Chainring tooth through finger nail

[bobb]

Ouch ouch ouch!

I didn't get my finger out of the way quick enough when cleaning the chain on my fixer. It got caught between chain and chainring. Tooth went through finger nail. It was painful.

The pain has subsided, but not enough to be able to use my right forefinger much (which makes a surprisingly large bunch of tasks very difficult!)

The thing that concerns me is how the hell do I get the cut clean when it's under my fingernail? Do I have to rip my own nail off to clean it? If I just leave it, will it get infected and make my finger fall off?

[numbnuts]

OUCH I bet that hurt
hope it gets better soon

[Zoidburg]

You have no choice

Chop the end off the finger before the infection spreads and you become an undead fixie that feeds on human flesh

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

The thing that concerns me is how the hell do I get the cut clean when it's under my fingernail? Do I have to rip my own nail off to clean it? If I just leave it, will it get infected and make my finger fall off?

You could try soaking it in warm water with salt and/or tea tree oil. If it gets infected, go to the doctor before your finger falls off.

[GruB]

Ugghh, makes me squirm just reading about it.

[rogerzilla]

Just wash it.  It may be stained for a long time; chainring tattoos can take 2 years to fade from a leg, as I found.

[Zoidburg]

Wash it in water with good old fashioned Dettol

It will hurt like buggery but its still good stuff for killing nasties

Just dont put it on neat

[delthebike]

Ouch! Nice return from hols. Pictures? 

[bobb]

The hole in my nail has opened up a bit now after I knocked it doing my Gordon Ramsay impression in the kitchen. I got some antisceptic cream in there so that should help.

Still bloody hurts though 

[Chris S]

The hole in my nail has opened up a bit now after I knocked it doing my Gordon Ramsay impression in the kitchen. I got some antisceptic cream in there so that should help.

Still bloody hurts though 

Oh Bobb. Bobb, Bobb, Bobb...

After God Himself had warned you, too.

Heal well. And next time, take yer chain off before you clean it

[Fixedwheelnut]

  "Yer dyam fool"

 "I hope it's a 1/8th hole and not 3/32nd" 



 Never put your fingers between chain and sprocket teeth, and always steady the wheel or cranks with the other hand just in case they do end up there to stop the momentum of the wheel taking them in. 

[hellymedic]

OUCH-OUCHY! Get well soon!

Clean it as well as you can.
Seek medical advice if it gets more painful.
Wear a plaster to protect it from knocks but be prepared to change the plaster about twice a day.

Trim the nail as short as possible when the hole grows through. Try to prevent rough nail corners catching things.
See a doctor ASAP if you get pus under the nail (which will HURT)

[Jaded]

Gangrene can travel up lymphatic spaces at 10mm per hour.

For complete security I'd remove the arm now, if I was you.

[Chris N]

Ouch.  Not nice, is it? 

(click to show/hide)

[bobb]

The blood under the nail is slowly spreading, so I would imagine in a few days it will be totally black! I had a similar thing when I got a finger jammed in the school gates when I was about 9. The nail eventually fell off 

I'd post a pic if it wasn't for the fact that I lost my camera on holiday 

[Rapples]

Good advice above especially soaking in warm salty water, or disinfectant.

We use Epsom salts in warm water for drawing infection from horses hooves.  Old fashioned but it seems to do the trick

[mrcharly-YHT]

See a doctor ASAP if you get pus under the nail (which will HURT)

Oh, no. This is the best bit!.

If you get pus under the nail, heat a needle up until it is red hot, then melt through the nail. There will be a delightful 'fsst' when the redhot needle reaches the pus, followed by a delightful relief from agony as the pressure is relieved.

Then dunk finger end in antiseptic.

[bobb]

I don't like the sound of all this. It hurt enough when I did it!

[Tiger]

Mr Charly has the right idea - this is going to need lancing, probably more than once.

You may need to go in under the nail though, in whihc case a scalpel will be better than a needle - sounds like you need a good drainage canal and teh needle hole will block too quickly.

Sterilise with some spirit and slide in gently under the nail from the finger end towards the pooling pus and blood area. A bit of lateral movement will open up a good drainage channel. This may smart a bit but if you bite on a stick you will manage it.

Afetr a few days it is likely the nail will turn black, start to smell a bit and drop off.  You wil then be able to see the full extrent of teh wound and teh grease contamination - and you will know if further surgery will be needed.

Keep us posted - any pics?

[hellymedic]

Making a hole in the nail with a red hot paper clip usually does not hurt as the nail plate is dead.
The trick is not to burn the nail bed.

The hole can sometimes be kept open by repeated cleansing.

Do you have a camera phone?

[Charlotte]

Silly bugger.  You won't do that again inna hurry!

GWS 

[bobb]

I must admit that whenever I read accounts of fettling injuries, I always think "FOOL!"

I'm always very careful about that kind of thing, but after two weeks surviving on nothing other than Leffe and Croque Monsieurs with on average 4 hours sleep a night, I let my guard down.

Hopefully it's not as bad as it sounds, but there is a very definite 1/8th" tooth shaped hole in my nail.

*Takes off dressing*

Eeeeewww.

I'm sure I'll live though.....

Surprise surprise - at work, nobody understands my description of how it happened 

[Andrij]

Surprise surprise - at work, nobody understands my description of how it happened 

Suggest a demonstration and ask for a volunteer. 

[The Mechanic]

Why don't you just be sensible and go to your local A&E.  Its what you pay your taxes for.  If you are not working, its what I pay my taxes for.

[bobb]

It's actually heeling up nicely now. The hole seems to have more or less mended itself and the blob of blood under the nail has started to shrink. It doesn't hurt anymore either really, so I think I've avoided an infection....