Owie!

[BigD23]

Working construction in my younger years, I have smashed a few fingers/thumbs in my day. On one memorable occasion I went to the emergency room and the Doctor fixed me up. He heated a straightened out paper clip till the end was red hot, then he placed it on my nail and it instantly melted through the nail and the pressure was released. This is the method I use and I would urge others to try. It does not hurt as much as drilling the nail.

Good "tip"........Thanks!

Don

 

[Crash101]

I can certainly relate to a mashed finger. A few weeks ago I was moving some rather large landscape rocks from my trailer to the back yard to be used as a retaining wall. I was lifting by hand each rock from the pallet into the loader. I had made about 4 trips to the back yard and was getting tired (one of those hot southern summer days). I decided to just lift the rocks up on edge and drop them into the bucket as this seemed easier. I had leather gloves on, but on one ocassion, I must have had my right little finger resting on the edge of a rock when the one I lifted to let drop into the bucket, dropped right on my finger. I recall hearing a strange noise as it hit. I sure didn't want to take that glove off (was afraind of what I'd see). I did, and sure enough, the finger was dangling and bleeding like a stuck hog. I went into the house put a wet towel on it and considered my options. Only one thing to do. Call wife. Hey hon, can you help me out here? I mashed my little finger. She came home from work early and after about 8 hours later we came home from the emergency room where they had put it back together. Man talk about sore, Still hurts but the doctor said those crushed little pieces of bone will attach back together in time. the nail is what they used as something to sew the other pieces to. Talk about hurt, a week later when they removed the stitches, ouch. Much better now, but I guarantee I'll be more careful next time.

 

[bigdad]

Working construction in my younger years, I have smashed a few fingers/thumbs in my day. On one memorable occasion I went to the emergency room and the Doctor fixed me up. He heated a straightened out paper clip till the end was red hot, then he placed it on my nail and it instantly melted through the nail and the pressure was released. This is the method I use and I would urge others to try. It does not hurt as much as drilling the nail.

Sam,

I like your idea! A hot paper clip or needle would be sterlized too. I suppose a little RUBBING Alchohol wouldn't hurt no matter what method a guy uses. Ha!

Everybody....BE SAFE!

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Hanging sheet rock a couple months ago and hit my left thumb twice. That second time hurt so bad I didn't do it a third time. Course it turned black and kept hurting more each minute. Memory returned about drilling it to reless pressure. Got Dremel bit and by hand drilled a little hole in it. Some blood came out and some relief but not enough. Got bigger Dremel bit and made a little bigger hole. That did it with more blood out. Poured alcohol on it. Should have drilled another hole a little further back to let more blood out but didn't. Nail almost back to normal now. A few years ago I was stapling screen wire on a screened in room I had built and was using an air stapler. Sliding screen under left hand and stapling with right hand. Was really moving along when I realised I had just stapled my middle finger at last joint. No pain. Tips of staple was sticking out front. Thought "I've messed up". Wife came out and showed her and she panicked. She said I was turning quite pale. Sat down and pondered what to do. Dr would just pull it out, ask if I'd had a tetnas? shot in the past 2 years (I had) and put antibiotic on it and give me a big bill. Told my wife to get pliers. She started hollering that she couldn't do it, she couldn't do it, she couldn't do it!!! Told her get me pliers. Grabbed top of staple and pulled quick. It came out as easy as it went in. Still no pain. Poured alcohol on it. Rubbed neosporin on it and put a gauze bandage on it. Then the color started returning to my face.

 

[Bird]

I've never personally seen anyone drill or burn a hole through a fingernail, but I'll probably never forget one of my wife's brothers telling about his wife burning a hole through one of his. Apparently she went a little deep with a hot needle, and he went straight up in the air. But I did see one of the guys on the TV show Deadliest Catch relieve the pressure in a smashed finger that way.

 

[acohen100]

I do this all the time in the ER. It is called trephination. These things hurt so much I usually numb up the finger first before I do it. People can't stand the thought of me coming at them with a cautery when their finger is throbbing that much. Also I don't recommend doing this at home. I have seen people do it with heated paper clips and end up with infections under the nail then the whole thing has to come off.

 

[BigD23]

I can certainly relate to a mashed finger. A few weeks ago I was moving some rather large landscape rocks from my trailer to the back yard to be used as a retaining wall. I was lifting by hand each rock from the pallet into the loader. I had made about 4 trips to the back yard and was getting tired (one of those hot southern summer days). I decided to just lift the rocks up on edge and drop them into the bucket as this seemed easier. I had leather gloves on, but on one ocassion, I must have had my right little finger resting on the edge of a rock when the one I lifted to let drop into the bucket, dropped right on my finger. I recall hearing a strange noise as it hit. I sure didn't want to take that glove off (was afraind of what I'd see). I did, and sure enough, the finger was dangling and bleeding like a stuck hog. I went into the house put a wet towel on it and considered my options. Only one thing to do. Call wife. Hey hon, can you help me out here? I mashed my little finger. She came home from work early and after about 8 hours later we came home from the emergency room where they had put it back together. Man talk about sore, Still hurts but the doctor said those crushed little pieces of bone will attach back together in time. the nail is what they used as something to sew the other pieces to. Talk about hurt, a week later when they removed the stitches, ouch. Much better now, but I guarantee I'll be more careful next time.

Wow.......After reading your story, my finger doesn't seem to hurt as bad.

Don

 

[BigD23]

Hanging sheet rock a couple months ago and hit my left thumb twice. That second time hurt so bad I didn't do it a third time. Course it turned black and kept hurting more each minute. Memory returned about drilling it to reless pressure. Got Dremel bit and by hand drilled a little hole in it. Some blood came out and some relief but not enough. Got bigger Dremel bit and made a little bigger hole. That did it with more blood out. Poured alcohol on it. Should have drilled another hole a little further back to let more blood out but didn't. Nail almost back to normal now. A few years ago I was stapling screen wire on a screened in room I had built and was using an air stapler. Sliding screen under left hand and stapling with right hand. Was really moving along when I realised I had just stapled my middle finger at last joint. No pain. Tips of staple was sticking out front. Thought "I've messed up". Wife came out and showed her and she panicked. She said I was turning quite pale. Sat down and pondered what to do. Dr would just pull it out, ask if I'd had a tetnas? shot in the past 2 years (I had) and put antibiotic on it and give me a big bill. Told my wife to get pliers. She started hollering that she couldn't do it, she couldn't do it, she couldn't do it!!! Told her get me pliers. Grabbed top of staple and pulled quick. It came out as easy as it went in. Still no pain. Poured alcohol on it. Rubbed neosporin on it and put a gauze bandage on it. Then the color started returning to my face.

These shared stories such as yours makes me think how tough the pioneers and early settlers were...Doing everything by hand...No phones, no immediate 911, no life flights etc.

Don

 

[Dr. Bob]

Around here we refer to these little incidents as TRACTOR BITES! Just like your wife: you love her, but sometimes she bites.

Stuff like that never happens when I am wearing golves, but try to change an implement without gloves and I get bitten.

 

[Skyco]

These shared stories such as yours makes me think how tough the pioneers and early settlers were...Doing everything by hand...No phones, no immediate 911, no life flights etc.

Don

Yeah but a lot of them didn't live very long either!