Itchy swollen fingers

goy · Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 16

My father has fingers that are very swollen. That makes me worry, because there is also pain, sensitive, hot and itchy. He has never problem like this before so we are a little bit confused. He is not sure if there is required immediately diagnosing of the doctor. Did anyone have the same problem here?

schomberg · Newbie Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 22

My husband has exactly the same problem. He has been to several doctors and they gave him Elica ointment and Claritin. They thought it was some type of allergy so they wanted to try with antihistamine. You didn’t mention if your father maybe was exposed to some chemical or other agents that could trigger an allergy and symptoms like that. My husband was sitting in front of the computer most of the time because he is retired, so none of chemical allergens are involved. Then we visited another doctor who said it is first adequate diagnose needed, and then choose treatment. He said it doesn’t seem to be an allergy, so antihistamine is unnecessary. First we had to see dermatologist and when he couldn’t help us, there was specialist. Now we wait to make an appointment and let him look. I hope he will help us, and also I would suggest you to visit the doctor as soon as it’s possible.

Guest · Guest

I'm having those problems with my fingers on my right hand. I'm about to head over to the doctor to see what they tell me. At first my fingers would just itch like crazy. I would try to find the hardest surface to scatch then after scratching a while the finger would start to swell then hurt like a thorn was in it or something. The skin is not broken at all. just red swollen and painful and itchy.

Guest · Guest

Be aware that a computer offgases from all of the plastics involved. As it gets heated the VOC's are released more rapidly. There are many people across the country who have developed plastic allergies.

B

aszurom · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2006 Posts: 1

My wife was an extremely frustrating thing going on. Every 5-6 months, since 2 years ago, she'll get these symptoms. We've had the hospital, an allergist, dermatologist, and family practice doctors look at it and they're all stumped. So, maybe someone here has seen it before or has some suggestions.

It starts as tenderness and pressure sensitivity in her fingers or toes. It will be a thumb or a single toe. Then after a day, it spreads to the palm or ball of the foot. The toes/fingers turn bright red and start swelling. In a few days, they're to the point where she can't walk or can't bend her fingers at all. This time around, it's starting in her toes. 3rd toe of the right foot started it yesterday, and now it's both feet, all toes.

Last time it started in her thumb. This was in May. It took about 3 days to have both hands bright red, front and back, and after 2 more days she woke up with her hands completely normal, but her feet starting to do it. It cycled back and forth for a couple of days and then her lower lip joined in. A couple days later it was gone.

The time before that was quite severe. We headed home for the christmas weekend and in the car on the way there it started. One hand severely swollen and unable to stand having it touched or to use it at all. After 4 days of that, it became a bright red rash on her upper and lower arms, back, stomach. Two days later it was both feet, both hands, and even more intense rash. At that point she was immobile, so I got her to the emergency room. $3500 later they still couldn't do anything but run a ton of blood work that all came back negative. We're still paying that one off. So, we went to an allergist and he gave her steroids, antihystamies, nerve pills - nothing touched it. I just finally went away on its own after a 2 1/2 week ordeal. That was the worst it ever has been.

So, it started in her toe and we knew what it probably was - so we went to the allergist again today. He did the full battery of food allergy testing and it turned up negative on everything. I'm rather surprised he didn't do any metals, minerals, or stuff I personally had allergy testing done on - pet allergies, stuff like that. The previous blood workups came back negative for the other stuff like soriasis, lupus, diabetes, etc.

The only other thing of note that I can think of is that she seems to have some sort of reaction with the local water supply also. It's nothing like this, but after taking a shower she's got a slight rash and intense itch that lasts for about an hour. This allergist doesn't see any correlation between the two. I'm thinking maybe it's some mineral in the water - I'm looking into having it tested - and it doesn't happen back home in Ohio. We've lived in a few different locations in the city, on different water supplies, and it's the same wherever in Raleigh. However if it was the trigger for the intense episodes of swelling and pain you'd think it would be constant.

I do find it very interesting that it always happens at a fairly regular inverval of 5-6 months. Here's how it's gone thus far. March 2005, Aug 2005, Dec 2005, May 2006, Sept 2006 - right now. Pretty regular. Varies in intensity from a mild 4-6 days to a crippling case that lasted 2.5 weeks. No drug seems to even touch it.

One other item... My buddy Ralph had this stuff. Once. His was a 2 week shot of it, and while I didn't see it, he'd heard me talk about my wife's episodes before and called to tell me what was going on with him. Exactly the same symptoms. He said someone else he knew apparently got it at the same time as him although they were never in the same place together. He talked at length about his symptoms and there's very little doubt it was different from what's going on with my wife... except that his hasn't been back.

I can't think of anything she'd be exposed to every 5-6 months regularly that isn't constantly present in the house. No change in pets, cleaning supplies, detergents, bathroom stuff, nothing.

I'm stumped, frustrated, and getting pissed off with the lack of answers from the medical folks. Anybody got any ideas?

Guest · Guest

Hi! I am also going through this frustrating process. My fingers are not painful, but itch on the fingertips. And yes I too have to rub on something rough. They then turn red from my rubbing. Sometimes my thumbs (at separate times) have swollen to nearly double their size. This qll happens from the tip of the finger to first knuckle. My doctor put me on Blood pressure medication (!) as he thought it was Raynauds disease (where the blood vessels in the fingertips constrict the blood supply). But no joy as yet.

Duafe · Newbie Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

I have had the same thing happen to me numerous times. My hands start itching, and I know to take off my wedding rings b/c if I don't once the swelling begins, my rings feel as if they are going to cut off the circulation. Well as I said my hands start to itch, then they feel really hot to me and anyone that I touch and also get very red... then the swelling starts. My hands get so hot that running them under cold water provides a lil relief. Oddly enough I have never experienced this at home, it has always been in a store(usually Target since I frequent there), but always in a mall, wal-mart, grocery store..never had I had this at home. the lastest episiode .....my thumb was the one that was swollen.. usually it is one or both hands never one finger. I want to say is that they only correlation I can think of is that it always occurs at the end of the day when I tired. I don't ever recall it happening in the morning.. but it only last for a few painful hours if that and then it is gone. In my experience it does seem though that the majority of the medical field knows nothing of what this is. I will print this forum out and take it to my dr. to show that others are experiencing this too...

michelleigh · Newbie Joined: 20 Nov 2006 Posts: 1

angioedema.

i also get it just on my hands about 1x a year and it's always when out shopping and usually towards the end of the day. (we must be allergic to the same thing).

sounds like a simple allergic reaction, though. (at least we don't get it on our faces like most!)

whew!

Guest · Guest

Replying to the person whose wife has had symptoms involving on many skin surfaces and apparently is worse after a shower.

I had similar symptoms and persevered through several doctors before finding a family practice MD who really listened. A trip to a dermatologist, several allergy tests later & it turns out that I'm allergic to a compound found in just about every shampoo & conditioner. Switched to a very simple soap product they recommended and haven't had a problem since.

I suggest you ask them to broaden their allergy test panel.

My symptoms were little white bumps that would almost look like bug bites. They would then spread to involve a larger area. Clue for me was getting them in the winter when all bugs should be frozen in the northern tundra I live in.

Good luck

ppalmer · Newbie Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

I have suffered with this problem for for a few years. The swelling and itchy only occurs from September to about March every year. Can anyone help? I have already visited my GP, who gave me some cream to relieve the itching. I'm going to a herbalist to see if she can help.

PPalmer, UK Crying or Very sad

Itchy swollen fingers

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