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Broken fingers treatment

Discussion in 'General' started by Dave Wolfe, May 7, 2019.

  1. Dave Wolfe

    Dave Wolfe I know nuttin!

    Ok so i screwed this one up. Broke my thumb, went to urgent care, hoping they would tell me if it just needs a splint or needs a specialist. Nope, they just referred me to specialist without telling me squat.

    Is there a "one stop shop" for this sort of thing? Sports med clinic? Maybe a different urgent care?
     
  2. fastedyamaha

    fastedyamaha Well-Known Member

    I would think that depends on if it’s still “separated “ or put back into place. Also, did you get an X-ray to see what it looks like?
     
  3. skidooboy

    skidooboy supermotojunkie

    go see an orthopod asap. specifically hand or sports med if you are active, and want to be back where you are or better. may need reduction (repair with pins, plate, screw), may not. good luck. Ski
     
    ducnut and K51000 like this.
  4. cha0s#242

    cha0s#242 Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand

    Yes, don't wait to do it. Hands are precision instruments : the more you wait, the less chance you get at proper healing. I waited too long to get my exploded phalanx checked. Now it only bends 45 degrees and it sucks.
     
  5. What they stated above. Go NOW to an ortho.
     
  6. BC

    BC Well-Known Member

    I got screwed going to Urgent care for a finger. Charged me $300 and referred me to an ortho, who charged another $300 to refer me to a hand specialist. Find a hand specialist.
     
    ducnut and cha0s#242 like this.
  7. gixxernaut

    gixxernaut Hold my beer & watch this

    My recommendation is to do what you can asap to make sure it gets done right. When I dislocated my thumb in a crash at NSS back in 2010 the ER doctor did an xray, relocated it and put it in a cast. He then had misgivings about six weeks later and recommended an MRI. MRI revealed a detached tendon. Without surgery the thumb would never stay in place. After surgery it took much longer to rehab due to the weeks wasted keeping it immobilized, and range of motion is permanently compromised. It's always possible the full range of motion would never have been restored anyway, but who knows at this point.
     
    K51000 likes this.
  8. cha0s#242

    cha0s#242 Ignorance and prejudice and fear walk hand in hand

    For hand surgery the proper specialist is a plastic surgeon, not an orthopedist. At least, it was in my case.
     
  9. Whatever floats your boat but if I damage mine again I’ll stick with an ortho. If you cut tendons, etc maybe a plastic surgeon but he broke his thumb.
     
    noles19 likes this.
  10. K51000

    K51000 Well-Known Member

    Go see a 'hand surgeon'. I am a medical professional, and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

    It's proper for the UC to X ray it, reduce it (set it) is needed, splint it, and Strongly suggest/demand you see a hand surgeon from there. Who will re-xray it, and depending on the severity, either apply a cast; and/or recommend surgery.
    A variety of things Could be done- depending on what you'll need. ORIF, screws, pins, etc.

    TL:DR- version- get the splint, w/in 2 days- see a hand surgeon. Any decent group will see you right away- cz. they know this shouldn't wait for a more expert evaluation.

    Did they say which bone/bones were broken? Can you show me/us the radiograph?

    Good luck- see hand.

    The end
     
  11. Phl218

    Phl218 .

    i should have taken care of my left thumb i crashed at CMP couple years ago.
    Lucky to have 80% of motion, but still sucks sometimes with the phone in the hand.

    doc. now.
     
  12. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Plastic surgeon did both my CT releases, both ulnar transpositions, and removed a ganglion cyst in my right palm. The only thing correctly done is my cyst removal. Went to a noted hand specialist who is, also, a mentor for ~90% of the area hand specialists and quickly learned the limitations of those who are NOT hand specialists. I’m fooked for the rest of my life, due to all the nerve damage. I had to give up sportbikes and trackdays, as well.
     
  13. Ducti89

    Ducti89 Ticketing Melka’s dirtbike.....

    In my experience, Urgent Cares only deal with colds and flu. If you have another problem, theyll tell you that you have that problem and charge you for it.
     
  14. Dave Wolfe

    Dave Wolfe I know nuttin!

    Thx guys. Heres my take away:
    If you ALREADY KNOW its broke, skip the urgent care. You're just gonna spend $$ for a referral.
     
    ducnut and badmoon692008 like this.
  15. noles19

    noles19 Well-Known Member

    Sometimes that's not the case, if the break is bad enough,or offset enough you need to go to the er or urgent care so you don't lose blood flow to the Bone. So sometimes it's worth the urgent Care for an xray
     
  16. stangmx13

    stangmx13 Well-Known Member

    the best thing to do probably depends on your health insurance provider and the break.

    I have Kaiser. I went to urgent care hoping my hand wasn't broken. It was - a boxer's fracture which may be a "simple" break when it comes to the hand. I was referred to their ortho dept and they took care of it all. Then I was referred to their bone clinic for follow-up care and that went great too.
     
    Rico888 likes this.

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