Itchy swollen fingers

I suffered from the same symptoms as a child. I live in Corfu, an island in Greece where the winter is very humid. I went to so many doctors, and they couldn't diagnose me. I also started suffering all winter long for tendonitis. When I moved to the US, all the symptoms suddenly stopped. I'm now 26, and for the first time in my life I got a bad case of Raynaud's disease...

"Raynaud's disease is a condition that causes some areas of your body — such as your fingers, toes, tip of your nose and your ears — to feel numb and cool in response to cold temperatures or stress. In Raynaud's disease, arteries that supply blood to your skin narrow, limiting blood circulation to affected areas.

Women are more likely to have Raynaud's disease. It's also more common in people who live in colder climates."

.. shortly thereafter, I started experiencing the same symptoms from my childhood. (itchy, painful, swollen fingers and toes) along with Raynaud's.


I have read and read and read on these symptoms, and i have asked doctors in the Balkans, Western Europe, Spain, and in the US. I have been told it could be a sign of an autoimmune deficiency or disease.
Also, your tonsils is something else that is associated with your immune system. Are you tonsils enlarged? do you have frequent infections? it could be frequent UTI's or even Sinus infections. I'm not a doctor, and this is only my opinion.

I have had this issue since 94. It comes and it goes, and I have noticed if I use table salt (rather than sea salt - which is not iodized) or eat salty foods (even a little of them) that I get this at night. I think the itching comes from the swelling and if I avoid salt I don't get it.

I have recently in the last 3 months had the same symptons as many others on here.
Unfortunatly I also have arthritis inbetween the 4th & 5th vertabrae in my neck which affects other areas, the most noticable affect was burning itching in the backs of my legs and arms, so I have amitriptyline which stopped it, but I also have arthritis in my right knee and it also feels like it starting in my fingers.
I never even thought it could be down to allergies I thought it might come down to poor circulation because a few nights ago while I was sitting here at the Pc and leaning on the desk, I realised both my hands and arms were getting darker in colour and sort of mottled, I rubbed both of them and they went back to normal
I went to my Dr and he is referring me to a rheumatologist so I am waiting to see when that will be.
At first I thought it was to do with the carpal tunnel, I had both hands operated on ten years ago and it wasn't fully succesful because of how long I had been doing the same work but when I got the same numbness under my foot, that threw that idea out of the window.

I just received an update from the website that others have had similar symptoms. I finally got some relief as my rheumatologist prescribed a drug called Leflunomide (Arava). It is an anti-inflammatory medication. Although I do have symptoms from time to time, I do not have the severe inflamation or numbness I once had. I also try to stay away from "cold" conditions. Cold seems to be a trigger. I take one 20MG pill once daily, FYI.

I have this problem off and on. When it occurs in extremities it can be chillblains, which is due to poor circulation and exposure to cold. I have found no effective treatment.

I have been having this problem for a few eeks and it has come and gone at the oddest times. Most recently this morning. I had a cranberry/orange muffin and some apple juice for breakfast and then a cinnamon bun later on. I haven't had anything else since.

The hands start to itch and then swell. It hasn't gone past my hands though. I have been outside. on a beach, at work etc-all kinds of placed and it has happened.

If anyone reads these responses, please DO NOT think that chilblains are the same as chilblain lupus, they are not and treatments for chilblains are quite often not helpful for Chilblain lupus (called CPLE or CHLE). I have cple and probable sle. Some of the help people are trying to give is not correct. Do not immerse your hands in cold water, this can make the lesions (lumps) worse. Not only cold but also sunlight can cause a flare. Try to keep hands covered and warm in the winter, and avoid sunlight in the summer. It is important to have regular bloods etc beause this disease can (rarely) become sle. Plaquenil or hydroxychloroquine can take some getting used to, with me it didn't work though. steroid creams can help and oral steroids (prednisolone) is sometimes given in extreme cases. If anyone thinks they may have cple then please seek medical advice. Most likely it will simply be chilblains but for those that do have cple rheumatology input is a must. Hope this helps.

my health teacher says its called CHILBLAINS. I have the same problem

I Have the same problem, if you come across as solution please post it or reply me on urafique(at)neiu.edu

omg im 14 and have this thing where my hands get itchy then red, then painful and swollen when touched, it used to happen 1x a year now its happining 1 a week.help! _[removed]_
im going the have it looked at

I have very similar symptoms, but no cracking or flacky skin, my rash feels like its 5mm under the skin. It starts usually with an itchy palm, which goes red and blotchy and looks a little like ring worm, however it is not that, then it moves around the hand and round the fingers, back of the hand, wrist, the worse case I had I was totally coverd and checked myself into A&E which was very embarrising as I was stripped to my boxers and eas on display to all and sundry. Everyone was clueless and I was given Antihistimane which did nothing at all, the only thing that cleared it was Steroid Tablets, and they cleared within 3-5 Days, and I thought I was cured. 1 Month later it came back, so I went staight to the Docs and got another perscription for the steroids, again rash cleared within days, only problem is that I started to gain weight as they change your metabolism, and now I have put 2 stone on :-( and I can diet like hell and loose it, but within 1-2 months its back on again and I stay at the same weight. This is not fare!

I went to a specialist and they did all the tests and yes I am quite alergic to various things like, cats, dogs, grass, and trees, which also means that I am alergic to Aspirin, as this has some parts of Bark from Oak Trees in its compound so I have kept clear from this, and for 2 years it has not returned, and I have been OK.

However, last week I had another outburst and I have still go it, and its driving me mad, and I haven't had a chance to get to the doctors for the steroids to clear it, however this left me curious as I haven't gone near Aspirin, and thats what I thought the culprit was, which has been puzzling me, however, some people say its stress related, and as a typical bloke, I have been in denial about been stressed, but if I am honest with myself the last few weeks have been really tough, and yes I have been stressed, in my work and home life.

I then thought back to when I first had the outburst, and guess what, I was stressed with work and my home life then, so this probably explains whay most doctors can't diagnose it, as it is purley and simply stress.

Therefore, I have just booked a 2 week holiday in the Sun and I am going to recover to full health.

I am reluctant to get the steroids for the fear of putting more weight on, especially as I have just spent a small fortune on Hugo Boss Clothing, and I know they don't make them any bigger :-) Mind you 2 Week holiday will probably mean a few more pounds, but I should be able to loose this.

So, two options, change your lifestyle to reduce stress, or pop to your docs and get some steroids and some elasticated clothing. :-)

This really is a nasty condition, so don't suffer any longer.

I sincerely wish you all a speedy recovery, take care of yourselves.

Steve

I also have this same problem. It just started 6 weeks ago and only when I use my hand to hold something cold for any length of time. I have no rash at all, just this unbearable itch after I hold something cold. I also smack my hand and rub it until the tips of the fingers swell. They become numb for about 10 --15 minutes until it subsides. It is 90 degrees outside and after reading these posts, I shudder to think what will happen when winter comes.

I have also suffered from the same symptoms, I noticed I get them after I am sick. Last week I had a cold and took theraflu same thing happened last time. Time before that I had the flu not sure if this helps anyone. Also when I was younger I would get blisters on my feet as I got older it started happening to my hands and feet and it happens every 6 months or so.

I am experiencing this right now! I wasnt sure what was going on so I thought I'd look it up on here and found this. My finger tips on both hands started to itch really bad and get almost a tingling feeling and then they got really really hot and went almost numb feeling but still itched. Now my thumbs, index fingers and middle fingers on both hands are so Swollen. My index fingers are so swollen I cant even hardly bend them. My fingertips are all red and when my fingers are swollen its hard, like theres pressure inside my fingers or something...help!

i have the exact same problem n i would love to know what it is.. No one believes me an just over looks it when i tell them about it.. but every winter my hands burn, an then they itch... then they swell!! it is sooo painful sometimes... well more agitating because of the itching... even when i eat. like if i eat ice cream or anythin cold my tounge will itch an feel tingly or swollen... n now its starting to happen durin the summer... wat could this be???