problem under wedding ring

I have developed a single bump under my wedding ring. It feels a little like a pimple, but it never comes to a head.  I have tried soaking my finger in warm salt water with no relief.  Could it be more like a corn or callous?  What can I do to remedy the problem.  I am a teacher and wash my hands many times a day.  I try to dry under my rings as best as possible.
Please help...

[Dr_Aparna]

Hi,
This could be an callus which has formed as a result of chafing of the ring against the skin of the finger.
A callus (or callositiy) is an especially toughened area of skin which has become relatively thick and hard as a response to repeated contact or pressure.
Since repeated contact is required, calluses are most often found on hands or feet.
Treatment is  to shave the calluses down, and perhaps pad them.Your doctor can pare down thickened skin or trim a large corn with a scalpel, usually during an office visit. You can apply antibiotic ointment to reduce the risk of infection.
If it is associated with itching then it could be an irritant Contact dermatitis, which requires a mild Corticosteroid ointment to be applied on the area.
ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callus

[kristi1965]

I have a white gold set of rings that are rhodium plated.  I had the same problem, and was trying to find out what to do.  I would take them off, clean them good, put triple antibiotic on my finger until it seemed to heal, then put the rings back on and the same thing would happen (a reddish rash under where the rings touched my skin).  I have a ring on my right hand that this did not happen with, and I noticed that the rash was confined to the area where the diamonds were (so bacteria could have accumulated there due to moisture and caused a form of athletes foot).  To test this possibility, I took off my rings (cleaned them and put them on the dresser to dry all night), put Lotrimin (athletes foot medication) around my ring finger, and put a band aid on it overnight.  The next morning the rash was gone, I put my clean and dry rings, and haven't had a problem since.  I hope people read this and I hope it helps.

Kristi