Blood clot in finger: 5 Causes, Symptoms, 10 Home Remedies

Blood clot in finger can make you worried a lot as it can be very painful and you might be wondering about its causes and remedies. Let’s find out now.

A clot is a gel-like clump of blood which forms when blood vessels are damaged. Some people refer to it as blood blister. Formation of clots in any part of the body is as a result of stagnation of blood. When a clot forms blood does not move, and that is why it causes swelling.

Blood clot in finger appears when the blood vessels direct the blood under the skin when you are injured. Blood will not ooze out instead a blood clot in finger will form.

In some rare cases, blood oozes out for some time and then a clot forms.  Blood thrombosis are not all that bad as in serious accidents they help prevent excessive bleeding which may lead to death.

Thrombosis in finger appears as red or black discolouration on the injured part in the finger. Swelling is also evident.

Causes of blood clot in finger:

Anyone can form a blood clot in the finger. There are various causes of blood thrombosis in finger, some of them are serious while others are brought about by minor accidents. Causes of blood clot in finger include:

1. Slamming your finger in the door

You might be in a hurry to leave your car and on your way out you accidentally bang your finger in the door. You will experience sharp pain, and within seconds a blood clot will have formed on your finger.

2. Piercing your finger with a sharp object

There might be a sharp object lying around somewhere, you accidentally trip, and your finger is pierced. If you don’t bleed, blood clumps up forming a clot.

3. Immobilization

Moving around helps in blood circulation. People who sit at one place for an extended period are at high risk of developing blood clots. For example, people who are on bed rest, suffering from stroke or recovering from surgery may form a clot as their blood is stagnant.

4. Rupture of cholesterol plaque in blood vessels

In this case, forms within the blood vessels. This type of clot is fatal and should be treated immediately it is identified to avoid further complications.

5. If you are being treated for cancer

Blood clots are common in cancer patients who are going through chemotherapy. Blood clots form during chemotherapy because chemotherapy destroys blood vessels and causes reduction of some vital proteins in our body that help in blood clotting.

Symptoms of blood clots in finger:

Blood clot in finger has some signs whose severity is dependent on how much a blood vessel has been occluded. Common symptoms include:

• Sharp, sudden pains
• Tenderness on the affected finger
• Inflammation in the affected area
• A burning sensation
• The colour of the affected area changed red or black
• Increased sensitivity to the touch of hot substances

Severe symptoms include:

These symptoms are evident if one has a severe disease like stroke, damaged blood vessels, and even heart problems.

• Difficulties in breathing
• Nausea
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Blood in stool
• Indigestion
• Loss of speech and vision
• Sweating
• Coughing out blood
• Fainting

Home remedies for blood clot in finger:

Blood clots in thumb or any finger are not serious issues. They appear as small dots. In the clot affects a large part of your finger the clump can be enormous.  For example, if you slam the door in your figure, the lump will be more massive compared to a piercing.

Thrombosis in finger does not need treatment. It is not painful and in most cases heals on its own. However, severe injuries where there are inflammation and pain may require medication.

Other than being careful in your daily activities you can prevent forming of blood clots if you immediately apply ice on the injured area.

1. Using a warm washcloth

When blood clots it means it is stagnant and not moving. A warm washcloth will help enable blood circulation in the finger, and within no time the clot will disappear.

Take a piece of a washcloth and soak it in warm water. Ensure that the water is not too hot.     Take the cloth and place it on the affected area. You will notice the clot slowly disappearing.

2. Elevate your hand

The injury might not only be on the finger but also on the part of your hand. To prevent a blood clot on hand elevate your hand immediately you are injured to allow blood circulation.

By elevating your hand, you promote blood circulation preventing the formation of blood clots both on finger and hand.

3. Use Epsom salt

For blood clot in thumb use Epsom salt. Epsom salt helps ease swelling and improve blood circulation in the affected area. In addition to that Epsom salt helps in pain relief.

All you need to do is add Epson salt in warm water and soak your finger for about five minutes. You will see that after some time the swelling will shrink.

4. Do not puncture the clot

By piercing the clot, you will leave it open for infections which will worsen the situation. Since it is not painful, leave it as it is until it clears off.

5. Use ice cubes

Ice cubes are mainly used as a cold compress. An ice cube helps by easing inflammation.

Just get hold of an ice cube and apply it on the swollen area. Repeat this until the blood clot in finger disappears.

6. Drink a lot of fluids

When you have a clot, it is essential that you take a lot of fluids. Fluids reduce the viscosity of blood and therefore reducing the chances of coagulation. When you take a lot of fluids, the blood decreases in thickness, and this slowly dissolves the clot.

7. Reduce protein intake

Proteins increase blood viscosity. For blood clot in finger to clear you to need to cut how much protein you take. If you take a lot of proteins, you will slow down the clearing of the clot or even make it larger.

8. Apply pressure on the affected area

Another simple and effective remedy that you can try is applying pressure to the affected area for about 5 minutes. This remedy is believed to help ease inflammation. It takes around five days for the clot to clear.

9. Drain the fluid

Draining the blood clot in finger is painful. To carry out the draining process, you have to make sure that you are in a clean environment and the tools you are using a needle, for example, should be sterilised.

A clean environment and sterilising your needle will help ensure that the blister is not infected. However, I would suggest that you drain your blister at a clinic.

10. Always be active at all times

Another remedy for blood clots is being active. Do exercise on a regular basis. You can stretch your fingers from time to time to provoke blood circulation in the fingers. Keep your hands active but be careful not to injure them in the name of being active.

Other treatment for blood clot in finger:

If you are looking for instant relief home remedies are not for you. Apart from the preventive measures, home remedies take some time before entirely clearing the clot. For fast relief, you can resolve to medication.

You should, however, know that there are no medications dedicated to treating blood clot in finger. Your options are painkillers and some general blood clot ointments.

Not every home remedy will work for you. Keep trying different treatments until you get one that works for you. In a case where you have tried all remedies, and none works there is a need for you to consult a doctor.

1. Aspirin

When you have a painful blood clot in finger, you can take aspirin which will helps manage the pain. In addition to that aspirin reduces the viscosity of the blood allowing blood to flow.

2. Heparin ointments

Heparin ointments contain antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory properties. The good thing about heparin ointment is that it solves two problems at a time.

Heparin will help reduce swelling on the injured area and enable blood circulation clearing the clot in finger. Heparin ointments are to be used alone do not mix the cream with anything unless advised by the doctor.

3. Over-the-counter painkillers

For fast pain relief take some over the counter painkillers. Ibuprofen and Tylenol are some of the painkillers that can help control pain due to blood clot in finger.

Blood clot in thumb is not harmful and should not be a cause for alarm. Everyone is vulnerable to a blood clot in finger. Treatment for a blood clot in the finger is not necessary unless the thrombosis persists for long.

What is required of you is to be careful at all times and be knowledgeable about the different remedies that can be used to clear the clot? You can never know, accidents happen all the time.

In case you are not able to manage and treat the clot on your own, it is essential that you go to the nearest clinic and get help.

References:

https://www.medicinenet.com/blood_clots/article.htm#blood_clot_definition_and_facts