We all have painful experiences throughout our lives, but most of us have had our fingers smashed by a car door at least once. It can be incredible painful, and it can even result in some serious damage if not treated properly. Read here and find some tips for how to treat car door smashed fingers, and learn when you need to seek medical attention.

Home Treatment for Car Door Smashed Fingers

The first thing you should do after smashing your fingers in a car door is ice the injury. Quickly put an ice pack or bag of frozen veggies onto your fingers to help numb the pain and help to lessen the swelling. Don’t panic if your hand throbs and hurts as the quicker your heart is racing, the more blood will rush to the fingers and that will only make the pain worse.

After you’ve got the ice on and you’ve taken a few deep breaths, find some over-the-counter pain relievers and take the recommended dose. The best options are medications with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you have any reason to question how your body will react with certain pain relieving medication, be sure to consult a medical professional before taking it.

When To See a Doctor for a Smashed Hand

If your injury from the car door seems to be more than a home treatment can help, or your pain is mostly in your palm or joints, you should seek expert medical attention. Injuries that include any of the following observations should be checked out by a doctor as soon as you are able:

If you can’t bend a finger
If the joints or palm bones are injured
If your nail bed appears damaged, or blood is pooling under your nail
If there is a deep cut or broken bone
If there is any sign of infection

Accidents happen and we can’t always avoid injury, but if you follow these basic rules for what to do after smashing a hand in the car door, you should be able to get your hand back in great shape. Don’t hesitate to call a doctor if your injuries appear severe.