Treatment for Smashed Fingers and Nail Bed Injury in Houston

Anyone who has suffered from a nail bed injury knows just how painful it can be. It can also be very debilitating as nail bed injuries can prevent you from using your fingers. Not only that, these injuries can damage the soft tissue that the nail needs to grow. Thankfully, however, we can often treat and cure these injuries.

At the Houston, Texas practice of Dr. Jason Ashford, our goal is to treat the pain and swelling of smashed fingers and damaged nail beds, restore them to health and hopefully prevent he nail from falling off. We want to get you back on your active path with the proper diagnosis and treatment for restoring normal nail beds just like before your accident.

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Causes

What are the possible causes of my nail bed injury?

We all have closed a cabinet or drawer on our fingers at least once. However, sometimes this and other more crushing blows can lead to serious damage that can cause blood to collect under the nail, or even a broken bone.

Cuts to the fingers, sharp piercing objects into the nail bed or fingertip injuries can also be destructive and cause acute injury. When blood does collect under the nail, this can swell, become very painful and lead to permanent damage without immediate treatment.

More severe crushes to the fingertip can also lead to nails cracking into pieces, fingertip being cut off, tendon damage of the extensor and flexor tendons. This can lead to problems in bending or straightening the fingers.

If the cut penetrates deeply enough, the nerves in the hand and finger may also be involved and require treatment and hand therapy.

Treatment

How will you treat my smashed finger with a nail bed injury?

The goal in treating such injuries is to restore the nail and/or finger to how it was before. Collections of blood are drained by making a small hole in the nail in order to relieve the pressure and provide pain relief. More serious injuries may be treated with surgery and/or need splinting.

Some nail bed injuries can be fully repaired, and your nail could return to normal. However, some severe injuries may result in a deformed nail. Deformities are likely to happen if the base of the nail bed (where it is crescent-shaped) is injured. It normally takes 3-6 months for a nail to grow from the cuticle to the tip of the finger.

Board certified hand specialistDr. Jason Ashford will exam you and discuss how your injury occurred. Other additional treatment options may include:

  • Ordering of X-Rays to determine broken bones
  • Administration of local anesthetic for prior to examination
  • Discussion of all medical conditions that could affect healing potential
  • Draining of blood collected underneath nail
  • Splinting
  • Surgery

Recovery Process and Results

We can fully repair some nail bed injuries, returning your nail to normal. However, there are severe injuries to the nail bed, nerves and tendons that may result in a deformed nail.

These deformities typically occur when the base of the nail bed is damaged. You can identify this on your nail by locating the crescent shaped part of the finger nail.

Most people see nail re-growth from the cuticle within three to six months from the injury.

For more information on your specific nail bed injury, please visit Dr. Jason Ashford in Houston, or Conroe Texas.

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