Watch those pinch points

DaveNJ · Mar 11, 2017

Yeah. My problem is my left thumb. I hate it, I guess. Why else would I have crushed it with a flagstone, drilled it a few times, nailed it with an air framing nailer, cut it with all kinds of saws, pinched it in equipment, pounded it, burnt it, and ripped the nail off a few times? I never treat my right thumb that way.

Looking4new · Mar 11, 2017

DaveNJ said:
Yeah. My problem is my left thumb. I hate it, I guess. Why else would I have crushed it with a flagstone, drilled it a few times, nailed it with an air framing nailer, cut it with all kinds of saws, pinched it in equipment, pounded it, burnt it, and ripped the nail off a few times? I never treat my right thumb that way.

You need your right thumb for when your vehicle breaks down.

skylarkguy · Mar 17, 2017

The thumb wasn't healing very quickly and i keep aggrivating it. So i had some x rays done....4 chunks of bone in the tip of my thumb.

mrmikey · Mar 18, 2017

and drill a hole in that nail to relieve the pressure.

Done that. Starting twisting the drill....nothing, pushed a bit harder and twisting....nothing, pushed harder still twisting....nothing, pushed still harder and wham, it felt like it should have been coming out the other side. Felt good after about a minute once my color and heart beat came back....................Mike

kidr · Mar 18, 2017

mrmikey said:
Done that. Starting twisting the drill....nothing, pushed a bit harder and twisting....nothing, pushed harder still twisting....nothing, pushed still harder and wham, it felt like it should have been coming out the other side. Felt good after about a minute once my color and heart beat came back....................Mike

A red hot paper clip or similar wire works much better. Burns right through the nail.

rd_macgregor · Mar 20, 2017

kidr said:
A red hot paper clip or similar wire works much better. Burns right through the nail.

I don't want to look, but I'm guessing that there are cringe-worthy YouTube videos of that procedure (sort of like the dental torture scene in Marathon Man).

KYErik · Mar 20, 2017

skylarkguy said:
The thumb wasn't healing very quickly and i keep aggrivating it. So i had some x rays done....4 chunks of bone in the tip of my thumb.View attachment 502529

Did they have to remove the chips? Or did it eventually stop hurting?

kidr · Mar 21, 2017

rd_macgregor said:
I don't want to look, but I'm guessing that there are cringe-worthy YouTube videos of that procedure (sort of like the dental torture scene in Marathon Man).

I think I left the wrong impression. The paper clip is straightend and the end is bent a a right angle an eighth in. from the end. the angle is heated and the end of the wire is applied to the nail. Leaves a neat little hole and the blood spurting out cools the wire. Much less traumatic than a drill bit.

jimmysisson · Mar 21, 2017

It's the bend that stops the penetration. Works great, and the more your thumb hurts the less courage you need!
Jim

skylarkguy · Mar 23, 2017

KYErik said:
Did they have to remove the chips? Or did it eventually stop hurting?

Saw the ortho doc today. The pain is minimal...unless i bump it. Basically the pieces stay in and it heals slowly over time. Several weeks to several months. The key is avoiding re injury and avoiding infection. The hole in the nail from puncturing it can be an infection point. So when you puncture the nail be sure to serilize the needle and the finger to be punctured.