Quick Tip – How to get a ring off a swollen finger

Once in a while I like to hand out these quick tips that I have learned along the way! When I worked as a nurse in Labor & Delivery there were many times when we ran into women in labor that couldn’t get their ring off their finger (you are supposed to remove all jewelry before surgery) because they were swollen. In many cases the rings couldn’t be removed and in some situations (not all) they had to be cut off. So, if you find that your ring is getting sung, or if you are like me and have difficulty removing your ring after a warm summer day, here’s a great tip. Hold your hand at eye level and massage your finger from the tip down a few times. This will help get excess fluid & blood moving back toward your heart and out of your finger. Then lift your hand above your head and hold it there for a minute. While your hand is above your head remove your ring. If you are especially swollen you can add a cooking oil of some kind to help with removal.

Getting things unstuck can be a challenge but remaining calm always helps you keep a clear head. I remember the first time DD got her leg stuck in the slats of her crib. FREAK OUT! She was screaming and I was thinking she had broken something. Remember that if they were able to get something stuck, they were able to fit it there in the first place! In DD’s case, she would get her leg through the slat and then bend her knee while trying to get it back out. Bending the knee makes it bigger so it won’t come back out the same way it went in! Unbending the knee let me remove her knee with ease.

I hope this quick tip helps you out someday!