Causes of Swollen Fingers and How to Overcome It

Swollen fingers are vulnerable because fingers are part of the body that is very often used for daily activities. Do not panic if you experience swollen fingers, identify the cause and know how to deal with the right. Swollen fingers can be caused by muscle enlargement, inflammation, or a buildup of fluid in the fingers. When the muscles or tissue in the finger enlarges, of course the finger will look swollen. Sometimes this condition can appear suddenly without causing symptoms, and can be caused by several different things.

Causes of Swollen Fingers

There are many factors that can cause your fingers to swell, including:

• Uric acid

Swollen fingers may be a symptom of gout. This condition is usually accompanied by sudden pain in the joints. Gout can attack all joints throughout the body, but most often occurs in the joints of the fingers, knees, ankles, and toes. Pain and swelling occur due to the buildup and formation of uric acid crystals in the joints.

• Infection

In many cases, finger swelling is caused by bacterial infections of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Bacteria that grow in the tissues that are inside the injured finger, can be due to insect stings, stab wounds, or from cuts. If handled late, these bacteria can continue to spread to other parts of the body through blood circulation.

• Cantengan (paronychia)

Paronychia or better known as cantengan, is a swollen finger that is also caused by the growth of nails that protrudes into and injures the skin, so it is easily infected with bacteria. Sticks can occur on the fingers or on the toes. This condition causes sores or swelling in the edge of the nail. The injured part usually feels painful to the touch and appears festering.

• Hand injury

Swollen fingers can be caused by injuries, such as finger fractures, sprains, pinched, or finger bone dislocation. This condition is usually accompanied by bruises, fingers appear blue, and feels painful when touched. If the injury is severe enough, this condition can also cause open sores on the surface of the skin.

• Clubbing finger

Clubbing is one of the symptoms of hypoxia or a condition of low oxygen levels in the blood that occurs for a long time. This condition is often experienced by sufferers of heart and lung disorders, for example congenital heart disease, lung cancer, or cystic fibrosis. Clubbing is the finger tip that is enlarged or swollen.

Overcoming Swollen Fingers at Home

Swollen fingers can be handled independently at home with a few simple steps, including:

• Clean your fingers periodically with warm water, especially if this condition is caused by an infection.
• Laying or raising hands until their position is higher than the heart. This method can help relieve swollen fingers due to injury.
• Swollen fingers due to injury should not be moved much. If necessary, attach the injured finger to the closest finger. Use aids such as a pen or small wooden stick, to help keep your fingers straight.
• Compress the swollen fingers with ice cubes. This method can help reduce swelling and relieve pain.
• If bleeding occurs due to an open wound, clean the wound and close the wound immediately using a bandage.

If the treatment you do at home is unable to cope with swollen fingers, you should immediately consult a doctor. Especially if the finger is swollen due to a severe injury condition or accompanied by pain that does not go away, it may require treatment in hospital. Your doctor will do a physical examination to find out the cause of your swollen fingers and determine the appropriate treatment method.