The Most Dangerous Piece of Jewelry

It is a symbol. It is often a most treasured possession. It may have belonged to a favorite relative. It seems small and harmless. It is forbidden in some occupations. It is the most dangerous piece of jewelry-the wedding ring!

Many people put on a wedding ring and never take it off. Over the years, especially with weight gain, the ring becomes tight. Next come the tricks: hot water, soap, lotion. At some point the ring gets so tight it will no longer come off. Sometimes we think of resizing the ring, but we have other priorities and it costs money, so we put it off.

In many professions, such as working with heavy machinery, rings are strictly forbidden because they can easily be caught and cause injury. However, most people take them for granted, oblivious to the possible harm.

I remember one patient-a charming senior who did no heavy work. She got up on a step to put something on a shelf. The step tipped and she reached to catch herself on the shelf. She very nearly lost her finger. Her ring caught on the shelf and ripped through the tissue, lodging itself in one of her joints.

Another gentleman was jumping into his garbage truck-something he did many times a day. This time, though, his ring caught on the lip and took his finger with it.

I frequently see patients with wrist and hand injuries where the hand has become quite swollen. Many do not think to remove their rings (or cannot) right after the injury. The ring starts to imbed in the swollen finger. It can get so tight that it risks cutting off circulation to the finger and needs to be removed. Thankfully, I have learned a trick to get most rings off without cutting them, but getting a tight ring off is uncomfortable regardless of how it is done.

What can you do?

Recognize that rings can cause severe injury.
Check frequently to be sure your ring can slide over your knuckle without much effort. If you have to twist and pull to get it off, it is too tight. It is even worse if you have to resort to soaps or lotions. Get it resized!Remove your ring when swelling starts to prevent it from getting too tight.Remove your ring for risky activities, such as working at heights or with power tools.

I'd rather lose a ring than a finger!