It happens quite often. A ring that fit fine yesterday is now extremely tight. So tight, in fact, that it won’t come off. And because the finger has probably swollen considerably, the ring is now very uncomfortable. You might be tempted to wait and see if the swelling goes down, but this isn’t advisable. The circulation is not flowing well in that finger at this point and you could even be in danger of losing the finger if you don’t address the problem.
There are several tried and true tricks you can use to get a stuck ring off your finger. Anything that’s slick could be just what it takes to remove the ring. Butter, baby oil or cooking oil are commonly used to make the finger slick enough that the ring will slide off.
Running water is another option that sometimes works. Just hold your hand under a stream of cool water and begin moving the ring down your finger.
Remember that the hand pulling at the ring is also slick and it’s going to be difficult to hold onto the ring once it is off the finger. If you’re working over a sink, be sure the drain is covered so that the ring doesn’t get washed down. Wherever you are, be sure that you’re pulling toward a secure place so that the ring doesn’t fall into an air conditioner duct or some other trap that will be difficult or impossible to recover from.
You can also try using ice on the finger that’s swollen, if that’s the problem. Bringing down the swelling a bit may be enough to allow you to get the ring off.
If you don’t accomplish the task within a reasonable amount of time, you may have to consider cutting the ring off. This can be done with wire cutters but be sure you have someone with a steady hand take charge of the cutters. You may even consider an emergency room to have this done and to be sure there’s no permanent damage to the finger.
Steps
Bring down the swelling of your finger by soaking the hand in cold ice water for a few minutes. Hold the hand elevated - the blood will flow down and reduce swelling. Keep the hand elevated throughout the process of removing the ring.
Spray Windex or window cleaner on the finger.
Turn the ring several rotations then spray the hand again with window cleaner.
If Windex doesn't get the ring off, try wrapping dental floss around the finger starting at the top. Loop some floss underneath the ring, then unwind from the bottom of the finger.
If those ideas don't get the ring unstuck, try butter on the finger. Get it nice and slippery. You might try other oils if you don't have butter.
Tips and Tactics
If the ideas above do not work, try a visit to a local jeweler or firehouse. Firemen have cutters to get rings off.
If in doubt, go to the hospital. It's not worth losing your finger.
Antibiotic ointment also serves well as a lubricant.
