Dislocated Knuckle

[FearOfDoctors]

I'm 15 yr old female and i dislocated my left hand middle finger at the knuckle about 3 months ago in a basketball game. When I went to the ER, the doctor popped it back in after taking xrays and said there were no broken bones. Its 3 months later and my finger still looks like someone stuck a giant marble in my knuckle and its still a blue-ish color. I can't fully bend or extend my finger and its extremely painful. I usually heal quickly, shouldn't this be getting better, not worse? I don't really like doctors, so could someone here just tell me what they think could be wrong (maybe they missed a broken bone or something) because its my shooting hand and how i can fix it:'(

Thanks for any ideas, they are very much appreciated

[kelh09]

Hi there i would just like to say i had this injury but didnt relise i dislocated my knuckle left it without seeking medical help now i ve ended up with bad movement in my mp3 joint i ve had bone removed from my knuckle once already and im due to have a second operation cause movements still pretty bad will i always have trouble with this joint or do you think it will heal my surgeon said i had avasculor necrosis but i dont know what that means

[FearOfDoctors]

My friends mom told me to soak my finger in Epson salt or something like that, because it will decrease the swelling. is this true? and if so, why hasnt it worked, because i've been soaking it twice a day for a week now.

[FearOfDoctors]

So i went to my orthopedist today and he took more xrays. He didn't say what was wrong, just that the swelling should have started to go down and its not normal for it to hurt/be so swollen after this long. He told me to take Alieve or Motrin and see a hand therapist. Medicine makes me really tired, so i usually only take it if i have a headache. Im currently playing other sports including basketball, and the finger is getting in the way. Any idea what is wrong and how i could fix it on my own really fast, instead of waiting more to see the hand therapist? Thanks again.

[Michael L Gross, MD]

I think its best that you see a doctor at this point, preferably an orthopedic hand specialist.  Joint injuries can be very complicated, and if they are not treated correctly there is a high risk for post-traumatic arthitis in the near future. Certainly for an active 15 year old, this is not a good thing.  Proper care will help with a faster recovery, and will help to prevent needless problem in the future.