Why your fingers may be swollen

Maxwell Adeyemi

WHEN OCCASIONALLY you experience swollen hands, joints or fingers, one tends to be concerned and worried about the possible causes especially since the hands are frequently-used body parts, and the inconvenience and distress are very obvious.

There can be many reasons why this may happen. While some are of little health consequences, some may require further attention to detect if there are underlying serious medical issues.

Possible causes:

Fluid retention

Swellings may occur when the body fluids collect in tissues or joints. Sometimes fingers may be puffy or you may have trouble slipping your rings on and off. A salty meal could be a possible cause. However, your swollen fingers and hands can signal a health problem that needs attention.

Exercise and heat

Your heart, lungs and muscles need oxygen to fuel your workout. So, more blood goes to those places and less flows to your hands. Small blood vessels react to this change and expand, and that swells your fingers. Something similar happens when your body heats up in hot weather. To cool down, blood vessels in your skin swell to allow heat to leave the surface. This is totally normal and the swelling often reverses itself.

Injury

You may have a torn ligament or sprained your finger, or injured a tendon, or dislocated or even broken a bone. If the injury isn’t too bad, ice, rest and over-the counter pain medicine may be enough. See your doctor if you can’t straighten your finger, have a fever, or you’re in great pain.

Infections

Different types of infections of the upper limb, especially the finger, can cause swollen fingers:

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Herpetic whitlow: A herpes infection that causes small, swollen, bloody blisters on the fingers.

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Paronychia: An infection in the nail base caused by bacteria or fungus.

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Felon: A painful pus-filled infection in the fingertip. Finger infections can spread to other parts of the body if they’re not treated early.

Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the lining of joints and causes swelling, pain and stiffness. The symptoms often appear first in the hand joints. RA usually affects both hands

Psoriatic arthritis can affect people who have a skin condition called psoriasis. It often causes sausage-like swelling in fingers and toes. Both arthritis types are serious and can cause joint damage and other body problems without treatment.

Gout

This “rich man’s disease” largely used to afflict people who could afford lots of meat, seafood and alcohol. Today, gout can hit people of all income levels. It causes extreme pain and swelling, usually in the big toe. But you can get it in any joint, including your fingers. It happens when too much uric acid in your blood forms crystals in the joint. Drugs can help ease the pain and prevent more attacks.

Medications

Some common culprits include:

* Over-the-counter pain pills like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen

* Steroids

* Certain drugs for diabetes or high blood pressure

* Nerve pain drugs like gabapentin and pregabalin

* Hormonal therapies with estrogen or testosterone

Puffy fingers from medication usually is not a serious condition. But discuss with your doctor if you are concerned.

Kidney disease

Your kidneys get rid of waste and extra fluid from your body. One of the first signs that something is wrong is puffiness in your fingers, feet and around your eyes. You’re more likely to get kidney disease if you have diabetes or high blood pressure. Control these problems to protect your kidneys or stop the disease from getting worse.

Pregnancy

You can expect swollen fingers, ankles and feet when you are pregnant. But sudden swelling, especially in the hands and face, can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. That’s dangerously high blood pressure that can happen in the second half of pregnancy. Rarely, it comes after childbirth and is called postpartum pre-eclampsia. The problem affects the kidneys, triggering swelling. You may also have a bad headache, belly pain and trouble seeing. It is important that a pregnant woman be observant of these symptoms and such people should be closely monitored.

Sickle cell disease

Normal red blood cells look like doughnuts and are flexible. When you have sickle cell disease, the cells are stiff and crescent-shaped. These get stuck in small blood vessels and block blood flow. In the hands and feet, this causes painful swelling. People with sickle cell disease should be closely observed for these symptoms.

Lymphedema

This swelling happens when fluid in the lymph system cannot drain well. It’s sometimes a side effect of cancer treatment. Women with breast cancer often have lymph nodes in their armpits removed to check for cancer. This upsets the flow of lymph and can lead to swelling in the arms and hands. Radiation can damage nodes and make the problem worse. Lymphedema can happen any time after treatment. It cannot be cured, but it can be managed.

Raynaud’s disease

Raynaud's disease is a rare problem that affects blood vessels in your fingers and toes. It causes them to narrow when you’re cold or stressed. Lack of blood flow makes your digits frosty and painful. They may turn white or blue. When the vessels open up and blood returns, your fingers can throb and swell. In serious cases, lack of blood flow can cause sores or even kill tissue.

Scleroderma

This is an immune system disease that tricks your body into making too much of a protein called collagen. This thickens and hardens skin and can affect other body parts too. Your hands may become stiff and your fingers may puff up like sausages. Some people have mild symptoms. In more serious cases, organs can be injured. Scleroderma does not go away but can be treated.

If your are experiencing these symptoms, make an attempt to discuss with your healthcare provider so that the cause can be ascertained and appropriate treatment applied.

Contact Dr Maxwell on 3631807 or 7575411