Clinical Hack: The Ring String Trick

Working in the emergency department, one of my favorite cases to treat is rings stuck on swollen fingers. While it doesn’t happen everyday, there’s something gratifying about the opportunity to grind through a ring on a finger that is steadily turning bluer and bluer.

It’s rare that patients get an instant fix to their medical problems so the sense of satisfaction and accomplishment with removing the pesky, much too tight, offending piece of jewelry is high. Not to mention, there’s something forbidden about sawing your way through a white gold and diamond wedding band. 

Understandably, most patients prefer to salvage their jewelry whenever possible. So, before cutting off a ring in a swollen-finger situation, try the ring string trick. Using a piece of dental floss or string and a little bit of skill, you can successfully remove a ring from a finger without damaging the ring itself. 

Watch the following videos for a quick tutorial.

Have you ever used the ring string trick?

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