Pain after thorn in the hand
May 21, 2011 | 10,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ive Dr. Schaaf
Hello,
while weeding this afternoon, I accidentally stuck a thorn into the inside of my hand. It happened exactly where the middle finger begins, in the crease between the palm and the beginning of the finger. There is no remaining piece of the thorn in the wound. But it seems like I hit a nerve, muscle, or tendon? I didn't have any pain as long as I continued working. Now, about 2 hours after it happened, the middle finger is slightly (just slightly) swollen and I have very strong pain in the entire finger and around the puncture wound. I can only move the finger itself with severe pain. The pain prevents me from making a fist or fully extending the finger/hand.
How should I proceed? Should I treat it with ice? Splint the finger and keep it still? Keep it moving despite the pain?
Thank you for your response!
After a stab wound, there is always the possibility that an infection may develop at the bottom of the puncture channel, as it is enough for very few germs to be brought into the depth. They multiply quickly there because no air reaches there.
Where you have been injured, the flexor tendon runs, and if germs spread along the flexor tendon, it can cause the pain you described.
It could also be a nerve irritation, as you suspect. In both cases, please see a surgeon soon, on the weekend at a surgical clinic outpatient department. There, it will be determined whether immobilization and antibiotics are sufficient, or if the wound needs to be opened to control the infection.
If you still have pain this morning, please go to a clinic. Today and not just on Monday.
Get well soon - Dr. Schaaf
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