Sore And Swollen Finger

[wolf63]

I am a nail biter and have chewed too far on the middle finger of my right hand. It hurts quite a bit and is hard and swollen right around the finger in the area around the nail.

Is there anything that I can put on it to stop it getting harder and more painful? Being diabetic I know that I might have to go and see my GP, but I would rather avoid that if possible.

Help me?

[Sqad]

No there is nothing that you can put on it that would make the slightest difference.
Being a diabetic is a consideration, but not the end of the world.

I would take Ibuprofen for the pain and monitor the situation over the next 24 hours.

[wolf63]

Ibuprofen no good as I am on Lithium and my serum levels are high enough.

Thanks for the quick and reliable answer. It is not the first time that this has happened but I never learn!

At least it wasn't a cat bite ~ they can get really nasty.

[Sqad]

OK...then whichever painkiller that suits you.

[sherrardk]

It's not a whitlow is it? They hurt like hell.

[boxtops]

I get that sometimes if I tear my cuticles (which I do - my nail health comes and goes). It's really sore, but it only lasts a couple of days, if it's the same thing.

[naomi24]

See your doctor.

[Mamyalynne]

If you have any Hydrogen Peroxide, soak the fingertip in an egg cupful for a while, really helps.

[RATTER15]

Hard and swollen! is it infected? if so go see GP.

[RATTER15]

I had a whitlow once, it was bloody agony. I had to have it laced and about a gallon of creamy custard poured out of it!!

[wolf63]

Thanks all ~ my mum used to call it a whitlow, but I didn't know if it was a real word or one of my mum's made-up words.

It is am important finger ~ the finger that I use when using my Kindle Fire. It seems also to be a cat ear scratching finger.

I will see how it is in the morning and maybe phone the surgery.

Thanks

[RATTER15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitlow

[whirlyhurly]

I hope that its not a "Wicklow" as these can be extremely painful.

[whirlyhurly]

Oops spelling error whitlow not Wicklow (which is a place in Ireland I believe).

[anneasquith]

wolf..... hard/swollen and diabetic....................gp .

[Dee Sa]

I am a nail biter but if when this problem clears up you go to a nail bar and get a full set of nails you just cannot bite them and they also do a much more subtle set for men.

[Old_Geezer]

Stick a plaster over it and let it heal. Difficult to chew nails through a plaster.