Was holding trigger on a carpet cleaner saturday and when done my thumb was swollen and looked bruised at the base. could hardly bend it. been icing it and pain is much less but joint still looks swollen. should i get an x-ray? is this serious?

It is likely from repetitive motion injury. After icing it for one day, switch to warm compresses. A fracture is unlikely. If it is improving, give it some time. If it is not better in 3-4 days, see a doctor. Wish you good health!

In the absence of significant trauma, there is not likely to be a fracture. Unfortunately, your age does put you at risk for underlying arthritis and that could have been aggravated by your activity. Some degree of repetitive overuse pathology is another possibility. I’d ice for a day or two and take OTC ibuprofen or naproxen. If no significant improvement after 8-10 days, see a physisician