(no subject)

[tinyjo]

I can't believe I actually managed to fall asleep during the Today programme this morning. Perhaps it's because the summer presenters aren't quite so strident as the normal ones (normally something for which I'm greatful in the morning!) I think it must be the tail end of the cold making me drowsy - I got to bed early and everything.

In other health worries, as you may remember from about a month ago I dropped my secaturs on my hand when gardening. This was bloody painful at the time and for a couple of days and then settled down to being achy occasionally when I did anything strenuous or put strain on the hand. However, it's still doing it. Feeling the area reveals a hard lump which suggests that I fractured a bone (I'm assuming it's not broken because even at the time I still had the full range of movement in my fingers) which is now healing. And the achyness has increased over the past few days - I'm not sure why. So, who knows how long fractures take to heal? Should I, at this late date, go to the hospital and get the bloody thing X-rayed? Or just wear a support bandage?

Comments

[dotty.livejournal.com]

A fracture takes a month to heal, but only if your finger was held against something to hold it straight and if bandaged as well. What you have got now is a bone callus, meaning that a) your finger was not so much fractured as just having been scratched by the blade b) Calcium/bone will settle there for healing but will not obviously take the same shape (callus). It will then feel hard and lumpy and may lead to some pain if it is healing where some nerves and other bits are on the way. I would recommend that you see a doctor for a check up as a callus is permanent so a solution may be found to sort it out.

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

I see - I'd read that you get something similar with a fracture which rises then falls as the bone heals.

The lump isn't perceptible unless you're feeling for it carefully so my instinct would be to leave it there - might it continue to interfere with nerves and stuff or can I do that?

[dotty.livejournal.com]

The accident happened a while ago so I reckon there is not much danger there but as GP check may come in handy if it's still painful. You can try a compress of crushed lettuce leaves onto the sore area, it works great!

"... it may take a couple of months, it may never go away."

[cleanskies.livejournal.com]

Ah, those little bone lumps. I had one of my cheekbone for years, and more recently when I smacked my elbow on the pavement (which seems to have faded quite niceley after a few months, just like the Doctor said). Forget the bone stuff. If the bone's damaged it's a) too late to do anything about it and b) going to get better on its own. You certainly don't need to run off to the hospital. But you should go to the Doctor because of the recent increase in pain, and because you're considering wearing a support bandage (effectively, you're doing self diagnosis on something important that you don't know anything about). If you've managed to bruise a tendon or something, or are building up problems through compensating for the injury, or have some sort of inflammation in there it's better to know sooner than later. If the Doctor says there's nothing to worry about, hey, that's still a result.

I'll ask you about this again, and if you've still not made a Doctor's appointment, I will bring out my hand injury horror stories. :)

[tinyjo.livejournal.com]

*fear*

After I get back from my parents this weekend, I promise.

Damn - that means I have to register with a GP!