A ring getting stuck to your finger can happen at any time. Sometimes, they can occur as a result of an unexpected injury. Other times, it can just be a change of temperature or a shift in blood flow that gets your ring extra tight around your finger. You might start to tug on it, and realize that’s it not moving any closer off of your finger. Fortunately, there are several ways to get a ring that’s stuck to your finger off. Here are some effective ways you can try to get your finger free and keep your jewel from becoming damaged.
Wiggling
You may have already done this, but at least give one more attempt to try to wiggle it off. When you’re just pulling the ring straight back, your finger just gets bunched up behind the metal. Instead of pulling straight back, wiggle the ring back and forth as you gently pull it. As you’re wiggling it back and forth, your skin may adjust just enough for you to get the ring off of your finger.
Cooling your hand
When your hands are warm or hot, it causes your fingers to swell, making it more difficult for you to get your ring off your finger. The Journal of Applied Physiology notes that when you cool your hands, it causes the blood vessels to constrict, and the swelling in your fingers to go down. The swelling going down can make the ring easier for you to pull off. Take your hand and place it in some cold water for a minute or two. You could also apply an ice pack to cool it down, or even just place your hand in the freezer. Once you notice the size of your finger has reduced, try to see if you can successfully remove the ring.
Raising your hand
Besides cooling your hand off to reduce swelling, you can do it by elevating it. Put your hand above your head to help decrease any elevated blood flow or water retention. When you raise your hand above your head, the effect of gravity can temporarily pull any extra fluid away from your hand. It’s recommended that you keep your hand elevated in the air for around five to ten minutes. After that time, attempt to take the ring off as soon as possible before any increased water retention or blood flow returns.
Relax.
Anxiety can affect our bodies in a lot of different ways. When you feel like your ring is stuck, you might begin to feel anxiety as you wonder how you’re going to get it off. As a result of the anxiety, your blood pressure can temporarily increase. The increase of blood pressure can cause your hands to start swelling which, of course, makes getting the ring off a little more difficult. Perhaps all you need to do is just take time not to think about the ring being stuck on your finger. You can choose to read a book, watch one of your favorite TV shows, listen to relaxing music, or just talk to one of your friends. Once you notice that you’re feeling calm, try to wiggle the ring off of your finger again.
Make your fingers slippery.
It’s possible friction is the reason why your ring is coming off. The way you can reduce it is by making your fingers slippery. Try using lotion or soap to lubricate between the ring and your finger. Once you’ve completely applied it, try to wiggle the ring back and forth. Be aware that if you have a ring with gems, the soap or lotion might get under them. Make sure you clean your ring after you manage to get it off. Other options you can use to lubricate your finger include baby oil, cooking spray, petroleum jelly, and butter.
Try to use a string.
It has been recommended by The Harvard Medical School to use some type of string to help remove your ring off your finger. You can take a piece of dental floss and wrap it around your finger tightly. Cover the entire area of your knuckle. Once you’ve done that, take the end of the string, and see if you can pass it through the ring. Then, you can unwind the string from your finger a loop at a time. While the unwinding is happening, the string should be able to guide the ring off of your finger. As a side note, avoid keeping your finger wrapped for a long time, as it will eventually cause injury to it.
Wait until tomorrow morning.
Water retention is usually at its worst in the evening. The morning is when it’s at its lowest. If the ring hasn’t caused your finger any injury or serious health issue, you can wait until the morning to try removing it. Avoid a salty meal as much as you can the day before. It’s possible salt can be a contributing factor to your fluid retention.
Contact your doctor.
If you’ve tried a few different solutions and still haven’t been successful in your ring removal, it’s probably best to contact your doctor. They have special tools they can use to cut the ring off. While you might be disappointed that your ring is damaged, you’ll feel good with your finger free again. Contacting your doctor should be the first step if the ring has injured your finger or the circulation to your fingertips has been cut off. Despite the damage that a doctor will do to get it off, you may still be able to have an experienced jeweler completely repair it.
Rings can get stuck on your finger at any time you’re wearing them. Nonetheless, you don’t have to fear wearing cute rings. The most important thing you can do whenever this happens is not to panic. Just take a breath, relax, and utilize all of these tips to find a way to remove the ring from your finger.
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