Other signs and symptoms of an infection might include:. An infection of the fingers, hand, or any other body part can be serious and require medical attention right away. Treatment may involve medications but ultimately depends on the infection.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve that runs through the center of the hand becomes compressed. This nerve affects feeling in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers. If you develop carpal tunnel syndrome, you may notice the following symptoms in your hand and wrist:. However, according to the National Institute of Health NIH , some people have reported feeling like their fingers are swollen. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that is characterized by pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints.
The two most common forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis OA and rheumatoid arthritis RA. Arthritis is commonly found in the joints of the hands, which can cause significant swelling in the fingers. Other symptoms of arthritis may include:. Treatment of arthritis can include anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and, in some cases, surgery.
Eating a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods can be helpful in keeping inflammation down. One study also found that arthritis gloves can help apply pressure to the finger joints to reduce pain, swelling, and discomfort. Tendonitis is an inflammatory condition that happens when the tendons become inflamed, leading to swelling, pain, and tenderness.
Tendonitis commonly affects the tendons of the shoulders, arms, and legs. One of the initial interventions for reducing the pain and swelling associated with tendinitis is cold therapy.
Applying ice to the swollen fingers can help to reduce blood flow to the area and reduce pain. Bursitis is another inflammatory condition. If the bursae of the fingers become inflamed, it can cause swollen finger joints.
Other symptoms of bursitis might include:. Cold therapy is also helpful in reducing the inflammation and pain from bursitis. Physical therapy and injectable medications may also be used for more chronic cases. In some cases, surgery may be used to drain the inflamed bursae. Gout is a condition that occurs when high levels of uric acid build up in the body and form crystals in the joints. Normally, the body excretes uric acid in the urine, but decreased kidney function can increase uric acid levels and trigger gout.
Although gout commonly affects the feet, it can also cause swelling and pain in the joints of the fingers. Other symptoms of a gout attack may include:. Gout generally requires early intervention to prevent it from spreading or becoming chronic. Medications that help reduce pain and lower uric acid levels are often prescribed first.
A review published in also found that weight reduction, dietary modifications, and decreased alcohol intake can also reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , one of the first symptoms of sickle cell disease is hand-foot syndrome, which can cause swelling in the fingers.
Other symptoms of sickle cell anemia may include:. Sickle cell disease requires various types of treatment, depending on the severity and progression. However, an increase in fluids may help to at least decrease the swelling in the fingers. It can also cause changes in the connective tissues of the body, as well as the organs. One of the initial symptoms of scleroderma is swelling of the hands and fingers, especially in the morning after waking up. Other symptoms of scleroderma may include:.
Treatment for finger swelling associated with scleroderma includes frequently exercising the fingers and toes, sometimes with the help of an occupational therapist. Anti-inflammatory medications can also help more severe cases. As you can see above, there are many health conditions that can cause swollen fingers.
Most of these reasons, such as heat, exercise, or even hormones, are rarely dangerous. A dislocated finger may cause the following symptoms:. It can be difficult for a person to know if the finger is sprained, broken, or dislocated. However, a person should see a medical professional as soon as possible if they notice the following symptoms :.
If a finger appears to be broken or dislocated , it is important to get medical attention as soon as possible. People should not try to move a dislocated finger back into the joint themselves, as this can cause further damage.
A health professional can put the bone back in the joint and fit a splint or cast to keep it in position. For complicated breaks, surgery may be the best option. A surgeon may insert small pins, screws, or rods into the finger to hold the fractured bones together while they heal. For a mild sprain, rest, ice, compression, and elevation RICE techniques can help to reduce swelling and inflammation. A person may also strap the finger to the one next to it to prevent bending and further injury.
If the finger has swollen a lot, wait until the swelling subsides before taping it up. Mallet finger, also known as baseball finger, describes an injury to the tendon at the end of the finger. This tendon usually helps the finger to straighten. An injury to the top of the finger can cause the tendon to rupture, resulting in swelling, pain, and bruising.
A doctor will order X-rays to check the damage to the finger and use a splint to straighten the finger until it heals. An infection near the nail bed can cause swelling and tenderness. This is called paronychia.
Insect bites or stings directly to the finger can cause swelling, pain, and inflammation around the site. Symptoms include tenderness, heat, and discharge or pus from the bite. Erythema also occurs around the site of infection. On lighter skin, this appears as red. On darker skin, the surrounding area may look purple or burgundy. Bacterial infections typically require antibiotics. A healthcare professional may also need to drain pus from the infected area with a small incision.
Soaking the affected finger in warm, salted water may also help, along with pain relief medication, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
It is best to get medical attention if swelling and erythema develop quickly after an insect bite or sting, as this can be a sign of an allergy rather than an infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , up to 90 people in the United States died because of allergic reactions to insect stings between — There are a few benign, or noncancerous, hand tumors that can appear in the hands and fingers, causing swelling.
This is a bone tumor that begins in the cartilage. It typically affects the long, small bones of the hands and feet. It is the most common type of hand tumor. This is especially true with very bad fractures and infections. Swollen fingers and general swelling occurs mostly because of the buildup of fluid in spaces within the hand and wrist. Because of this, keeping the hand and arm down results in gravity keeping the fluid in its place and even allowing for more fluid to enter into the hand.
Therefore, keeping the hand and arm elevated, ideally above the level of your heart, will help gravity take the fluid out of the hand and arm. Think of it like water flowing downhill; keeping the hand down makes the water go into the hand and keeping the hand up makes the water go back into the body. Keeping the hand elevated, potentially for extended periods of time, is critical. This is especially true after an injury or surgery, as it takes much longer for the swelling to come out of the hand than it does to get into it.
You may need antibiotics or even surgery to remove the infection. If you develop numbness or tingling with any kind of swelling, especially after a traumatic injury, please go to an emergency room immediately. Find a hand surgeon near you.
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