Does anyone know anything about boxers fractures?

I suspect that I might have a boxers fracture, but I'm not sure if I do or not. It was about a week ago at least, that I let my anger get the best of me, and I punched a wall. Since then, at least 3/4 of the back side of my hand and wrist is bruised and swollen, and my hand is kind of stiff, and it hurts to make a fist. My pinky finger knuckle is the worst, the knuckle is sunken in and there is a bump on the bone directly below it and above it. I don't want to go to the doctor if it isn't serious, because x-rays and medical treatment are expensive and I don't really have the money for them right now, so I need some advice, what do you think I should do?

You've just reported the CLASSIC history for a "boxer's fracture", that is - punching a wall in a moment of anger. A boxer's fracture is a midshaft fracture of the 5th metacarpal bone. It is smaller and weaker than the other metacarpals, and because of the mechanics of the thrown punch, it is slightly more at risk than it's brothers.

Even if you had shown up in the ER and told me that story and I'd gotten an Xray and it was NORMAL... my diagnosis would still have been "boxer's fracture" because new fractures which are not mal-aligned can sometimes be missed by plain film Xray. However, now that a little time has gone by, the swelling and bone abrasion should be showing off that fracture gap nicely.

You need to be evaluated. Suck it up.

If you leave it to heal and the alignment is bad, you'll have a rotational deformity of the 5th digit. This causes the fingers to interfere with eachother every time you close your hand. Every time you grab something, your pinkie will try to tuck in under the other fingers and get crimped!

This might sound like only a minor annoyance, but I'm not thinking that you had the presence of mind to break your non dominant hand. Like every hot-head, you throw your strong side punch first. This is the hand that you depend on 90% of the time. The cost of the evaluation isn't what you should think of. The cost of either a reconstructive hand surgery in the future or a life spent with an F-d up dominant side grip is what you should be worried about!

If there is no way that you are going to see a doctor, go to Walmart and find some kind of hand splint and ace bandage. Put it on your hand so that the bone doesn't move around too much. You are going to have to leave it on from 4-6 weeks. Be very careful and don't injure it again before it heals.