Thumb infection red throbbing nail looks funny! * UPDATE *

[CouponQueen23]

O.k this is for my sister but she works at an adult home and regularly has to pop pill packets open past the foil she started having an issues about a month ago her thumb became really hot sore swollen. Now her nail looks really funky too. The weird thing is some other employees there have same sort of symptoms. I asked if she tried soaking it in Epsom salts and she said she did, nothing seems to help her it throbs and she says pressure bumping it all cause her terrible pain. No one has been to a DR to see what teh problem is she had a Dr appt today for ( something I forget what) but she got there only to be told her appt was cancelled and no one else could see her. She planned on talking to the DR about it today but didn't happen. So what do you think it could be or what do you think she could try. After she left my house I wiped everything down that she touched I don't want what they are all calling " Funky Thumb" Oh that reminds me I need to get the door knob!

[Doglover8180]

Do any of her patients have any sort of staph infection right now? Do the other nurses that have the same infection - is there a common patient that they all have been working with? It sounds to me like some sort of an infection that she came in contact with through touch with her hand - since others have the same syptoms - working in a medical/assisted living type facility - who knows what kind of bacteria she could have come in contact with.

How many days has she had it? If I were her, I would find a new doctor if I was told my appt was canceled when I showed up - they should have called her if the doctor had an emergency. I would recommend the same thing you did - Epson salt - and not to touch her eyes, ears, nose, etc... she doesn't want whatever it is to gain contact into her body. Are there red lines coming from the thumb?

[CW&M Mom]

My guess is probably mrsa or cellulitis at this point.

Can she go to an after hours clinic?

[shelleyf]

I am so sorry to hear this and don't know what it is. I will be praying for your sister. Get her some Colodial Silver from the health food store. It is expensive but works wonders. It took away my daughter's wart off her foot and the Foot Specialist recommended it but I told him I use silver for everything already. Gets rid of tooth infections, all kinds of ailments.

[CouponQueen23]

Do any of her patients have any sort of staph infection right now? Do the other nurses that have the same infection - is there a common patient that they all have been working with? It sounds to me like some sort of an infection that she came in contact with through touch with her hand - since others have the same syptoms - working in a medical/assisted living type facility - who knows what kind of bacteria she could have come in contact with.

How many days has she had it? If I were her, I would find a new doctor if I was told my appt was canceled when I showed up - they should have called her if the doctor had an emergency. I would recommend the same thing you did - Epson salt - and not to touch her eyes, ears, nose, etc... she doesn't want whatever it is to gain contact into her body. Are there red lines coming from the thumb?

I'm not sure about weather the patience have a staph infection, I know the other staff do seem to have the same sore thumb symptoms they all are calling it "funky thumb" It is a home where most of the patients/ (residents) all at some point come in contact with the workers. I will have to ask her if there is a resident that requires more assistance than any other. She has been dealing with this since a week or so before Halloween that I know of. She was thinking it was just an irritated thumb from the constant popping the pills from the foil bubble packs. I told her the same thing to look for a new Dr she told me that they may have called her this morning but she dropped her husband of at work and went to visit our mom until she had to go to he appt. and she doesn't own a cell phone. I told her all the same stuff not to touch other parts of her body and stuff it is really weird. It is really weird one of the people who has it is a Manager/ Boss I am really surprised that she doesn't see this as something serious going on, it is obviously contagious. I did ask my sister if any of the residents has "funky thumb" and she said no. There are no red lines coming from her thumb but her thumb was all swollen all the way up to where the bone of the thumb goes into the palm.


CW&M Mom
I am sure she could go to an after hours clinic I am not sure if she will. She is terrible about putting things off she has been dealing with this for at least a month now. I think lack of insurance on her part is part of it.

shelleyf
Thanks for taking time to add her to your prayers
If I happen near a health food store I will check into the Colodial Silver, or I will mention it to her in case she might head to urgent care tonight.

[CW&M Mom]

I'm not sure about weather the patience have a staph infection, I know the other staff do seem to have the same sore thumb symptoms they all are calling it "funky thumb" It is a home where most of the patients/ (residents) all at some point come in contact with the workers. I will have to ask her if there is a resident that requires more assistance than any other. She has been dealing with this since a week or so before Halloween that I know of. She was thinking it was just an irritated thumb from the constant popping the pills from the foil bubble packs. I told her the same thing to look for a new Dr she told me that they may have called her this morning but she dropped her husband of at work and went to visit our mom until she had to go to he appt. and she doesn't own a cell phone. I told her all the same stuff not to touch other parts of her body and stuff it is really weird. It is really weird one of the people who has it is a Manager/ Boss I am really surprised that she doesn't see this as something serious going on, it is obviously contagious. I did ask my sister if any of the residents has "funky thumb" and she said no. There are no red lines coming from her thumb but her thumb was all swollen all the way up to where the bone of the thumb goes into the palm.


CW&M Mom
I am sure she could go to an after hours clinic I am not sure if she will. She is terrible about putting things off she has been dealing with this for at least a month now. I think lack of insurance on her part is part of it.

shelleyf
Thanks for taking time to add her to your prayers
If I happen near a health food store I will check into the Colodial Silver, or I will mention it to her in case she might head to urgent care tonight.

Remind her that going to a clinic is cheaper then having to have her thumb amputated because she waited too long

the longer she waits the more she will probably have to go inpatient in the hospital and get IV antiobiotics to treat it versus they be able to just drain it and give her oral antiobiotics ...plan b is waaaaaay cheaper then plan a

[Doglover8180]

Is there any opening in the thumb or is it just sore and swollen? I wouldn't be that worried about sore and swollen as I would if something was oozing from it or if there were an opened sore.

[CW&M Mom]

Google finger cellulitis pictures and Finger mrsa pictures and odds are it's one of those..with or without ooze both are bad.

[Doglover8180]

What is cellulitis? Never heard of that.

[CW&M Mom]

What is cellulitis? Never heard of that.

From Wikepedia

Cellulitis is caused by a type of bacteria entering the skin, usually by way of a cut, abrasion, or break in the skin. This break does not need to be visible. Group A Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are the most common of these bacteria, which are part of the normal flora of the skin, but normally cause no actual infection while on the skin's outer surface.
Predisposing conditions for cellulitis include insect or spider bite, blistering, animal bite, tattoos, pruritic (itchy) skin rash, recent surgery, athlete's foot, dry skin, eczema, injecting drugs (especially subcutaneous or intramuscular injection or where an attempted intravenous injection "misses" or blows the vein), pregnancy, diabetes and obesity, which can affect circulation, as well as burns and boils, though there is debate as to whether minor foot lesions contribute.

The appearance of the skin will assist a doctor in determining a diagnosis. A doctor may also suggest blood tests, a wound culture or other tests to help rule out a blood clot deep in the veins of the legs. Cellulitis in the lower leg is characterized by signs and symptoms similar to those of a deep vein thrombosis, such as warmth, pain and swelling (inflammation).
This reddened skin or rash may signal a deeper, more serious infection of the inner layers of skin. Once below the skin, the bacteria can spread rapidly, entering the lymph nodes and the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body. This can result in influenza-like symptoms with a high temperature and sweating or feeling very cold with shaking, as the sufferer cannot get warm.
In rare cases, the infection can spread to the deep layer of tissue called the fascial lining. Necrotizing fasciitis, also called by the media "flesh-eating bacteria", is an example of a deep-layer infection. It is a medical emergency.

Cellulitis is also extremely prevalent among dense populations sharing hygiene facilities and common living quarters, such as military installations, college dormitories, nursing homes, oil platforms and homeless shelters. It is advised if a cabin is shared with a sufferer, urgent medical treatment should be given.

This would be a picture of it: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1201/af...01p2167-f8.jpg