Finger Pain – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

It is normal to have Finger Pain at some point in our life. It can be caused due to injury or due to tingling sensation or obstructed blood flow. Many elderly persons will have finger pain and joint pain due to rheumatoid Arthritis. Even diabetic patients get some extent of finger pain due to diabetic neuropathy. Unless there is fracture or sprain in the finger, finger pain can be treated and cured completely by taking anti-inflammatory medicines.

Finger Pain Causes :

Minor injury or blow to the finger can cause finger pain. You can get pain on your finger when you hurt it badly in an accident. Finger pain can be caused due to Osteoarthritis or nerve problems or due to Rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, finger pain is caused when the normal flow of blood is disrupted due to health issues. Inflammation in the joints and wearing tissues of the fingers can also produce finger pain.

The pain can be from mild to moderate if it is caused due to wound or injury. Most of the finger pain will heal after a day or two and you may not feel any pain when keeping your fingers at rest. Underlying medical conditions and diseases can also cause finger pain. If you find it difficult to move your finger or if there is temporary loss of function or if you feel numbness of tingling sensation in your finger, then you need to consult your doctor.

Nervous disorder can Trigger Finger pain. Reynaud’s syndrome can block the blood flow and cause finger pain. You can get pain in the finger if there are spasms in the blood vessels of your finger. Lastly, finger pain can also occur due to nail infection caused by bacteria or virus. The affected nail will change in color and there can be itchiness and swelling.

Symptoms :

Occasional pain or continuous pain in the finger can be felt. You may not be able to straighten your fingers. The pain will increase if you are involved in tasks that involve your finger. Some people may feel tingling sensation in the fingers or sudden numbness which is indicative of nerve problem.

Before visiting your doctor, you should analyze how long you are feeling finger pain and whether you are getting finger pain without any injury. When there is fracture in any of the three bones of your finger it becomes inflamed and there can be extreme pain and bruising. You will have difficulty in moving your fingers. Even an airline crack on your finger can take several months to cure.

Diagnoses :

In case there is swelling or stiffness in the finger, your doctor may examine the X-ray of affected finger.

Read more on Tingling Fingers

Treatment :

Most of the finger pain will get settled on its own within few days by taking anti-inflammatory medications. You can take over the counter pain killers or apply ice compression on the affected finger for treating minor injury.

However your doctor can help you if you have broken the bone inside the finger. You need to seek medical advice in case the finger pain is caused due infection. If the finger pain is due to fracture then your doctor may ask you to wear split or a brace for few days. Do not ignore airline crack since it can restrict the movement of your finger for your entire life.

If there is finger pain due to arthritis anti-inflammatory drugs are given. Pain caused by osteoarthritis or tendinitis will be treated by aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen. In most of the case, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treating finger pain. For some cases, wax therapy is given for getting immediate relief from pain and stiffness.

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Finger Pain

Finger Pain






It is normal to have finger pain at some point in our life. It can be caused due to injury or due to tingling sensation or obstructed blood flow. Many elderly persons will have finger pain and joint pain due to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Even diabetic patients get some extent of finger pain due to diabetic neuropathy. Unless there is fracture or sprain in the finger, finger pain can be treated and cured completely by taking anti-inflammatory medicines.

Causes :

Minor injury or blow to the finger can cause finger pain. You can get pain on your finger when you hurt it badly in an accident. Finger pain can be caused due to osteoarthritis or nerve problems or due to rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, finger pain is caused when the normal flow of blood is disrupted due to health issues. Inflammation in the joints and wearing tissues of the fingers can also produce finger pain.

The pain can be from mild to moderate if it is caused due to wound or injury. Most of the finger pain will heal after a day or two and you may not feel any pain when keeping your fingers at rest.

Underlying medical conditions and diseases can also cause finger pain. If you find it difficult to move your finger or if there is temporary loss of function or if you feel numbness of tingling sensation in your finger, then you need to consult your doctor.

Nervous disorder can Trigger Finger pain. Reynaud’s syndrome can block the blood flow and cause finger pain. You can get pain in the finger if there are spasms in the blood vessels of your finger.

Lastly, finger pain can also occur due to nail infection caused by bacteria or virus. The affected nail will change in color and there can be itchiness and swelling.

Symptoms :

Occasional pain or continuous pain in the finger can be felt. You may not be able to straighten your fingers. The pain will increase if you are involved in tasks that involve your finger. Some people may feel tingling sensation in the fingers or sudden numbness which is indicative of nerve problem.

Before visiting your doctor, you should analyze how long you are feeling finger pain and whether you are getting finger pain without any injury.

When there is fracture in any of the three bones of your finger it becomes inflamed and there can be extreme pain and bruising. You will have difficulty in moving your fingers. Even an airline crack on your finger can take several months to cure.

Diagnoses :

In case there is swelling or stiffness in the finger, your doctor may examine the X-ray of affected finger.

Treatment :

Most of the finger pain will get settled on its own within few days by taking anti-inflammatory medications. You can take over the counter pain killers or apply ice compression on the affected finger for treating minor injury.

However your doctor can help you if you have broken the bone inside the finger. You need to seek medical advice in case the finger pain is caused due infection. If the finger pain is due to fracture then your doctor may ask you to wear split or a brace for few days. Do not ignore airline crack since it can restrict the movement of your finger for your entire life.

If there is finger pain due to arthritis anti-inflammatory drugs are given. Pain caused by osteoarthritis or tendinitis will be treated by aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen. In most of the case, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treating finger pain.

For some cases, wax therapy is given for getting immediate relief from pain and stiffness.

Finger Pain – Causes and Treatment

Finger Pain – Causes and Treatment

What causes finger pain?

Pain in the finger can be annoying as well as a troublesome thing, particularly because our fingers are used in so many ways on a daily basis. Finger pain can be caused from an assortment of accidents or conditions but even though most of the problems are mainly just a painful minor problem for most, there are others which may lead to severe or long time problems with your finger. These severe problems can lead to distortion, a damage to movement and in a few cases even amputation of the finger itself. So, the question is how may a person evaluate if the finger pain is a serious or a perhaps a long time disorder as well as when you should visit a medical professional.

Finger Pain Causes

The 1st step in assessing any painful finger condition is to resolve the reason for the difficulty. Of course the most noticeable cause of finger pain is from some sort of wound. Now most injuries can heal with time as well as techniques to immobilize the finger, there are other injuries that can have bad effects on long term usage. You need to appraise the level of the pain owing to the injury. While some injured fingers can be excruciating, this pain would probably diminish as the treatment of the finger progresses. If the pain is exceptionally severe, hurts thru rests, remains painful after 2 weeks of management, has a numb or tingling sensation, or the finger is damaged or bent and you are incapable of unbending the finger or has any kind of crushing injuries you should see a medical professional.

Finger pain cannot always be caused by injuries. There are conditions; diseases as well as infections can also cause pain to evolve. But these types of pains are often harder to diagnose at home. So, what do you do when you have been having pain in one of your fingers for several days but you have not had any injury? How do you recognize when pain is a serious difficulty which needs a visit to the medical professional? Any physician will tell you that it is healthier to be safe than sorry and it is ok to seek professional advice when you are unsure.
Any type of numbness can be some sign of blood flow or nerve problems. Problems such as this can cause difficulties with movement as well as the loss of functioning if not treated properly. Some common reasons for pain in the finger include arthritis, inflammation as well as the wearing away of the joints. Arthritis can be mild or severe and again, severe pain, loss of movement and numbness are all symptoms which point towards seeing your physician. Arthritis can be managed, but absolutely no treatment may lead to total immobility.

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There is also a disorder known as Reynaud’s phenomenon which can also cause pain in the finger. This condition may occur from a wide variability of causes, but leads to blood vessel spasms in the finger. These spasms block the blood flow in the finger and can lead to severe problems. So again a doctor’s visit is ok when there are spasms in the fingers because of cold temperature or even emotions.

Finger Pain Treatment

How you care for a finger which is painful depends on the cause of the pain. But there are some broad rules which can be applied.

If the pain is caused by cold water or cold weather, use warm gloves or gloves made to use in water or wet environment.

If the pain is caused by repetitive motion, see your doctor for guidance as well as treatment

If pain is triggered by tendinitis, the use of ice as well as splinting the finger can help

If you believe it is arthritis, see your physician.

There are a number of medications which are good in handling pain in the finger, contingent on the reason for the pain. Discomfort from osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis as well as tendinitis, can be managed with acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen or Cox II inhibitors. Any discomfort from Rheumatoid Arthritis usually responds to ibuprofen as well as other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDS and likewise can necessitate drugs which work on the immune systems. Any finger pain cause by Raynaud’s phenomenon can also be treated with a calcium channel blocker. There is also OTC topical pain cream which has capsaicin. Treatment with hot wax managed by a physical therapist can also relieve pain as well as briefly loosen up fingers which are stiff.

Home-care steps for pain in the finger include:

• Once pain has moderated; lightly exercise the fingers by stretching each finger every 10 minutes when working with a keyboard, clutching/squeezing silly putty or a rubber ball.


• Exercise the fingers in water which is warm to raise circulation or lessening stiffness.


• If pain is caused by tendinitis, place a splint on the finger to rest the tendon


• If the finger is swelling, use ice for 20 to 30 minutes at a time


• Don’t overuse hands and fingers on the job or at play


• Buy tools or devices that allow you to perform daily tasks with less stress on the hands or fingers.