A broken finger or thumb is an injury where a bone in your finger or thumb is broken (fractured).
Symptoms of a broken finger or thumb include pain, swelling and bruising. It may also look blue or feel numb.
Treatment for a broken finger or thumb usually involves wearing a splint, taking painkillers and rest. More serious breaks may need surgery.
Symptoms of a broken finger or thumb include pain, swelling and bruising. It may also look blue or feel numb.
It can be hard to tell if a finger is broken, dislocated or badly sprained. You'll probably need an X-ray.
You have had an injury and your finger or thumb is:
111 will tell you what to do. They can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
Go to an urgent treatment centre
Urgent treatment centres are places you can go if you need to see someone now.
They're also called walk-in centres or minor injuries units.
You may be seen quicker than you would at A&E.
You have had an injury and the finger or thumb:
If you cannot get to A&E by yourself, call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Treatment for a broken finger or thumb usually involves wearing a splint, taking painkillers and rest. More serious breaks may need surgery.
A doctor or nurse might:
You may need surgery for complicated breaks – for example, if it's broken in lots of places or the nerves are damaged.
You may be invited back for a follow-up appointment to check how your finger or thumb is healing.
There are some things you can do to ease pain and speed up healing of a broken finger or thumb:
take a painkiller, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to relieve pain
keep your hand up to reduce swelling – rest it on a cushion or a pillow
gently hold an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a tea towel on the finger or thumb for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
try not to use the affected hand so it can heal properly