Unjam & Treat a Jammed Finger for Quick Relief

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Ouch! Jammed your finger? While it certainly is painful, the good news is that most jammed fingers can be treated at home. A jammed finger is actually a joint or knuckle sprain, which usually heals within a few weeks. In this article, we’ll tell you the best home remedies for a jammed finger, as well as how to pop a jammed finger for fast relief. And, if you’re worried about your injury, we’ll tell you exactly when you should see a doctor. To treat your jammed finger and get back to normal, read on.

Things You Should Know

  • Treat a jammed finger at home by icing it and elevating it. Tape your jammed finger to another finger to splint it while it heals.
  • Pop your jammed finger by moving it up and down or gliding it from left to right.
  • Seek medical attention if your pain and swelling gets worse, if your finger is tingly or turns white, or if your finger is not back to normal after 2 weeks.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Home Remedies

PDF download Download Article
  1. Ice and cold water help the swelling go down and reduce pain and irritation. Apply an ice pack or even a bag of frozen vegetables to the finger. Or, dip your finger in cold water. Leave it there for 15 minutes, then let your finger get back up to room temperature. [1]
    • Don't forget to wrap ice in a thin towel before applying it to your finger so you don't get ice burn or frostbite.
    • Using ice for too long can harm your skin and make your finger hurt worse. Be sure to take the ice off after 15 minutes to prevent further injury.
    • Use ice once every hour as your finger heals.
  2. Keep your finger raised above your heart to reduce inflammation. Typically, the pain in your finger is caused by swelling. You can reduce that pain by keeping your hand and finger elevated whenever possible. [2]
    • When you’re sitting down, place your hand on a pillow to keep it elevated without expending too much energy.
    Advertisement
  3. Purchase an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, like aspirin , ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). Follow the dosage instructions on the bottle to reduce pain and swelling in your finger. [3]
    • Do not give aspirin to children under 18, due to the risk of Reye's syndrome.
    • As an alternative to taking any pills, consider applying an anti-inflammatory or pain-relieving cream or gel to your jammed finger joint. The cream or gel will absorb locally and eliminate the risk of any stomach problems.
  4. Buddy tape the injured finger to keep it still as it heals. Taping your finger to an adjacent finger will keep it stabilized and immobile as it heals. To do this, hold your 2 fingers side by side, and use gauze or medical tape to wrap them firmly together (but not so firmly that you cut off circulation). Change the gauze or tape once a day, and leave the buddy tape on for 3 to 5 days. [4]
    • To provide a little more support for your jammed finger, you can use a wooden craft stick along with the tape.
    • After 3 to 5 days, take the tape off and see how your finger feels. If it’s still very sore or you can’t bend or straighten it, seek medical attention.
  5. Typically, a jammed finger will heal on its own after 1 to 2 weeks. After that, try doing strength exercises, like squeezing your hand into a fist or squeezing a tension ball. [5] These exercises will help get your finger strength back to normal after a couple of days. [6]
    • You may have some weakness in your injured finger for up to 1 week after it heals.
    6. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Popping a Jammed Finger

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your jammed finger has been bothering you for a while now, you may need to “pop” it. Keep your hand with the jammed finger steady on a table or counter, then grab the top half of your finger with your other hand. [7]
    • Popping a jammed finger is usually easier if someone else does it for you. However, you can pop it yourself, too.
    • If you don’t feel comfortable popping your own finger, visit a chiropractor. They can do a joint adjustment and assess your finger professionally.
    • Some people recommend unjamming a finger by pulling it, while others are firmly against it. If you’re not sure whether you should pop your injured finger or not, talk to your doctor.
  2. Keeping your hand with the jammed finger steady, grab your jammed finger and move it up and down at the 2nd or middle knuckle. If this helps your jammed finger, you may feel instant relief or even a popping sensation. [8]
    • If this doesn’t help your jammed finger or causes you pain, don’t worry—there are 2 ways to pop a jammed finger. Move onto the next step.
  3. In the same position with your hand firmly grasping the tip of your jammed finger, slowly slide the finger to the right and left. Shift the bone and joint back and forth to provide your jammed finger some relief. [9]
    • You can also try gently twisting your finger back and forth.
    4. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

When to Seek Medical Treatment

PDF download Download Article
  1. If your pain, irritation, or swelling ramps up after a couple of days or hours, it could mean that your finger is fractured. Get it checked out by a doctor to see what kind of care it needs. [10]
    • Instead of a jammed finger, you might have a small hairline or stress fracture in the long bones of your finger, or an avulsion fracture closer to the joint.
  2. In general, jammed fingers will stop hurting after a couple of days or so. If you’re still in pain after 3 days, you may have a sprained or broken finger. [11]
    • Your finger may feel sore or irritated for 2 weeks or so, but a simple jammed finger won’t cause terrible pain for more than 3 days.
  3. Any of these symptoms could mean that the blood flow to your finger is being constricted. Head to the doctor so they can check it out before any damage is done to the finger. [12]
    • You should also seek medical care if your finger turns blue or purple.
  4. Jammed fingers are typically not serious, and most will return to normal after 14 days. If you still can’t use your finger to its full function after 2 weeks, go to the doctor for an x-ray. [13]
    • Most jammed fingers can be treated without surgery. However, if your injury is serious, your doctor may recommend surgical options.
    • Other treatment options include steroid injections or physical therapy.
    5. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Reader Videos

      Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • It's usually best to see a doctor and get professional advice if you're worried about your injury. Trying to do treatment on your own can sometimes make things worse.
      • Avoid activities that involve using your jammed finger, such as playing an instrument or a sport. Wait until pain in your finger subsides and you've fully healed.
      • If you have a jammed finger, putting ice on it immediately and propping it up when sitting & sleeping usually helps.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Treat a Broken Finger
      How to
      Tell if Your Thumb is Broken (with Pictures)
      Symptoms of a Broken Knuckle & What To Do About It
      How To Tell if Your Finger is Broken (and What to Do About It)
      How to
      Diagnose and Treat Whitlow Symptoms
      How to
      Cure an Infected Finger
      How to
      Cure Trigger Finger
      How to
      Splint a Finger
      How to
      Bandage Fingers or Toes
      How to
      Heal Hangnails Fast
      How to
      Get Rid of Warts on Fingers
      How to
      Buddy Tape Fingers
      How to
      Exercise Your Fingers
      How to
      Splint Trigger Finger
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/finger-injury/
      2. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/jammed-finger.html
      3. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21794-jammed-finger-sprained-finger#management-and-treatment
      4. ↑ https://www.assh.org/handcare/condition/jammed-finger
      5. ↑ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=bo1610
      6. ↑ https://familydoctor.org/exercising-your-finger-after-an-injury/
      7. ↑ https://www.acep.org/sportsmedicine/newsroom/newsroom-articles/august2022/the-jammed-finger
      8. ↑ https://www.acep.org/sportsmedicine/newsroom/newsroom-articles/august2022/the-jammed-finger
      9. ↑ https://www.acep.org/sportsmedicine/newsroom/newsroom-articles/august2022/the-jammed-finger
      1. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/jammed-finger.html
      2. ↑ https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/finger-injury/
      3. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/jammed-finger.html
      4. ↑ https://www.seattlechildrens.org/conditions/a-z/finger-injury/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To treat a jammed finger, let your finger rest for a few days to several weeks, depending on the severity of your injury. While you wait for it to heal, apply ice to your finger for 10-15 minutes every hour until the pain and swelling subside. You can also take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen, to help with the pain. If your finger isn't getting better after a week, visit your doctor so they can take x-rays of your injury and check for complications. To learn how to tell if your jammed finger is minor or serious, keep reading.

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,163,974 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Mar 9, 2017

        "I jammed my finger when I was catching a basketball, and it hurt like hell. I now know the procedures for helping ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement