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How to Remove a Ring from a Finger (with a little help from Windex)

We’ve seen it before and we’ll see it again. A stuck ring on a hand that undergone some changes. Whether you’ve gained weight or deal with arthritis (which can cause joints and surrounding tissue to swell), when a ring becomes stuck, you just want the darn thing off.

Before you start pulling at maniacally, try these simple little tricks we found at ASSH.

  1. Squirt some Windex – yes Windex – on the finger and ring. Or, use any lubricant such as soap or oil.
  2. Elevate the hand overhead for 5-10 minutes with ice around the ring and finger.
  3. Use dental floss or a thread to compress the swollen finger as shown:

a. Slip the thread or floss under the stuck ring with the bulk of it toward the fingertip.

b. Beginning at the top of the ring, snuggly wrap the finger with the thread/floss around and around, compressing the finger, all the way up and over the knuckle.

c. With the end that was under the ring, begin to unwrap the thread or floss with the ring sliding over the knuckle as you go.

If you are still having trouble, the ring can be cut off with a ring cutter in most jewelry stores, fire departments and emergency rooms.