Had a trauma to my finger, still intense pain after months

[ArcHuman]

I had a car accident around last year near November and I hit my finger against the steering wheel. The knuckle near to my thumb gets swollen and it feels very hot and painful. Fast forward months later, I am able to use my finger better, but if i twist it in a certain angle I feel a very sharp and intense pain. I have not consult any medical help or seen any doctor yet. May I know what are the possibilities to explain why my finger is still hurting after so many months?

[SassyLassie]

Hello~If it is still hurting, I suggest seeing a chiropractor or your GP, you may have a small, hairline fracture in your finger and that is what is causing you to still have the pain, or you may have dislocated it. Both the GP and Chiropractor will take an x-ray of the finger, if it is broken, the GP will be able to help, if it is dislocated, then the chiropractor can help. I hope that by now, however it is better, but if not, then checking with either doctor or both would be your best way to go.

[ArcHuman]

HI Sassy, thank you for your reply and apologies for the late revert. It's quite surprising that the recovery rate for these 2 months felt accelerated compared to the initial 4-5 months. I can move my finger even more easily but it still feel painful when i attempt to "crack" my thumb knuckles. Will like to know, if i leave it as it is without seeking medical help, it will heal automatically? I have heard from my medical friend that theres a possibility of it not healing properly and developing a cyst instead.

[igor_shkolnik]

Pain at the base of your thumb after trauma could be an avulsion fracture which an XR would show. However, it would generally not be hot and intensely painful so many months afterwards.  A intermittently red, hot, painful joint at the base of a digit could represent gout. If might be worth speaking to your physician about checking your uric acid level, as well as doing an XR (which could also show inflammatory changes of gout, besides ruling out a fracture).