Dislocation of finger on hand: description and features of treatment

How can a finger dislocation occur on the arm? What to do with this condition? These and other questions will be answered in the materials of the article in question.

Basic information

The human skeleton is designed so that it can easily perform any movements without feeling pain or other unpleasant sensations. But sometimes, because of an unsuccessful fall or strong blow, a dislocation of the finger on the arm may occur. Of course, this is not a threat to the life of the patient. However, it requires immediate intervention by an experienced specialist, since it gives the person a lot of trouble.

What?

What is a finger dislocation? This displacement of the articular surfaces of the bones, accompanied by rupture of the joint bag, as well as the removal of part of the bone, damage to the capsules of the ligament and joint, which are responsible for retaining muscles and bones.

With a complete rupture of ligaments with a parallel displacement of the joint, we are talking about the complete dislocation of the phalanx of the arm. If, as a result of a stroke or a fall, a person has only a sprain of ligaments, then one can speak of such a pathology as a subluxation.

The most common injury of the upper limb is a dislocation of the thumb. Treatment of such a pathological condition is not complicated. We will talk about it a little further.

Causes of development

Why does a finger dislocation occur? As a rule, such a state is formed due to any force affecting the hand. This is due to the fact that under the influence of a certain external force the muscles and ligaments are unable to keep the joint components in the desired fixation.

In severe strokes or falls, a person may suffer several fingers at once. The weakest are the ligaments and muscles on the little finger. Therefore, factors such as awkward hand movement, unsuccessful landing or too strong a grip of the hand can contribute to the development of a closed trauma of the little finger.

Main symptoms

How does the dislocation of the phalanx of the finger manifest? This pathological condition can be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Severe pain in the area of injury;
• Deformation of the joint of the finger;
• Pallor, tingling, puffiness and numbness of the injured phalanx;
• Redness of the skin (to a dark purple color) at the place of deformation.

It should also be noted that dislocation of the finger on the arm is often accompanied by limited movement of the damaged phalanx. This symptom arises from a violation of the flexion and extensor function. In addition, the affected person may have hyperemia of the skin of the finger.

It should also be noted that during painful contact with the damaged area, the pain is markedly increased, as a result, the patient's state of health also worsens.

When observing such symptoms, a mandatory X-ray examination is required, since the described signs can speak not only of the dislocation of the phalanx, but also of a fracture.

Diagnostics

How is a finger joint dislocation diagnosed? To identify this pathological condition, you should consult a traumatologist.

Sometimes a specialist can diagnose, relying only on the patient's complaints and on external symptoms. Also, for a more accurate definition of a dislocation or fracture, very many physicians resort to X-ray examination.

After examining the X-ray, the specialist applies a finger using the closed reposition method (most often performed under local anesthesia). Then the injured phalanx is fixed, after which the victim is again sent to the X-ray examination in order to make sure that the peculiar operation was successful.

First aid

If you dislocate your finger, you should immediately contact a traumatologist. If the victim does not have such an opportunity, he must provide first aid. For this you need:

• Remove all the embarrassing objects from the injured limb;
• Slightly raise the injured arm, and apply a cold compress or ice to the site of the injury;
• Fix the limb with a dense bandage, in order to avoid further deformation of the finger.

Also it should be noted that, in the absence of proper experience and skill, the damaged joint can not be fixed independently. Otherwise, it can lead to disastrous consequences.

How can the doctor help?

After going to the doctor, he must carefully examine the injured phalanx. The main purpose of first aid is to return the finger joint to its previous position. Once this procedure is carried out, the phalanx is fixed with a tire or a special bandage. In the event that the victim is concerned about severe and painful pain, the doctor may prescribe pain medication.

Treatment process

What should I do if my thumb dislocated? Treatment of this condition requires the use of anesthesia, as well as performing other manipulations.

The direction of the phalanx is a rather painful procedure. However, you can not do without it. Therefore, many specialists necessarily resort to anesthesia.

Before starting treatment for the dislocation, the doctor asks the victim to remove all accessories (for example, watches, rings, bracelets) from the finger and hand. To ensure a normal flow of blood and prevent swelling, the brush is placed in a raised position.

To correct the injured joint, specialists pull the tip of the finger. Do this until a characteristic click appears.

If, along with a dislocation, the injured person has damage to the tendon, then an operative intervention is prescribed. This procedure is also carried out if more than one week has elapsed since the injury was received, and the phalanx was not repositioned. Usually in such cases, a false joint may arise , which requires restoration of not only the joint, but also the ligamentous apparatus.

After surgical intervention, a plaster is applied on the finger to fix it (for 4 weeks).

For minor injuries, surgery is not required, but for the early recovery of the patient, ointments that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects may be prescribed to him. These include the following: "Fastum-Gel", "Diclofenac", "Diklak-gel", "Ketonal" and others.

All these drugs are used to reduce swelling and swelling of the finger, to eliminate pain, to relieve inflammation and increase the volume of movements.

Rehabilitation

As soon as the patient receives first aid, as well as general therapy, he is given a course of rehabilitation measures. As a rule, complete recovery of the patient occurs 6 weeks after the start of therapy.

Initially, all the efforts of doctors are directed to immobilize the injured joint in order to prevent the development of additional injuries. Also eliminate pain and inflammation by applying certain drugs. After this, the victim is prescribed a set of exercises and physiotherapy procedures aimed at strengthening the phalanx. Constant employment by a hand will provide a normal current of blood in the fixed area that will promote the prompt recovery of the patient.

All rehabilitation measures must necessarily be performed by the victim. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve the result, and the functionality of the finger does not fully recover.