Conflicting findings from urgent care and ortho

I hurt my thumb and went to an urgent care clinic afterwards. They did 3 x-rays of my hand and the radiologist wrote: “chip fracture off the base 3rd proximal phalanx” and the urgent care doc later wrote: “nondisplaced fracture off distal phalanx of left thumb”, told me there was a mild fracture on the thumb, then referred me to an orthopedic.

When I met with an ortho several days later, he told me it wasn’t broken. In fact, going off of the paperwork and xrays (I brought them from my urgent care appt), it stated that my middle finger was broken, not my thumb. I believe the ortho but I am extremely confused at this situation because I have no issues with my middle finger but my thumb is still in pain weeks later.

Can someone explain to me what the two comments from the radiologist and urgent care doc are talking about? Which finger and where exactly is the fracture they diagnosed? I tried to look at hand anatomy diagrams but I’m getting everything from damage to the (3rd) middle finger to damage to the base knuckle of my thumb. Super confused.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Posted Jun 11, 2026, 2:29 AM UTC

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