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Finger pain

There are several causes of finger pain, and often you can ease the pain with some self-treatments, but if the pain doesn’t improve, kindly consult a doctor. 

Finger pain self-treatments

The doctor might suggest: 

  • Rest the finger whenever you can 
  • Place an ice pack on your finger with a towel for up to 20 minutes every 2–3 hours
  • Consider painkillers (paracetamol) to ease the finger pain 
  • Remove any jewelry if your painful finger
  • Avoid activities that can trigger more pain
  • Strap the painful finger to the next one (place a piece of cotton between fingers and use a loose strap)
  • Don’t take ibuprofen in the first 48 hours after injury
  • Don’t take hot baths or use heat packs for the first 3 days after injury
  • Don’t lift heavy objects or anything too tightly
  • Don’t stop using your finger completely; for a few days, continue to do gentle finger exercises to ease the finger stiffness and pain
Finger pain self-treatments

Consult a doctor

  • If your finger pain stops you from your daily activities
  • If the pain keeps coming back or gets worse 
  • If there is no improvement after self-treatments for two weeks
  • If you develop any tingling or loss of sensation in your finger or hand 
  • If you have diabetes (hand-related problems can turn more severe if you have diabetes)
  • If you have a high temperature along with finger pain 
  • If your finger is warm, painful, still, and swollen

Urgent treatment required if:

  • You have severe pain 
  • You feel dizzy, sick, or faint due to pain 
  • You heard grinding, popping, or a snap during the time of injury 
  • You are unable to hold objects or move your finger 
  • Your finger change in shape or color
  • You lost sensation in part or entire hand

These often indicate a broken finger. 

Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 16 JULY 2022