A jammed finger is a common occurrence among athletes, most especially those who engage in sports that involve catching balls with their hands. However, just because you are not a sportsperson doesn’t mean you are impervious to having a jammed finger. Being clumsy at home can bring about accidents, and jamming a finger is one of them.
Medical experts say that a jammed finger can heal on its own in 1 to 2 weeks, provided that it’s just a mild to moderate case. However, a jammed finger that clearly looks deformed or cannot be moved requires medical attention.
So if it’s quite obvious that your jammed finger is something that can be managed at home, continue reading. Below you will find some of the best home remedies for it to help alleviate the signs and symptoms, and speed up healing.
Ice
As soon as soon as end up with a jammed finger, head to the freezer, grab a few ice cubes, wrap them in a small towel, and place on the injured finger for 10 to 15 minutes. Doing this will help reduce pain and inflammation associated with a jammed finger. You may have this home remedy repeated hourly on the first day.
Elevate
Just like when injuring any other part of your extremity, it’s a good idea to keep it higher than your heart level most of the time. This will keep blood and fluid from pooling in the affected area, thus keeping inflammation to a minimum. Also, elevating the jammed finger helps encourage the sweeping of waste products away from it.
Rest
Certainly, it’s very important to give the jammed finger plenty of rest. This means that you should momentarily refrain from engaging in your favorite sport. Resting will help accelerate the healing process. Otherwise, using the jammed finger may only extend your recovery period, as well as risk having the injury aggravated.
Splint
An excellent idea to ensure that the use of your jammed finger is kept to a minimum is by having it splinted. One very easy splinting solution is by securing the injured finger to the neighboring finger with a medical adhesive tape. Make sure that it’s not too tight as to cut off blood circulation in both fingers — the jammed and the adjacent one.
Ginger
Everyone knows that ginger is a very potent anti-inflammatory herb, and that’s why consuming it in tea form on a regular basis can help combat swelling and ultimately pain. To make a cup of ginger tea, simply grate a small piece of fresh ginger root, and then let it steep in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Strain and add a little honey.
Turmeric
You can come up with an inflammation-fighting paste with turmeric that can help alleviate the signs and symptoms of a jammed finger. All you have to do is add a few drops of water to half a teaspoon of turmeric. Apply the paste on the injured part of your finger 2 to 3 times a day for a few days.
Olive Oil
Something as simple as gently massaging the swollen area with warmed olive oil can offer great relief. Not only does this encourage the anti-inflammatory compounds in olive oil to spring into action, but also encourage the removal of waste products for a faster healing. Just make sure that the olive oil is not scorching hot before massaging!
Aloe Vera
The gel inside every aloe vera leaf is not only good for combating various beauty problems like acne and wrinkles, but also pain and inflammation of an injured body part. That’s why regularly massaging aloe vera gel on a jammed finger can help reduce the signs and symptoms, as well as promote a speedier healing process.
