I have injured fingers carrying heavy groceries in those plastic type baggies, up the stairs. I think sometimes we strain something and at the time don't realize it and later in the day, we can be surprised with a pinched nerve or joint pain. I'd try putting some ice on it. Cold typically helps with an acute inflammation.
Other possibilities include gout, or rheumatoid arthritis. RA typically attacks the proximal joint of the finger as you describe as "palmar". RA typically has swelling. Do you have swelling?

Keep an eye on it, as you may be getting a trigger finger. This is a tendon issue, and less of a nerve one.

Here is a definition of neurapraxia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurapraxia

Pain in the hands can really seem huge. I ripped a nail bed on my thumb last year and BOY DID IT HURT! (I was tugging on a stuck cupboard door) I used a strong magnet on it (which I have a stash of) and it blocked the pain instantly. I put one of my neodymium at the base of the thumb at the wrist. Two days, and I was able to go without it.

I do think people with PN tend to hurt MORE when injured. Seems we get sensitized to pain somehow.

Mrs. D read that definition before posting. The area of pain is about 3/4" below the knuckle or the base of the finger. There isn't any swelling and if I palpate the area, it feels as though there is a nodule, or little lump in the area. When I push on it, the pain radiates and increases. At times, it makes a lot of my hand hurt extending over to the thumb and index finger. There wasn't any injury to the area.

It may be a calcium spur... my son got one of those from playing some video game and clutching the controller, once. It was in the top center of his palm too. The doctor we took him too did not know what it was either. It seemed to be more attached to a tendon.

It did go away however.

Have you tried cold packs on it? When I get weird pains, I just stick a magnet on it. One of my super strong ones. I used a magnet on my broken big toe as well a few years ago.

There is always some weird thing to plague us, IMO. That is why I use patches, magnets, etc the way I do. Usually something works. If you want to spring for some Salonpas patches...that would only be 4-5 bucks for the 40 pk...and they work well sometimes on specific inflammatory spots. I keep open ones in ziplocs to stay fresh.

this is the original one ..they can be cut etc too. Typically RiteAid and Walgreen's carries them. Also WalMart.
http://www.salonpas.us/products/salonpas

I use them still on my unpredictable ankle when it swells up.

Its reassuring to hear that it went away. I really hope this does, the sooner the better. I may try lidocaine on it. It can't hurt. Thank you for listening and responding.