsing machinery at home or workDoing tasks at home, such as cooking, gardening, cleaning, or repairsFallingGetting into a fist fight or punching somethingDoing repetitive movements like typing
Injuries that can cause finger pain include:
Smashed fingers, such as from a hammer blow or a car door that crushes the finger. Compartment syndrome, which is severe swelling and pressure in an area of muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. A crushing injury can cause this serious condition, which requires immediate medical attention. Mallet finger, when you can’t straighten your finger. Sports injuries are a common cause. Finger strains, sprains, and bruises, Broken finger bones, Skier’s thumb, an injury to the ligaments in your thumb, such as from a fall during skiing. Cuts and puncture wounds, Dislocation,
Certain conditions can also cause finger pain:
Arthritis, the breakdown of cartilage in the joint that causes inflammation with pain, stiffness, and swelling. Carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure on the median nerve in the wrist, causing numbness and pain in the hand and fingers. Raynaud phenomenon, a condition that results in blocked blood flow to the fingers when it is cold. Trigger finger, when a swollen finger tendon makes it hard to straighten or bend your finger. Dupuytrens contracture, which causes tissue in the palm of the hand to become tighter. This makes it hard to straighten the fingers. It usually affects the small or ring finger.De Quervain tenosynovitis, which causes pain in the tendons along the thumb side of the wrist, most often from overuse.Infections.Tumors.
Often, care at home is enough to relieve finger pain. Start by avoiding activities that cause finger pain. If finger pain is due to a minor injury:
Remove any rings in case of swelling.Rest the finger joints so they can heal.Apply ice and elevate the finger.Use over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) to reduce both pain and swelling.If needed, buddy tape the injured finger to the one next to it. This will help protect the injured finger as it heals. Don’t tape it too tight, which can cut off circulation.If you have a lot of swelling or the swelling does not go away in a day or so, see your health care provider. Small fractures or tendon or ligament tears can occur, and can lead to problems in the future if not treated correctly.
If finger pain is due to a medical condition, follow your provider’s instructions for self-care. For example, if you have Raynaud phenomenon, take steps to protect your hands from the cold. Contact your provider if:
Your finger pain is caused by severe injuryYour finger is deformedThe problem continues after 1 week of home treatmentYou have numbness or tingling in your fingersYou have severe pain at restYou can’t straighten your fingersYou have redness, swelling, or fever
The provider will do a physical exam, which will include looking at your hand and finger movement. You will be asked questions about your medical history and symptoms. You may have an x-ray of your hand. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. Donohue KW, Fishman FG, Swigart CR.
- Hand and wrist pain.
- In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O’Dell JR, eds.
- Firestein’s & Kelly’s Textbook of Rheumatology,11th ed.
- Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 53.
- Schoener B, Wagner MJ.
- Hand injuries.
- In: Walls RM, ed.
- Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice,10th ed.
Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 42. Stockburger CL, Calfee RP. Digit fractures and dislocations. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR. eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine,5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 74. Updated by: Linda J.
Can you have arthritis in one finger?
Aching, stiff fingers and wrists can be a sign of osteoarthritis in the hands. Large, arthritic knuckle joints can make it more difficult to get rings on and off. These changes may also cause some people to feel self-conscious about the appearance of their hands.1 Marshall M, Watt FE, Vincent TL, Dziedzic K.
Why does my finger skin hurt when I touch it?
Skin pain or tenderness upon touch can have various causes such as sunburn, dermatitis, infection, nerve damage, or autoimmune disorders. It’s best to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Does arthritis hurt when pressed?
Joint swelling and tenderness. As arthritis gets worse, it can cause joints to be swollen and tender. It may hurt when you press down on the joint.
How long should finger pain last?
How long does it take to heal a jammed finger? – Most jammed fingers heal within one to two weeks. More severe sprains require at least three to six weeks to heal fully, but may remain swollen and tender for a significantly longer period of time, in some cases.
What causes joint pain in one finger?
Treatment – Non-cancerous, or benign, tumors do not necessarily require medical treatment. As long as a person does not experience pain or changes in mobility, they can safely live with a benign tumor. A doctor will likely recommend removing a cancerous tumor in a finger joint.
surgery to remove the tumor and surrounding bone tissue radiation therapy chemotherapy
Soft tissue cancer can also cause a tumor in a finger joint. According to the American Cancer Society, treatments for soft tissue cancer usually involve some form of surgery. A doctor can surgically remove small tumors along with the surrounding healthy tissue.
This method ensures no cancer cells get left behind. It is harder for a doctor to treat soft tissue cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes or distant parts of the body. A doctor may still attempt to remove tumors and any affected lymph nodes with surgery. If cancer has spread to an organ system, a doctor will likely recommend systemic therapies, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
A person should contact their doctor if they experience severe finger pain or any of the following symptoms:
numbness or tingling in their fingers or handdifficulty moving or straightening their fingersa finger that appears discolored and swollenfinger pain that does not improve with at-home or OTC treatment
A person can prevent finger joint pain by:
regularly taking breaks when performing repetitive hand motionswearing proper protective gear when playing contact sportsfollowing treatment recommendations for chronic health conditionseating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weightkeeping blood sugar levels under control
Finger joint pain can occur due to several causes and may affect a person’s everyday activities. An injured finger should improve with rest and pain medication. Injuries include sprain, strain, dislocation, or fracture. A doctor may need to reset a fractured bone.
Why does my finger hurt when I bend and straighten?
Trigger finger is a condition affecting tendons that flex the fingers and thumb, typically resulting in a sensation of locking or catching when you bend and straighten your digits. Other symptoms may include pain and stiffness in the fingers and thumb.
- The condition is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis.
- The ring finger and thumb are most commonly affected digits; however, the condition can affect any of the digits.
- When the thumb is involved, the condition is, appropriately, called trigger thumb.
- The flexor tendons are long cord-like structures that attach the muscles of the forearm to the bones of the fingers and thumb.
When the respective muscles contract, the flexor tendons pull on the bones of the fingers and thumb, causing them to bend. Each of the flexor tendons to the fingers and thumb passes through a separate tubular structure, called a tendon sheath, as the tendon makes its way across the palm and into the digit.
The tendon sheaths are firmly attached to the finger or thumb bones. Along the tendon sheath, bands of tissue called pulleys hold the flexor tendons closely to the finger bones as the fingers flex and extend. The pulley at the base of each digit where the digit meets the palm is called the A1 pulley. This is the pulley that is most often involved in trigger finger.
As long as the other pulleys are functioning, the A1 pulley can be sacrificed, if necessary, to treat a trigger finger. In a patient with trigger finger, the A1 pulley becomes inflamed and thickened, making it harder for the flexor tendon to glide through it as the finger bends.
Over time, the flexor tendon may also become inflamed and develop a small nodule on its surface, further aggravating the condition. When the digit flexes and the thickened nodule passes through the tight pulley, there is a sensation of catching or popping. This is often painful. In a severe case of trigger finger, the digit locks and becomes stuck in a bent position.
Sometimes the patient must use their other hand to straighten the finger or thumb manually. In the worst cases, the digit can’t be straightened at all without intervention by a healthcare provider. While the causes of trigger finger are not well known, several factors may increase your risk for developing the condition.
Medical conditions. Trigger finger is more common in people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, Forceful hand activities. The condition is known to occur after forceful use of the fingers and thumb. Age. Trigger finger is more common in older individuals and is rare in children. However, there is a condition called congenital trigger thumb that can result in locked flexion of the child’s thumb.
Symptoms of trigger finger often start gradually without a clear injury. They may follow a period of heavy or extensive hand use, especially pinching and grasping activities. Symptoms may include:
A tender lump at the base of the finger or thumb on the palm side of the hand A catching, popping, or locking sensation with finger or thumb movement Pain when bending or straightening the digit
Stiffness and locking tend to be worse after periods of inactivity, such as when you wake up in the morning. Symptoms may improve throughout the day with consistent, gentle use of the hand. Your doctor will typically be able to diagnose a trigger finger by talking with you about your symptoms and examining your hand.
Tenderness over the flexor tendon sheath in the palm of your hand Thickening or swelling of the tendon sheath at the base of your finger or thumb A clicking or catching sensation when you bend and straighten your finger or thumb
What does arthritis feel like in fingers?
Osteoarthritis of the hand – Osteoarthritis often affects three main areas of your hand:
the base of your thumbthe joints closest to your fingertipsthe middle joints of your fingers
Your fingers may become stiff, painful and swollen and you may develop bumps on your finger joints. Over time, the pain may decrease and eventually disappear altogether, although the bumps and swelling can remain. Your fingers may bend sideways slightly at your affected joints or you may develop painful cysts (fluid-filled lumps) on the backs of your fingers.
What does a sprained finger feel like?
Sprained Finger Symptoms Pain in one of your finger joints when you try to move or use it. Stiffness in your finger or having a hard time straightening or bending it. Tenderness in your joint when you touch the area. Swelling in one of your finger joints.
How long should finger pain last?
How long does it take to heal a jammed finger? – Most jammed fingers heal within one to two weeks. More severe sprains require at least three to six weeks to heal fully, but may remain swollen and tender for a significantly longer period of time, in some cases.
How do you know if you have nerve damage in your finger?
What Are The Symptoms Of Nerve Damage In the Finger? – The nerves present in fingers, wrists, and hands serve both motor and sensory purpose. If your nerves are damaged, then chances are that these functions shall be highly affected. Nerve damage can render you unable to use your fingers to the maximum.
Why does my finger hurt but there’s nothing there?
Treatment – People with mild symptoms may not require treatment. However, for more severe symptoms, a doctor may recommend surgery to remove the cords to allow the fingers to straighten. A person should see a doctor for any pain that impacts their ability to carry out their daily activities or job.
It is important for people to seek prompt medical attention for suspected fractures, dislocations, and wound infections. To diagnose the cause of finger pain, a doctor will typically review a person’s symptoms and medical history and conduct a physical examination of the affected finger. They may also order imaging and blood tests to help with their diagnosis.
Self-care measures for finger pain may include:
applying an ice pack to the affected area for up to 20 minutes at a timeresting the finger as much as possibleprotecting and immobilizing the affected finger using a splint or by buddy taping itkeeping the finger elevated above the level of the heart to reduce swellingtaking OTC pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen
Finger pain is often the result of minor injuries. People can often treat finger pain at home with rest and immobilization. However, severe, worsening, or recurring pain may be the sign of a more serious injury or an underlying condition. Possible causes of finger pain include tendon conditions, arthritis, ganglion cysts, and infections.
When should you go to the ER for a hurt finger?
When to visit the emergency room | The Hand Society Knowing when to visit the emergency room can be tricky. Delaying treatment can cause serious damage, but emergency room trips can also be expensive and time-consuming. Visit the emergency room if:
If you’ve burned yourself and your skin is white and leatheryIf you have bleeding that will not stop after 5 minutes of direct pressureIf you’ve cut yourself and now have numbness in the areaIf your fingers are pale and cold after a traumatic injury or cold exposureIf you can’t move a joint or the joint is very painful and difficult to moveIf your finger, hand or forearm is bent unnaturally after an injuryIf you see something white through your skin, which could represent a bone or tendonIf you had a high pressure injection injury such as from a paint gunIf you have redness and swelling after an insect bite, animal bite or a cut in the skinIf you have intense bruising, swelling or pain after an injury
If you decide against visiting the emergency room, be sure to seek treatment with a hand surgeon near you as soon as possible. Visit to find a hand surgeon. : When to visit the emergency room | The Hand Society