Do you have severe pain?

Is a young child unwilling or unable to use a finger, hand, or wrist, or protecting a hand carefully?

Do you have mild to moderate pain or stiffness in your finger, hand, or wrist after 24 hours of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have swelling with pale, white, blue, or cold skin?

Do you have sudden swelling of both palms?

Has swelling that is usual for you gotten worse in the past 24 hours?

Has mild swelling without other symptoms not improved after 1 week of home treatment?

Have you had swelling for a long time that has been checked by your doctor, but the swelling is not getting better or is getting worse?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have new numbness or tingling and the hand is more pale, white, blue, or cold than your other hand?

Do you have new numbness or tingling and you are unable to move your finger or hand?

Have you had steady numbness or tingling that has lasted for 1 hour or longer?

Have you had numbness or tingling for a long time that has been checked by your doctor, but the numbness or tingling is not getting better or is getting worse?

Have you had numbness or tingling that comes and goes for 24 hours or longer?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Have your fingers or hands become pale, white, blue, or cold?

Are your fingers or hand pale, white, blue, or cold after having a brace, cast, or splint applied? Note: See first aid for a cast or splint that may be too tight.

Have your symptoms gotten worse since being evaluated by your health professional?

Have you had pale, white, blue, or cold fingers or hands off and on for short periods of time in the past 24 hours, but you do not have these symptoms now?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Have you had sudden weakness of a finger, hand, or wrist with any loss of function, but your symptoms are gone now?

Are you unable to move your finger, hand, or wrist at all, but you do not have any other symptoms?

Is it hard for you to make a fist?

Is it hard for you to straighten all your fingers?

Is it hard for you to bend or straighten your wrist?

Is it hard for you to grasp an object?

Are you unable to move your hand or wrist normally or do you have decreased strength after 48 hours of home treatment?

Have your ongoing problems moving your fingers, hand, or wrist gotten worse in the past 48 hours?

Have you had ongoing (but not worsening) trouble moving a finger, hand, or wrist?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have peripheral arterial disease?

Do you have a disease that causes problems with your immune system?

Do you have increased pain, swelling, redness, or warmth around your hand or wrist?

Is your finger, hand, or wrist increasingly tender to the touch?

Do you have red streaks extending from your hand or wrist?

Do you have any drainage of pus?

Do you know or think you have a fever?

Have you had mild pain and swelling with redness less than around the affected area for 24 hours or longer?

Have you had a swollen gland (lymph node) in the neck, armpit, or the bend of the elbow for 24 hours or longer?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you have a finger or thumb that has locked in one position and you cannot move it?

Have you had a painful finger or thumb that snaps, pops, or locks during normal movement for 24 hours or longer?

Do you have a finger or thumb that repeatedly snaps, pops, or locks during normal movement but you do not have pain?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Have you had a lump or bump without signs of infection for longer than 48 hours?

Have you had a painless lump or bump for 2 weeks or longer that has not been checked by a health professional?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.