A broken finger is usually very painful, often looks swollen or crooked, and is hard or impossible to move normally; the only way to know for sure is to have it examined and usually X‑rayed by a medical professional.

Common signs

• Strong pain, especially when you try to move, touch, or use the finger.

• Rapid swelling and redness or dark bruising within minutes after the injury.

• Stiffness or being unable to bend or straighten the finger normally.

Red flags for a fracture

• The finger looks deformed, twisted, or bent at an odd angle compared with the others.

• Numbness, tingling, or a “dead” feeling in part of the finger, which can mean nerve or blood‑flow problems.

• An open wound or bone visible through the skin is an emergency and needs immediate care.

When to seek urgent care

Seek same‑day urgent or emergency care if:

• You see deformity, exposed bone, or cannot move the finger at all.

• Pain is severe, swelling is rapidly increasing, or the finger is pale, very cold, or numb.

What you can do right now

Until you are seen by a clinician:

• Remove rings from that hand if you safely can, before swelling worsens.

• Gently splint the injured finger to the neighboring finger (“buddy taping”) and keep the hand elevated; apply a cold pack wrapped in cloth 10–20 minutes at a time to reduce pain and swelling.

If you are unsure whether it is broken, treat it as if it might be and get evaluated promptly; untreated fractures can heal badly and cause long‑term stiffness or deformity.