Broken finger question

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I don't really feel like joining a new forum just to ask this question so I thought I'd ask here just in case anyone might be knowledgeable.

I have a chip avulsion fracture of the dorsal base of the distal phalanx of the DIP joint in my left hands index finger (mallet finger, the last joint is broken). I only know this because I took a dental x-ray of it at my work... I can't afford to go to the doctor, but my extensive research has lead me to craft a makeshift splint for the DIP joint only. I recently experienced the exact same thing in my ring finger and I didn't do anything for it except wrap masking tape around it for a few days because it hurt to bend it.... It's more deformed, and I can't bend it all the way into a fist but it doesn't hurt anymore.

The problem I'm having is some stiffness inbetween The metacarpals of my index and middle finger, and some along the sides and underside of the proximal phalange.. I am thinking its because I'm babying the finger and so it's curled up most of the time and not stretching enough?

Also sometimes I have pain in the broken area when using my other fingers to grab something. I'm not sure why this is... Sometimes making the finger stiff even if I am not bending the finger where it's broken causes pain after its unstiffened, maybe there is some pulling of the tendons that's causing the pain??

As I'm sitting here typing there is pain in my PIP joint, and I remembered one thing that happened in this break that didn't happen in the ring finger was that the top of the pip looked bruised even though there was no pain there. The dental x ray doesn't show soft tissues so I don't know if maybe something happened to the tendons? I seem to have almost perfect range of motion, unlike the ring finger...

My index finger has been broken for about 2 weeks now but the stiffness has been there for almost a week. The pain started within the last few days.

I guess I'm just paranoid but I'd like some input from people who might know something about this kind of injury. Im mostly worried about the pain and stiffness. I don't really wanna hear "go to the doctor," thank you. Sorry for all the info, I'm grateful for anyone who would take the time to read all this!

I'm perplexed.

Do you know someone who's educated in human anatomy enough to help you?

I know someone but I don't like to deal with her...

I can try to summarize this without technical terms? The last joint of my index finger is broken, I made a splint for it so I can't bend it, and the second joint is stiff and randomly painful, the broken joint is painful sometimes, and there is stiffness all along the finger even into the palm.

I broke a pinky finger playing bball. I taped it up with the ring finger. It's kinda bent a little now. But it still works well enough.

It hurt for some time, perhaps a couple of weeks. Then it went, slowly. I couldn't be bothered getting it fixed back then.

Heh, sorry, I wasn't sure what to expect from you guys but I texted someone I know who is a surg tech... I think she has a strong sense to be helpful, I think it outweighs the awkwardness of talking to her.......