Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Chimie]

I injured my hand this week. Would like to go see a doctor. Should I just go to the local hospital? Should I go to one in Seoul rather than Suwon? Should I bring a Korean friend along or will English suffice?

I didn't think it was broken because I could still move my pinky finger (which is where the injury is) but now that the swelling has mostly gone down, one of my friends said it looks a lot like a "Boxer Break" which often doesn't remove the ability to move your fingers and fits a lot of the symptoms I have. So now I guess I'll go get it looked at.

Thanks for the help.

[ajosshi]

[Joe Boxer]

As a boxer, I broke my hands many times here in Korea:
http://www.theboxingexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Right-Hand-B-Obl-ed.jpg

Every single time I went to the hospital, the Korean doctor would take an x-ray and then say, "sorry, the x-ray isn't clear; we should do a CT scan."

More like CT scam!

It's a cash-grab, so just say no!

And don't worry about bringing a Korean friend. The doctors at the big hospitals can all speak English.

[byrddogs]

[Chimie]

It's been about 5 days. Hurts like a bitch, any touch of the bone hurts.

Can't really move this bone because it's the middle of the 5th metacarpal.

Any idea on the cost? Like I said, I don't have insurance, and I only have limited funds.

[luckylady]

if you have a fracture you can actually be in danger of a bone infection if it's not set properly.

Yonsei Univ Hospital has an excellent foreigner's clinic but any hospital will demand payment especially if you don't have insurance. best bring someone along with a credit card and offer to pay them back.

you wait much longer and you could wind up with a much more expensive bill needing surgery to repair it and ongoing treatment. hand injuries are nothing to mess around with.

fyi, once you're on the mend, try gentle massage and flexing a washrag underwater (warm), then work your way up to sponges/tennis balls later on.

[Joe Boxer]

[Chimie]

Found an orthopedics clinic. They gave 2 Xrays, and tried to reset it, but that didn't work, they tried several times to no avail. Total cost was 92,000. haggled with them, got it down to 40,000. Referred me to a a hand specialist for surgery of some kind. Appointment is on Tuesday. Worried about that cost though. Not sure how I'm going to afford this...

[tran.huongthu]

What you have is referred to as a reverse bennett's fracture. I had the same thing, they set it but the tendons pulled it out of place after a week. Opted for surgery after that and it was about 250,000.(with insurance) You only need local anesthesia and it takes about 10 minutes for the procedure.

They will put two pins in there and you will have them for about 4 weeks. Then they just yank them out and you start rehab. Make sure to move your fingers when you are in the cast otherwise they will be incredible stiff and sore.

I am in week 3 of phys therapy and have a few more weeks left. The biggest problem is my wrist is so sore still, I think from overdoing the therapy. It will take some time to get back to speed, but be patient and do it right. Lots of good vids online for this sort of thing too as its a common break. Mine was in the base of the 5th metacarpal and not the neck so maybe it is slightly different.

[Joe Boxer]

[thunderbird]

dont uhave health insurance