smashed thumb.

[Beckyboo29]

Hello. I smashed my thumb in my car door and I can normally just deal with pain but this hurt so bad it made me cry.  I had it x-rayed in the ER but the Dr said it wasn't broken just bruised. But I was told by a nurse in training that they can't really tell if it's broke when it's swollen. But its been about 2 days and it's still swollen twice the size its supposed to be, the bruises are a bluish green. it's been feeling numb/tingly ever since. now the rest of my hand is starting to feel tingly. Is this normal? Or is something wrong? Please help

[Beckyboo29]

Thanks for the advice. I''ve been icing it and when I go to work I wrap it up. But it's been 6 days and it's still swollen and numb just not as much. It's still blue and now kinda yellow on top. I haven't went to the doc yet but I'm thinking I should. But I don't have insurance and I don't know they would be able to do anything.  When I use my fingers too much my whole hand hurts an sometimes pain shoots up my arm from my hand.

[kickanxietysbutt]

I did this once and the pain is excruciating.  The bruise and color don't surprise me, because of the blow to your blood vessels.  I'm not sure about the tingliness, though, in your entire hand.  Are you keeping it in the same position constantly?  If you're not getting enough blood flow to the thumb, that could cause the tingling sensation.  Also, are you icing it?  I'd keep doing that for the next 24-48 hours and if the tingling sensation has not gone away, I'd probably go back to the doctor.  Additionally, the x-ray is of your bones...regardless of how swollen your thumb is, the x-ray will show whether or not the bone is broken.  

[caregiver222]

The x-ray is definitive. That is IF the x-ray technician used appropriate technique. Fingers are a bit difficult to get a good x-ray of. I used to use a dental x-ray machine on fingers. The "nurse-in-training" needs more training. I would get it looked at again.

[lauraem]

If I were you I would go back to the Doctors, or your local hospital to get it re-checked. It sounds as thought it could be at least fractured or something and have you been icing it? You need to get the swelling down, it could also be bleeding internally by the sounds of things.