Dr Bernadette Carr is here to answer your questions

Q. I caught my hand in a door a week ago. It was sore at the time and yesterday I noticed a bruise underneath one of my fingernails. Will it fade on its own?

A. A bruised nail or subungal haematoma is common after an injury to the nail bed and it should fade by itself over a few weeks.

A painful condition. the most common injuries to the nails are crushing injuries such as the one you sustained or hitting it with a hammer, cutting injuries from knives or machinery and tearing the nail by catching it on something.