posted
For something so small, it hurts like the dickens. There's a small blackish-purple spot, surrounded by dark red-purple streaks. It's less than quarter inch in any direction.
It's hurting to type, and this is a very bad time of the semester for that to happen.
posted
I hate to say it but I'm not sure much can be done unless the blood builds up under it so much u have to go to the doctors to have them fix it. I had one that started at the base of my thumb nail after my cat bit me. It was there for a good 2 months before it grew out with my thumb nail.
I hope it feels better though. Who knows...maybe someone else knows a way to fix those things, but I never heard of any way .
Posts: 306 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
When I had one of those, I was told (not by a medical professional) that I could drill through the nail with a needle to relieve the pressure, but I didn't have the guts. I eventually did drill, but that was a couple weeks later when it had dried up and didn't hurt anymore.
Posts: 1652 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I've done the drill with a needle thing, too. I didn't think it was as bad as leaving it. Um, I'm pretty sure our medical professionals won't recommend it, though. *shifty*
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote: If the blood is only under the upstream half of the fingernail, you have a bigger problem. Creating a hole in the fingernail will relieve the pressure, but this isn't easy to do with the equipment in the typical household. Consider seeing your friendly local ER doctor. But if you're bound to do it yourself, you can try drilling or melting a hole in the nail. In the ER, we use a white-hot wire to quickly melt a hole in the nail. Some people use a high-speed drill or Dremmel tool. (Warning: if you try one of these techniques at home, you deserve whatever complication you create.) After draining the blood, bandage it up to keep germs from going in the hole. After a few days, plug the hold with clear nail polish or repair compound.
Look at that site at your own risk. There are some very graphic pictures, so if your squeamish, don't go there.
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I've done the needle thing. I'm telling you, it was MUCH better than sticking with the blister under the nail.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
Well, sliding the needle up under the nail till it hits the blister and the blood seeps out is less painful than drilling it.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
If you do the sliding thing, I don't think the needle should be hot. I think you toast the needle to sterilize it. If you don't think homeopathic remedies are Satan, Aconite is good for crushed extremities.
Posts: 2010 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
No, the needle doesn't need to be hot, just sterilized. Hot is for when you drill and have to melt the fingernail. Hot when sliding means much more pain than necessary.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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posted
I've done the needle thing, more than once and it doesn't hurt if you do it right.
First, of course, clean the nail area and sterilize the needle, I used boiling water to sterilize mine.
You're not going to jab a hole in the nail, you're going to bore a hole in the nail. If the needle is really sharp, this will work fine - just put it against the nail where the blood is and begin turning. Eventually you'll bore a little hole in there and the blood will begin to well out. I've done it when my thumb was slammed in a car door and was black under the nail with blood - I didn't even feel it, there's no pain at all involved in boring the hole. Let me tell you, the relief when you get rid of all that pressure under the nail - it's worth it! Keep it clean, and re-open it as needed with the needle to keep it draining.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Yeah, drilling is much cleaner. Under the fingernail has a much larger chance of infection. But I was a weenie, couldn't get the drilling to work, and just went for it.
posted
OK, the streaks have diffused into a pale red area with tiny black spots. There aren't any black spots bigger than the head of a pin, and there are several of them, so I don't think I'll be able to drain it. It hurts a lot less, too, although there are still stabs sometimes when I type.
Thanks for the ideas.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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