Now that the days are longer and the sun is warming up your yard, it’s time to tackle a few outdoor chores. I was recently fixing the loose railing on my deck, when suddenly—WHAM!—a poorly aimed hammer hit my finger, instead of a loose nail. It hurt like the dickens! But I didn’t get too worked up because I have a few simple home remedies that will reduce the pain and help the injury heal more quickly. Here’s a handful of suggestions:

• Get ice on the wound ASAP to lessen the pain and swelling.

• Clean the finger thoroughly with soap and water. You can douse it with hydrogen peroxide too, if you have some.

• Splash on some St. John’s wort to kill any germs that happen to be lurking.

• If the area is bleeding, wrap it snugly, and then elevate it as much as possible.

• Make sure you protect the nail until it has grown back, because loose nails tend to snag on just about everything, which can make the original injury a whole lot worse.

• Take some ibuprofen or acetaminophen to ease the throbbing pain.

With these in your pocket, smashed fingers won’t sideline you. So get back out there and enjoy the sunshine while your finger recuperates!

Whether it’s a sore finger, a stiff knee, or a queasy stomach that’s keeping you from enjoying your day, you’ll find hundreds of stop-suffering solutions in my Anti-Pain Plan book—and you can try it FREE for 21 days!