Hello. My mother just came to me and her middle finger knuckle was swollen, black and blue, and seemed hard to the touch. She hadn t hit anything, so we know it couldn t be broken. As of recent months, she s noticed her fingers tend to lock in certain positions, so we re wondering if maybe the two problems are connected. She plans on visiting a doctor, but in the mean time, should we worry? Is there anything we can do for the pain and swelling?