How can a dislocation of a finger on a hand occur? What to do in this condition? We will answer these and other questions in the materials of this article.
Basic information
The human skeleton is designed so that it can easily make any movements without feeling any pain or other unpleasant sensations. But sometimes, due to an unsuccessful fall or a strong blow, a dislocation of the finger on the hand may occur. Of course, this phenomenon does not pose any threat to the life of the patient. However, it requires immediate intervention by an experienced specialist, as it gives a person a lot of trouble.
What?
What is a dislocation of a finger on a hand? This is a displacement of the articular surfaces of the bones, accompanied by rupture of the joint bag, as well as the removal of part of the bone from it, damage to the capsules of the ligament and joint, which are responsible for the retention of muscles and bones.
With a complete rupture of the ligaments with a parallel displacement of the joint, we are talking about a complete dislocation of the phalanx of the arm. If, as a result of a blow or a fall, a person only has a sprain of ligaments, then we can talk about such a pathology as subluxation.
The most common upper limb injury is a dislocation of the thumb. Treatment of this pathological condition is simple. We will talk about him a little further.
Development reasons
Why is there a dislocation of the finger on the hand? As a rule, this condition is formed due to any force on the wrist. This is due to the fact that under the influence of a certain external force, the muscles and ligaments are not able to hold the components of the joint in the necessary fixation.
With sharp bumps or falls, a person may suffer several fingers at once. The weakest are the ligaments and muscles on the little finger. Therefore, factors such as an awkward hand movement, an unsuccessful landing, or an overly tight grip on the arm can contribute to the development of a closed little finger injury.
Main symptoms
How is the dislocation of the phalanx of the finger manifested? Such a pathological condition may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- sharp pain in the area of damage;
- finger joint deformation;
- pallor, tingling, swelling and numbness of the injured phalanx;
- redness of the skin (to a dark crimson color) at the site of deformation.
It should also be noted that dislocation of the finger on the hand is often accompanied by a limited movement of the damaged phalanx. This symptom occurs due to a violation of the flexion and extensor function. In addition, the patient may experience flushing of the skin of the finger.
It should be noted that during touching the damaged area the pain noticeably intensifies, as a result, the patient's well-being worsens.
When observing such symptoms, a mandatory x-ray examination is required, since the described symptoms can speak not only of a dislocation of the phalanx, but also of a fracture.
Diagnostics
How is a finger joint dislocation diagnosed? To identify such a pathological condition, you should contact a traumatologist.
Sometimes a specialist can make a diagnosis based only on the patient’s complaints and on external symptoms. Also, for a more accurate determination of dislocation or fracture, many doctors resort to x-ray examination.
After examining the x-ray, the specialist adjusts the finger using the closed reposition method (most often performed under local anesthesia). Next, the injured phalanx is fixed, after which the victim is again sent for an X-ray examination in order to make sure that the peculiar operation was successful.
First aid
In case of dislocation of the finger should immediately contact a traumatologist. If the victim does not have such an opportunity, then he needs to be given first aid. To do this, you must:
- remove all restraining objects from the damaged limb;
- slightly raise the damaged arm, and apply a cold compress or ice to the site of the injury;
- fix the limb with a tight bandage in order to avoid further deformation of the finger.
It should also be noted that in the absence of proper experience and skill to repair a damaged joint on its own is prohibited. Otherwise, this can lead to disastrous consequences.
How can a doctor help?
After contacting a doctor, he must carefully examine the injured phalanx. The main purpose of first aid is to return the finger joint to its previous position. As soon as this procedure is completed, the phalanx is fixed using a tire or a special dressing. In the event that the victim is worried about severe and excruciating pain, the doctor may prescribe painkillers.
Treatment process
What to do if there is a dislocation of the thumb? The treatment of this condition requires the use of anesthesia, as well as other manipulations.
Repositioning the phalanx is a rather painful procedure. However, you can’t do without it. Therefore, many experts necessarily resort to anesthesia.
Before proceeding with the treatment of dislocation, the doctor asks the victim to remove all accessories (for example, watches, rings, bracelets) from the finger and hand. To ensure normal blood flow and prevent swelling, the brush is set in an elevated position.
To relieve the injured joint, specialists pull by the tip of the finger. Do this until a characteristic click appears.
If along with a dislocation in the victim, tendon damage is observed, then surgical intervention is prescribed. Such a procedure is carried out if more than one week has passed since the moment of the injury and the phalanx reduction has not occurred. Usually in such cases, a false joint can occur , which requires the restoration of not only the articular, but also the ligamentous apparatus.
After surgery, gypsum is applied to the finger to fix it (for 4 weeks).
For minor injuries, surgery is not required, but for the speedy recovery of the patient, he may be prescribed the use of ointments that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. These include the following: “Fastum-Gel”, “Diclofenac”, “Diclac-gel”, “Ketonal” and others.
All of these drugs are used to reduce swelling and swelling of the finger, eliminate pain, relieve inflammation and increase range of motion.
Rehabilitation
As soon as the patient receives first aid, as well as general therapy, he is prescribed a course of rehabilitation measures. As a rule, full recovery of the patient occurs 6 weeks after the start of therapy.
Initially, all the efforts of doctors are aimed at immobilizing the injured joint in order to prevent the development of additional injuries. They also eliminate pain and inflammation through the use of certain drugs. After this, the victim is prescribed a set of exercises and physiotherapeutic procedures aimed at strengthening the phalanx. Constant exercises with the hand will ensure a normal blood flow to the fixed area, which will contribute to the speedy recovery of the patient.
All rehabilitation measures must be carried out by the victims. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a result, and the functionality of the finger will not be fully restored.