If your finger isn’t injured, you can likely remove the ring yourself with some patience and the help of some things you may have around the house. When you can’t, you may need to have it cut off. In some cases you may even need to seek medical attention.
This article discusses tips for removing a ring stuck on your finger and when to seek medical help.
Tips to Remove Your Ring
If your finger is fine, but the ring is just stuck, you can try to get it off yourself.
Some of the following tips use the R.I.C.E. method to bring the swelling down. R.I.C.E. stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Others use some common household items that can help slide the ring off your finger.
Regardless of which strategy you choose to use, twist the ring off of your finger slowly. Pulling it with force can cause additional swelling and possibly injury.
Raise Your Hand
Elevating the hand wearing the ring can help blood drain from the tissues, reducing the fluid build-up. This may help bring down the swelling enough to slide the ring off.
Raise your hand to a level above your heart for about five to 10 minutes.
Use Ice
Put your finger in ice water or apply a covered ice pack for 15 minutes or less. If possible, keep your hand elevated while cooling your finger.
After 15 minutes, try gently compressing your finger above the ring (closer to the knuckle) and slowly twisting it off. If it doesn’t budge, wait 15 minutes and try again by repeating this process.
The cold from the ice reduces blood flow, which helps bring down swelling. But longer application time isn’t better. Ice can cause frostbite if you leave it on your skin for longer than is suggested. If you feel pain or numbness from the cold, remove the ice immediately.
Grease Up Your Finger
Putting on lotion or oil may help the ring slide off. Try applying hand lotion, baby oil, coconut oil, butter, vegetable oil, or petroleum jelly on your finger, concentrating it around the ring.
After you’ve coated the area, try gently twisting the ring off.
Wrap a Piece of String
Cut a long piece of dental floss, ribbon, or string. Thread it underneath your ring so that a few inches are left tucked underneath the side facing your wrist.
You should have the majority of the length left on the side facing your fingernail. Wrap that end of the string snugly around your finger below the ring. Keep wrapping it around until you reach the joint closest to your fingernail, then leave it dangling.
Holding the end tucked under the ring, gently pull and unwind the string, unraveling it toward your fingernail. The ring should slowly come off as you do.
Have the Ring Cut Off
If all of the above tips aren’t working, this may be a necessary last resort.
Fire departments, emergency rooms, ambulances, and even some jewelry stores have ring cutting tools to help. Never attempt this on your own.
When to Get Medical Help
If you aren’t able to remove the ring, check with a medical professional.
Don’t try to remove the ring if the injured finger is swollen, painful, turning colors like blue or purple, or if there is no feeling in the finger.
In these cases, the ring may be acting as a tourniquet, stopping the flow of blood. This may cause permanent damage to the finger without immediate medical help.
Summary
To remove a ring that’s stuck, try using ice and raising your hand above your head. You could also use a lubricant to make the ring easier to slip off.
Sliding a string under the ring, wrapping bottom end around your finger, and unraveling it from the top down can also help you slowly pull off the ring.
Seek medical care if your finger is injured or if you can’t get the ring off after multiple tries.
A Word From Verywell
When you do get your ring off, don’t try squeezing into it again. Check with a jewelry store to get it resized. If it can’t be resized, but it’s a favorite ring, consider wearing it on a necklace instead of your finger.
Raise your hand above your heart, with your fingers pointing straight up, for at least five to 10 minutes. Gravity may help the swelling drain away. Cool your finger using ice water or a covered ice pack (but don’t apply it for more than 15 minutes at a time).
