Ambulance 912HAP 9252
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General health information

Severe finger infection (felon)

A deep bacterial finger infection is painful and often affects the fingertip. Pressure can build up in the small enclosed spaces, and the infection can spread to bone, a joint or a tendon sheath. Have a finger with severe throbbing pain, swelling or difficulty moving assessed promptly. Never pierce or cut it open yourself.

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  • A felon is a deep bacterial infection in the fingertip. The term panaritium is also used. A superficial infection along the nail fold is called paronychia and may sometimes spread deeper.
  • The fingertip consists of small enclosed spaces. When pus forms inside them, pressure increases. This often causes severe throbbing pain and may damage the blood supply and tissue.
  • A deep hand infection may spread to the tendon sheath, a joint or bone. Early assessment is therefore more important than waiting for pus to drain by itself.
  • Never cut, pierce or squeeze it yourself. A doctor must decide whether safe drainage and antibiotics are needed and whether a specialist should assess the hand.
  • For urgent symptoms outside normal opening hours, call HAP 9252 (the out-of-hours GP service). Call Ambulance 912 only for an immediately life-threatening condition.

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Further reading

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I
Inflamed nail foldWith an inflamed nail fold, the skin beside a fingernail or toenail is red, swollen and painful. A small wound can cause an acute bacterial infection; prolonged moisture and irritation more often cause chronic inflammation. Pus or spreading inflammation needs assessment.
B
Broken wristA broken wrist usually involves the end of the radius, the forearm bone on the thumb side, sometimes together with other bones or ligaments. Pain, swelling, bruising and difficulty moving often follow a fall onto an outstretched hand. A wrist can be broken without an obvious change in shape. Remove rings, support the arm, do not straighten the wrist yourself and have the injury assessed the same day.
G
Ganglion cystA ganglion cyst is a benign swelling filled with jelly-like fluid near a joint or tendon sheath. It often occurs on the hand or wrist and may grow or shrink. Many ganglion cysts disappear on their own. Have a new or changing lump assessed if the diagnosis is uncertain, especially with pain, redness, rapid growth, tingling or loss of strength.