Whats inbetween A&E and the GP?

[raceboy]

A few weeks ago I had a small fall from the push bike, the cuts have healed but my pinkie finger still looks a bit strange/bent and hurts if I put pressure against it.
Now I'd normally just let nature take it's cause but it's been long enough now and it's getting on my nerves, I'd be the 1st to laugh at someone rocking up in A&E with a minor pinkie finger injury but I wouldn't expect my GP to have the foggiest what he's looking at so is there somesort of half way house I don't know about.
I'm guessing somethings broke but what can you do with a little finger, it's going to look rather silly with a cast on it.

[E21_Ross]

well, generally healing in the hands/feet (feet in particular) is slower than the rest of the body because of blood supply (hence a lot of people with bad circulation in feet can get infections which won't clear up). how long has it been now? what is the range of motion like, and is it still swollen? is it warm compared to the other fingers?

[Mr Will]

Go to your GP, he will refer you if he doesn't know. That's my understanding of how these things work anyway.

[raceboy]

I'd guess it's been about 3 weeks.
The finger bends in all the ways it's s'posed to.
It's quite swollen around the final joint.
Doesn't feel noticeably warmer than the other fingers.

Only gives pain if I use the finger for griping or applying pressure.

[Jay12329]

Minor injures clinic at your local hospital that doesn't have an A&E. They have x-ray machines and stuff but they are manned by specialist nurses rather than full on Dr's like A&E.

HTH
J

[raceboy]

Worst thing is I can actually see the A&E hospital from the bedroom window......no idea where a minor injurys clinc is.....
I can see them being really pleased to see me on a Friday evening.....
Might give it a few more days and stop being a big girl....

[E21_Ross]

raceboy said:

I'd guess it's been about 3 weeks.
The finger bends in all the ways it's s'posed to.
It's quite swollen around the final joint.
Doesn't feel noticeably warmer than the other fingers.

Only gives pain if I use the finger for griping or applying pressure.

3 weeks isn't really anything to be worried about just yet. (if you care, that final joint is known as DIP - distal interphalangeal joint )

if it's really causing you agro then go to GP (as said, they will refer you - or if you want to see someone earlier see a physio, chiropractor or osteopath) as it stands, seems there is no reason for any x-rays.

i would personally probably wait another 2-3 weeks myself. keep an eye on the swelling, ice it if you want to. if still no improvement at all then go to see someone. but as said, if it's really bugging you, no harm getting the ball rolling sooner.

its the little injuries than can be a pain in the arse huh!

[raceboy]

Thanks for that, put my mind to rest a little bit.
It's more of an annoyance than anything else, it's the little jobs that you don't even realise you use your pinkie for, gripping the sponge to wash the car is the worst, back on the bike already so it's not stopping that which is good, just can't grip and brake with my right hand as well as I'd like.
Think I'll just keep my eye on it and see the GP if it doesn't look any better in a couple of weeks......

Pistonheads.....pinkie fingers matter......