Shooting Pain in fingernail!

Hi.  My pain is in my left index finger, about 3 to 4 mm below the cuticle and to the left of centre and it feels to be deep in my finger rather than involving the skin.  Over the last 10 plus years I have had several flare-ups.  They involve that area of my finger getting sorer over a period of a week or 2, then remaining very painful for about 2 weeks, then easing off again with absolutely no treatment.  The finger swells in the affected area (sometimes more than others) and the throbbing pain is very bad.  If the affected part of my finger is even lighly knocked I almost go through the roof, and bending it hurts badly if it is swollen. It is not an infection as there has never been any pus formed and it always resolves on it's own. Each time this has happened, my nail has eventually grown out with a strange raised lump in it, well off to the left side.  This makes me think that what ever it is, it goes on under the nail bed and deforms the nail that lies over the area.  It was X rayed once about 10 years ago but the report came back merely saying "no boney abnormalities shown".  I can't say that that it especially sensitive to cold as it is VERY sensitive to everything when it is bad, and as I also suffer from Raynauds disorder I often have numb/painful fingers in the cold anyway.

This is all very frustrating as I don't know what it is, when it will next strike or what makes it ease off again.  And because it hurts.

Any ideas anyone?????????

i had this and put a tight band aid around finger . and it seemed to have helped

I am so happy to hear you say this! I have an appointment on Friday with an orthopedic surgeon to hopefully, finally get this glomus tumor diagnosed!!

My pain is very similar only its on every nail and at random points. Sometimes two nails at once! The pain is almost unbearable and I've also got a severe rash and the combination of these two things keeps me up at night. Since getting the nail pain and the rash I have found it is difficult for me to breathe. I long to go to the doctor but currently don't have the money for my copay. The rash and pain are so terrible I'm loosing sleep everynight. I cant even stand being in my own skin! Anyone else have this problem

I just had a 7 mm glomus tumor removed from my right ring finger.  It was under my nail an partially growing into the bone.  I have had pain in that finger for 40+ years believe it or not before I finally did something.  It wasn't always so bad, but in the last year it had started waking me up at night.  Finally say a hand specialist who diagnosed in within 5 mins as a glomus tumor.  She was excellent.  Still recovering from surgery, but I wish I had found this discussion 10 years ago :)

I have this exact same problem you describe. I went to the ER yesterday due chest pains. They put an IV in a weird spot (along the side of my wrist) and it was very painful. The finger pain started before I left the hospital. But, I was so relieved to know I did not have heart attack that I did not think about it till now. It hurts to type...even brush up against the effected areas. It's interfering with everything I do! Do you know anything to releave it? Will it get better?

Since you say that you get the intensifying pain when you go out in winter, it gives a hint that you might have glomus tumour. But nothing is sure until examined clinically with a scan.

Pains that seem to come out of nowhere are caused by pressure on the nerves going to those areas. For your fingers the one spot this happens most in is in your wrist. When the muscles get tight there they can press onto the nerves going to your hand. If the pressure is on the nerves going to your fingers it can cause the shooting pain you feel there. To get rid of that pain you have to free up your wrist muscles to get the pressure off the nerves and here's how to free them up: Wrist: With hand resting in front of you with the palm up, bend your wrist as far as you can.. Then press into the area behind the wrist, where they take your pulse, and hold a good amount of pressure on it. After 30 seconds slowly lower your wrist as far as you can, release the pressure but hold your wrist open for another 30 seconds. For best results relax your body first by taking a deep breath and exhaling then remain this relaxed.

I'm a healthy 51 y/o male and for the last year or so I get a sposmatic sharp shooting pain in my left index finger nail. I'ts like a nail is driving into it, it's funny though, I just screeam out "ouch"... the pain is back again, It only usually lasts for about 10 seconds and occured may be once every few weeks, but for the last week or so, it's been happening every day a few timea a day. It's only ever in the same one index finger nail, a really sharp intense shooting pain, weird?? Doctor said it may be a nerve, but I don't know?? Does any one else, I haven't read the symptoms of glomus tumor yet, hoping it's not related?

I have the same problem and i have tried several dermatologists and they think i am a bit off when I mention it.

For about 8 years, since I was a child, I had a pain in my right ring fingernail that no one understood. I was a child and didn't know what was normal but as I got older it progressively got worse and I would burst into tears from the pain at 18 years of age and no one knew why it was so bad. When it was cold I couldn't let my hand out of my pocket. I couldn't even wear gloves because it was too much pressure against my finger. As time wore on, the painful spot on the nail turned blue and I thought it was a bruise that never went away. I was diagnosed with a pinched nerve, with slamming it in a door and not remembering even though it had been years. I was going to Chicago for college and I needed to not be in excruciating pain just for walking to class in winter. I went to a hand surgeon who within a minute diagnosed me with a glomus tumor. All of that pain, the confusion, wrapped up in two words. The surgery happened and I felt better immediately, but with still some pain. It has been six months since and the nail has grown back ingrown, but the pain is nothing compared to what it was. For years, my friends and family had no idea what was wrong with me and I considered amputation just so I could shake someone's hand and not recoil from pain. You have no idea how much I appreciate seeing other people tell their stories with glomus tumors. I am not alone, and I am sharing mine so others know they are not alone either. And if you don't know what's going on with your own undiagnosed pain, book an appointment with a hand surgeon worth their salt - they should help you. Relief is possible. Just breathe and stay away from cold climates till then.

The cold doesn't seem to effect it, I live in a tropical climate in Queensland Australia so wouldn't see lower than 18 degrees C anyway in the middle of winter. The pain is gone for now, haven't felt it for few weeks now, go figure?? No doubt it will come back eventually.

yep - its probably a glomus tumour - finally having mine surgically removed after 15 years of pain and no diagnosis

I've been having this shooting pain also, first on my left middle finger now on my right middle finger, during the pain I push down on my nail and it somewhat alieviates the pain but it's as if my finger is sore because I still feel a slight pain,it is not affected my the cold nor does it hurt when knocked on something, I also don't have insurance, so I'll be researching and dealing with this pain until I do get to the doctor.

Hi everyone! Glad I found this post. I have the shooting pain on my right middle finger. It is worse at night though. I want to see a dr but I am pregnant so will have to wait till I have the baby since xrays and mris seem necessary. I am on a lower carb diet because I had gained quite a few lbs at my Drs suggestion. Can't seem to remember if I had this pain before I started it though but could be related since some people seem to have mentioned that on here. I hope to keep u guys posted.