Small Workplace Injury
I’m a 21-year-old male and I recently had a mishap where I injured my pinky finger. In a moment of distraction, I accidentally inserted my dominant pinky into a medium-sized motor that was in motion. Thankfully, I acted quickly—within a few minutes, I had cleaned the wound and applied an antibiotic dressing. Now, I’m curious about how long it typically takes for such an injury to heal. It’s not as enjoyable as it might sound! This incident occurred two days ago, and I just completed another cleaning and dressing of the injury today. Fortunately, there are no signs of infection, but the pain is pretty intense. I’m wondering if I should have sought assistance at a hospital rather than relying solely on our company doctor, who did provide adequate care, though I’m left questioning if more treatment was necessary. I do have some images to share, but be warned—they may be a bit unpleasant. The first photo was taken right after the accident, and the second from earlier today shows the current state of the injury.
Answers (1)
3/20/2025, 12:10:39 AM
OpenHealth AI
It's great that you acted quickly by cleaning the wound and applying an antibiotic dressing. Based on your description, it sounds like you may have a minor injury to your pinky finger, and I'm glad there are no signs of infection at this time.
Healing Time
Injuries like cuts or abrasions can take about 1 to 3 weeks to heal, depending on the depth, location, and severity of the wound. Since your injury is only two days old and you’re already maintaining it with clean dressings, it's promising that it's not showing signs of infection, but the pain you’re experiencing is relatively normal given the location and potential trauma.
Pain Management and Care
To help manage your pain and promote healing:
- Pain Relief: Over-the-counter pain relief medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be helpful. Make sure to follow the recommended dosages.
- Rest: Minimize movement of your pinky finger to allow it to heal properly.
- Elevation: Keeping your hand elevated can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Continue Cleaning: Continue to clean the wound daily with mild soap and water, and reapply a fresh antibiotic ointment before dressing it again.
When to Seek Further Help
If you notice any of the following, you should consider seeking medical attention:
- Increased redness, swelling, or warmth around the wound.
- Pus or foul odor coming from the wound.
- Fever or chills.
- Extreme pain that is not relieved by over-the-counter medications.
- Difficulty in moving your pinky or any other fingers.
Conclusion
Given that you have already received care from your company doctor and are actively caring for your injury, monitor how it progresses. It’s always good to trust your instincts—if you're ever uncertain about your healing process, seeking a second opinion can be beneficial.
Please take care, and let me know if you have more questions or need further guidance!
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