Finger frustration...

[coopersmom]

It has been eight and a half weeks since I broke my finger on Coopers leash while walking him and I must say I am more than frustrated with what I feel is a lack of care from my family MD. Here's the story (sorry it's may be long)...

I injured the finger while away for the weekend camping and deiced to buddy tape the finger until we got home and then would have it looked at. I went to the local ER Department on the Sunday afternoon, had the finger x-rayed and the ER MD stated there was a spiral fracture, she splinted it, told me it would be better in a week and to follow up with my family MD. So I followed up with my family MD later that week who basically said "why would the ER MD tell you to come here, there is nothing I can do for you here." She then read me the X-Ray report that stated they couldn't rule out a spiral fracture or a bony injury to the proximal interphalange joint and a repeat x-ray ten days post injury was recommended. So, my family MD calls the local ER to find out how to treat my finger, then buddy tapes the splinted finger to the next finger and tells me to have it x-rayed again at the ten day point. I get the x-ray done and a couple of days later my family MD calls (actually her receptionist) and states that I have a healing fracture and did I want a cast put on. She is the Doctor asking me how to treat it??? I replied that I would do whatever was recommended by her. The receptionist states she will check with the doctor and call back. When she calls back she reports that my MD had spoken with an Orthopedic Specialist and he recommended that I could remove the splint and buddy tape my finger until it is pain free. I do this and follow up with my family MD 4 1/2 weeks post injury. I am seen in her office by a Medical Student, who assess my finger and states he feels it is healing fine. I raise concerns that I cannot fully extend/flex my finger, and he went to confer with my Family MD. She comes into the room, looks at my finger sitting on my lap and states that it will be fine. She never actually assessed my finger other than to look at it lying on my lap. When I again raise concerns about the lack of movement her reply was it "would be fine by 8 weeks". I was not seeing any real improvement in my ability to extend/flex my finger so at the 6 1/2 week point I called her office inquiring about Physio/Hand Therapy. I was told "I didn't need any therapy just start bending the finger". I went against her advice and consulted the Physio Dept at work and had four sessions of treatment (hot wax, acupuncture and traction exercises) my flexion has remained the same (60 degrees) and each session was like torture, so painful. Yesterday my Physiotherapist discharged me from her care because of he lack of improvement and my continues pain during treatment. My Physiotherapist stated that if it was her finger she would request to be seen by a Plastic Surgeon.....uuuggghhhh!!!! SO...I once again call my Family MD and speak with the Receptionist who states my Family MD wants me to do Physio, I tell her I have been and tell her I have been discharged because of the lack of improvement and that my Physiotherapist stated that if it was her finger she would want to see a Plastic Surgeon. Of course my Family MD is not in today, so it will have to wait. I am frustrated, I feel like I am being a total pain is the a$$ by harassing my Family MD, maybe I should just accept this as normal and deal with it. Any thought...what would you do???

Here are a couple of photos ...







Thanks for your thoughts,
Michelle

[bett]

ortho, hand specialist.

hope it heals and all is ok.

[Dallas dawg]

What Betty said. Any breaks, ER first and then off to the Ortho Doc. 8 weeks is a long time and the sooner the better, as it is healing and probably not the way it should.

[kimbersmom]

Ow!

[POPTOP]

Oh OUCH!

DD did about the same thing, getting her finger caught in her pup's collar. It was a spiral fracture which involved the joint and it had to be pinned. With a spiral fracture, the bones can move and often pull out of alignment with muscles and tendons pulling on the pieces. The pinning was to prevent that. She did have to have PT after the splint was taken off.

Good luck.

[Bamps]

That's not looking good, way too long, get medical attention ASAP.

[Shadowsmommy]

That looks painful, hope it heals fast.

[Polly Pipkin]

Sounds like you are getting the run around with your MD and in the meantime, your finger isn't healing properly. I'd see if you can get into a hand clinic, and if they need a referral, get your doctor to write one for you.

My finger took forever to heal - it's not a regular fracture that heals within 8 - 10 weeks. I kept going for regular Xrays too, but mine was about 4 months before I started to think it was healing. I guess some of us heal at different times, too.

It is very painful, but you need a lot more than 4 sessions of PT! You really need too see a specialist in treating these fractures.

Did you get exercises for your hand to do with the PT? They hurt but they do help in the long run - just don't overdo it! Heal gently!!

[ckfalz]

I would see an orthopedist.

I have a slightly crooked finger from an injury when I was a kid. The doctor radiographed it and said it wasn't broken. I was a kid but I still asked why it was crooked but didn't get an answer and my parents accepted it. I should have seen an ortho. It's not a problem but it's not how it was before the injury.

[barry581]

That looks pretty bad. I'd definitely see an ortho hand specialist ASAP.