How to properly treat burns from barbecues. When should you seek medical attention for a splinter. What are the do’s and don’ts for treating cuts and scrapes. How to handle nosebleeds effectively. What are the best practices for sprains and strains. How to recognize and respond to heat-related illnesses. What are the current recommendations for insect bites and stings.

Treating Burns: Cooling is Key

Burns are a common summer injury, especially around barbecues. The key to minimizing damage is immediate and proper treatment. How should you handle a burn?

Place the burned area under cool running tap water for at least 20 minutes. This crucial step helps calm the area and stop further damage to the skin. Matt Wilson, vice chairman of emergency medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital, explains, “A lot of people don’t realize the thermal damage is continuing even after they’re no longer in contact with the source of the burn.”

A 2020 study found that treating burns with cool running water for 20 minutes was associated with decreased burn thickness and significantly lower odds of needing a skin graft. If you don’t have access to running water, use a cold compress, such as ice wrapped in a towel, for the same duration.

After cooling the burn, pat it dry. You can take ibuprofen to reduce discomfort and apply a soothing antibiotic ointment like bacitracin to moisturize the area.

What Not to Do for Burns

• Don’t apply butter, egg white, or vitamin E to a burn
• Avoid applying ice directly to the burn
• Don’t pop blisters that form on the burn

When should you seek medical attention for a burn? If the skin looks intensely angry (like raw meat) or waxy, it may be a deep burn requiring immediate medical care.

Splinter Removal: Updated Techniques

Splinters are another common summer nuisance. The traditional advice to soak a splinter in water is no longer recommended. Why is soaking a splinter not advisable?

Soaking makes the wood more susceptible to breaking apart under the skin, making it less likely to come out as a single piece. Instead, use tweezers or splinter forceps to gently but firmly pull out the splinter. Ensure all of it is removed to prevent potential infection.

After removal, wash the area with soap and water and keep it clean. If you can’t remove the splinter on your own, seek medical attention. As Michael Carius, an emergency physician, points out, “The splinter has to come out because it’s almost certainly going to become infected if it stays under the skin.”

Cuts and Scrapes: Modern First Aid Approaches

Cuts and scrapes are inevitable, especially for active children. How should you treat a bad cut?

1. Wash the cut thoroughly with mild soap and water, ensuring all dirt is removed
2. Apply direct pressure using a clean towel to stop bleeding
3. Apply an antibiotic ointment to keep the wound moist and facilitate healing
4. Cover the cut for the first 48 hours to prevent infection

Contrary to popular belief, hydrogen peroxide is not recommended for cleaning wounds. Sean McGann, a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine, explains, “In addition to being painful, (applying) peroxide can actually damage healthy tissue and slow down the healing process.”

When should you seek medical attention for a cut? Head to the ER if the wound is gaping, very dirty, has a foreign body embedded, or is longer than half an inch. Remember that timing is crucial – many physicians won’t close a wound after 24 hours due to infection risk.

Nosebleeds: Effective Management Techniques

Nosebleeds can be alarming but are usually manageable at home. What’s the proper way to handle a nosebleed?

Lean forward slightly and pinch the soft part of your nose shut for 10 to 15 minutes without interruption. This allows a clot to form. Leaning forward prevents blood from flowing down your throat, which can cause nausea.

Avoid common mistakes like tilting your head back or stuffing tissues up your nose. These actions can lead to complications or prolong the bleeding. After the bleeding stops, don’t bend over, strain, or blow your nose for several hours.

When should you seek medical attention for a nosebleed? If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 30 minutes of direct pressure, or if you’re taking blood thinners, it’s time to visit the emergency room.

Sprains and Strains: The RICE Method Revisited

Sprains and strains are common in summer sports and activities. The traditional RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for treating these injuries has been updated. What’s the current recommendation for treating sprains and strains?

The new approach is PEACE and LOVE:

• P: Protect the injured area
• E: Elevate
• A: Avoid anti-inflammatory medications
• C: Compress
• E: Educate yourself about the injury
• L: Load (gradually return to normal activities)
• O: Optimism (a positive attitude can help recovery)
• V: Vascularization (gentle exercise to promote blood flow)
• E: Exercise

This updated method emphasizes a more active approach to recovery, rather than prolonged rest. It also discourages the use of anti-inflammatory medications in the early stages, as some inflammation is necessary for healing.

When should you seek medical attention for a sprain or strain? If you can’t bear weight on the injured limb, if there’s significant swelling or deformity, or if you hear a pop at the time of injury, it’s best to get professional medical evaluation.

Heat-Related Illnesses: Recognition and Response

As temperatures rise, heat-related illnesses become a serious concern. How can you recognize and respond to heat exhaustion and heat stroke?

Heat exhaustion symptoms include heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, and cool, moist skin. If you suspect heat exhaustion, move the person to a cool place, loosen their clothing, and provide cool water to drink.

Heat stroke is more severe and can be life-threatening. Symptoms include high body temperature (above 103°F), hot, dry skin, rapid pulse, and possible unconsciousness. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention. While waiting for help, cool the person rapidly using whatever methods you can, such as immersing them in cool water or covering them with cool, damp sheets.

Prevention is key for heat-related illnesses. Stay hydrated, avoid strenuous activities during the hottest parts of the day, and take frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas when outdoors in hot weather.

Insect Bites and Stings: Current Recommendations

Insect bites and stings are an unfortunate part of summer. What are the current recommendations for treating these common irritations?

For most insect bites and stings, wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Over-the-counter antihistamines can help relieve itching. For bee stings, remove the stinger as quickly as possible by scraping it out with a straight-edged object like a credit card.

Avoid using tweezers to remove bee stingers, as this can squeeze the venom sac and release more venom. Also, resist the urge to scratch bites or stings, as this can lead to infection.

When should you seek medical attention for an insect bite or sting? If you experience symptoms of a severe allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat or tongue, or dizziness, seek emergency medical care immediately. Also, seek medical attention if you develop signs of infection like increasing redness, warmth, or pus around the bite site.

Natural Remedies for Insect Bites

Some natural remedies may help alleviate the discomfort of insect bites:

• Applying a paste of baking soda and water
• Using aloe vera gel
• Dabbing on apple cider vinegar
• Applying a cold tea bag to the affected area

While these remedies may provide relief, it’s important to monitor the bite site and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or persist.

First Aid Kit Essentials for Summer

Having a well-stocked first aid kit is crucial for handling summer injuries and ailments. What should you include in your summer first aid kit?

Essential items for a summer first aid kit include:

• Adhesive bandages in various sizes
• Sterile gauze pads
• Adhesive tape
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Antibiotic ointment
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Pain relief medication (e.g., ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
• Antihistamines
• Insect sting relief pads
• Sunscreen
• Aloe vera gel for sunburns
• Oral rehydration salts
• Thermometer
• Emergency contact information

Consider adding any personal medications or items specific to your family’s needs. Keep your first aid kit in an easily accessible location and check it regularly to replace expired items.

First Aid Training: Empowering Summer Safety

While having a well-stocked first aid kit is important, knowing how to use it effectively is equally crucial. Consider taking a first aid course to learn proper techniques and gain confidence in handling emergency situations.

Many organizations offer first aid training, including the Red Cross and local community centers. These courses typically cover a wide range of topics, from basic wound care to CPR and how to recognize and respond to more serious medical emergencies.

By staying informed about current first aid practices and being prepared with the right supplies and knowledge, you can ensure a safer and more enjoyable summer for yourself and your loved ones. Remember, when in doubt about the severity of an injury or illness, it’s always best to seek professional medical advice.

Why you shouldn’t soak a splinter and other ways first aid has changed

Now that we’re relishing our post-shutdown freedom, we’re making the most of the season of barbecues, picnics and other outdoor fun with friends and family members. That’s all good, but it also means that we’re at increased risk for summer bummers such as splinters, sprains and burns. When it comes to treating injuries like these, the strategies our parents used might no longer be the right things to do.

In some cases, old wives’ tales have been debunked; in others, doctors have found better, evidence-based treatments. “As we learn new things from science, the guidelines change – and that’s happening with first aid. We now have better evidence of what works,” says Sean McGann, a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and a spokesman for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

If your first-aid techniques aren’t on target, you could end up exacerbating an injury. In a study in which 654 adults took a multiple-choice test on recommended first-aid skills, not a single one answered every question correctly, and only half of the adults were familiar with 60% of the questions. It shouldn’t be that way. To make sure you’re up to speed on the latest in first aid, check out these do’s and don’ts for various situations:

• You burned your finger while barbecuing

Do: Place the burned area under cool running tap water for at least 20 minutes to calm the area and stop damage to the skin. “A lot of people don’t realize the thermal damage is continuing even after they’re no longer in contact with the source of the burn,” says Matt Wilson, vice chairman of emergency medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C.

“Cooling that area immediately is the key to limiting the damage.” A 2020 study found that treating burns with cool running water for 20 minutes was associated with a decreased thickness to the burn and significantly lower odds of needing a skin graft to repair the damaged skin. If you don’t have access to clean running water, place a cold compress, such as ice wrapped in a towel, on the area for that long.

After cooling the burn, pat it dry. You can take ibuprofen to reduce discomfort and apply a soothing antibiotic ointment (such as bacitracin) to the area, which can help moisturize it, says Michael Carius, an emergency physician in Connecticut and past president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Don’t: Apply butter, egg white or vitamin E to a burn, as some people do, because these could introduce contaminants or irritate the raw skin, Wilson warns. Applying ice directly to a burn can lead to more tissue damage. And if a blister forms on the burn, don’t pop it because that bubble of skin provides a barrier that helps prevent infection; if it pops naturally, apply an antibiotic ointment and a clean bandage.

Seek medical attention: If you suspect it’s a deep burn because the skin looks intensely angry (like raw meat) or waxy, go to an emergency department, Carius advises.

• You got a splinter in your foot while walking barefoot on a deck

Do: Grab tweezers or splinter forceps (if you have them), and gently but firmly pull out the splinter. “Make sure all of it is removed, otherwise it becomes a source for possible infection,” says Daniel Bachmann, an associate professor of emergency medicine at Ohio State University in Columbus. Then, wash the area with soap and water and keep it clean.

Don’t: Soak the splinter in water. This makes the wood more susceptible to breaking apart under the skin and less likely to come out as a single piece, Carius says.

Seek medical attention: If you can’t get it out on your own, go to an urgent care center or emergency department. “The splinter has to come out because it’s almost certainly going to become infected if it stays under the skin,” Carius says.

• Your child fell off a bike and got a bad cut

Do: Wash the cut thoroughly with mild soap and water, making sure all dirt is removed, then apply direct pressure, using a clean towel, to the wound to stop the bleeding. Apply an antibiotic ointment, which helps keep the wound moist and facilitates healing, and cover the cut for the first 48 hours to prevent infection, McGann says.

Don’t: Use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. “In addition to being painful, (applying) peroxide can actually damage healthy tissue and slow down the healing process,” McGann says.

Seek medical attention: If the wound is gaping or really dirty, if there’s a foreign body embedded in the cut or if it’s longer than half an inch, head to the ER. Keep in mind: Timing matters. “A lot of physicians won’t close a wound after 24 hours because of the risk of infection,” Carius says.

• You got whacked in the nose by a Frisbee and your nose starts bleeding – profusely

Do: Place a towel or wad of tissues under your nostrils, and apply pressure by pinching the nose tightly just below the nasal bone for 10 to 15 minutes nonstop. “Don’t keep checking to see if the bleeding stopped,” Wilson says. Lean your head forward to prevent the blood from going down your throat and into your stomach, which could trigger nausea and restart the bleeding.

Don’t: Put tissue, cotton or anything else into the nose to try to stop the bleeding because “this could introduce a source for infection or make the situation worse,” Bachmann says. Also, avoid blowing your nose for a few hours so you don’t restart the bleeding.

Seek medical attention: If you can’t stop the bleeding with nonstop pressure after 15 minutes. Keep in mind: If you have a bleeding disorder or you’re taking anticoagulant drugs, it might be more difficult to stop the bleeding; if you can’t, go to the ER, McGann advises.

• You twisted your ankle and fell while playing tennis

Do: Elevate the ankle above your heart and apply cold or ice packs – or a bag of frozen peas – for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, every two to three hours, to reduce swelling. Resting the injured joint and taking ibuprofen can help ease inflammation and pain. “The goal is to keep the swelling down because that’s what causes most of the pain,” Carius says.

Don’t: Put ice directly on the skin because this could damage the skin, Wilson says. And don’t apply heat in the 48 hours after the injury; this can increase swelling – the opposite of what you want.

Seek medical attention: If you can’t bear weight on the injured ankle or it looks misshapen, go to an urgent care center or an emergency department. “Sometimes it’s hard for people to differentiate a sprain from something more serious like a fracture,” Bachmann says.

• Someone is having a seizure

Do: Call 911 (or get someone else to), then clear the area around the person so that they won’t hit something. “The most important thing is to protect the person from being injured while having a seizure,” Bachmann says. If possible, help the person get on the ground and turn them on their side so that “secretions will leak out of the mouth and not into the airway,” McGann says.

Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know what to do before now: A 2021 study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that only 25% of adults in a national survey knew seizure first aid.

Don’t: Force anything (such as your fingers or a spoon) into the person’s mouth to try to prevent them from biting their tongue, Carius says. “That’s one of the more dangerous things you can do.” Doing so can cause the person to choke or chip their teeth.

Seek medical attention: Anyone who has a seizure should be evaluated in an emergency department so doctors can determine the cause and assess their health and mental status afterward, Bachmann says.

Splinter Removal | AAFP

CHRISTINA CHAN, M. D., AND GOHAR A. SALAM, M.D., D.O.

Am Fam Physician. 2003;67(12):2557-2562

Splinter injuries are common, but larger and deeper splinters are often difficult and painful to remove at home. These splinters often present as a foreign body embedded in the superficial or subcutaneous soft tissues. Whenever possible, reactive objects like wood, thorns, spines, and vegetative material should be removed immediately, before inflammation or infection occurs. Superficial horizontal splinters are generally visible on inspection or easily palpated. A horizontal splinter is exposed completely by incising the skin over the length of the long axis of the splinter, and removed by lifting it out with forceps. A subungual splinter may be removed by cutting out a V-shaped piece of the nail. The point of the V is at the proximal tip of the splinter, which is grasped and removed, taking particular care not to push the splinter further into the nail bed. Removal of an elusive splinter can be challenging and may require the use of imaging modalities for better localization. Deeper splinters, especially those close to important structures such as nerves, tendons, blood vessels, or vital organs, should be referred for removal.

Splinters are common in children and adults, most often presenting as a foreign body embedded in the superficial or subcutaneous soft tissues of the extremities. Wood, glass, and metallic splinters are among the most common retained foreign bodies.¹ Most superficial splinters may be removed by the patients themselves, leaving to physicians only the deeper and larger splinters, or retained splinters that have broken down during an attempt at removal.² If not removed completely, splinters may cause complications such as inflammation, infection, toxic reactions, and granuloma formation. Failure to diagnose the foreign body has emerged as a common cause of malpractice actions against family physicians. Even after a foreign body has been found, the physician should ensure that nothing is left in the wound. The physician also must be cautious in telling the patient that the splinter is entirely removed. It may be preferable to tell the patient that all of the visible splinter has been removed, but there is always a chance that small pieces may be present that are undetectable at that time.

Evaluation

The most common error in the management of soft tissue foreign bodies is the failure to detect their presence.^2,3 A patient’s suspicion that a foreign body may be present must be taken seriously. It is important to obtain a careful history, inquiring about the nature and timing of the injury, the composition of the material most likely involved, and the presence of any foreign-body sensation in the wound if the splinter is not readily visible. It is also important to ask about, and document, the tetanus immunization status of the patient.

The timing of the injury is important in evaluating splinters. A fresh injury usually has an injury track leading to the splinter that facilitates its detection and removal. Older injuries may present as infection, inflammation, induration, or granuloma formation, sometimes with no apparent history of foreign-body exposure. The composition of the foreign body dictates the reaction of the tissues to the splinter. Some types of foreign material are more toxic and allergic than others (Table 1).^3,4 Wood, thorns, spines, and other vegetative foreign bodies are considered highly inflammatory, whereas glass, metal, and plastic are relatively inert materials.⁵

On physical examination, most superficial splinters can be visualized or palpated easily. Deeper splinters may be difficult to detect; at times, the only clue to the presence of retained foreign bodies may be swelling, tenderness, a mass, a draining sinus, or a soft tissue infection such as cellulitis, abscess, lymphangitis, bursitis, synovitis, arthritis, or osteomyelitis. While evaluating the patient with skin or soft tissue complaints, the physician should actively look for signs of a hidden foreign body (Table 2).^3,4

An array of diagnostic tools is available for detecting and locating splinters (Table 3).^3,4,6–11 The cost of an imaging modality and its likelihood of detecting the foreign body should be considered before it is ordered. Standard radiographs are the most practical means of screening for a radiopaque foreign body.³ Almost all glass is radiodense, and glass foreign bodies as small as 0.5 to 2 mm can be detected easily on plain radiographs.

On the other hand, wooden splinters are usually difficult to detect on plain radiographs unless there is paint on the wood that contains lead or other radiopaque substances. ⁶ In most cases, two radiographic views may be adequate, but an oblique view may be more revealing and is readily obtainable. Computed tomographic (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detect many foreign bodies that may be missed on radiographs and are particularly helpful in detecting wooden splinters lodged near bones.⁷ Although wooden splinters may be visible at an early stage on a CT scan, they soon become isodense with the adjacent tissue as the wood absorbs water. Sonography provides an excellent alternative method for identifying and localizing radiolucent foreign bodies.^8–13 A 7.5-MHz probe is used to search for small, superficial objects, whereas a 5.0-MHz probe is recommended for larger, deeper objects.

Splinter Removal

When possible, reactive objects should be removed before inflammation or infection occurs. Wood, thorns, spines, and other vegetative foreign bodies should be eliminated immediately, but glass, metal, and plastic can be removed in a less restricted time frame. ¹³ Small elusive splinters may be located more easily once they have become encapsulated by granulomatous or scar tissue.¹⁴

Proper preparation and setup include adequate lighting, anesthesia, magnification, and a bloodless, sterile field.⁴ The physician must resist the temptation to remove the splinter by simply pulling it out of the wound because this may leave small fragments behind.

SUPERFICIAL HORIZONTAL SPLINTERS

Superficial horizontal splinters are generally visible on inspection or easily palpated. The skin overlying the splinter is cleaned with povidone-iodine solution (Betadine) and infiltrated with 1 to 2 percent lidocaine with epinephrine (Xylocaine with epinephrine). Using a no. 15 scalpel blade, the skin is incised over the length of the long axis of the splinter, completely exposing it. The splinter is then easily lifted out with the blade or a forceps, and the track is cleaned with normal saline or povidone-iodine solution (Figure 1).

Anesthesia may be spared for removal of a small, superficial splinter. The splinter may be removed by picking it out with an 18-gauge needle, using light feathering strokes to de-roof the skin over the splinter.² Once the sliver is reached, it can be lifted out with the needle tip or with the aid of small forceps. A firm pinching pressure applied to the local area reduces the amount of pain the patient may feel and controls the bleeding.¹⁵

VERTICAL SPLINTERS

Splinters or foreign bodies such as needles that are at a right angle to the skin surface are usually more painful and difficult to remove. After injection of local anesthesia and a povidone-iodine cleansing, a superficial incision is made over the splinter, followed by deeper incisions around the splinter, undermining both sides of the wound. This maneuver facilitates displacement of the splinter to the middle of the wound, where it is then excised with a deep elliptic incision around the wound entrance (Figure 2).

DEEPER, ELUSIVE SPLINTERS

The search for a deeper, elusive splinter may be difficult. Before searching for an elusive foreign body, the physician should set a time limit for the search, usually 20 to 30 minutes.¹⁶ After this time, further effort only increases the chance of tissue damage, and the likelihood of locating the foreign body is minimal. Blind dissection with a curved hemostat is not recommended. Instead, an imaging technique should be used to help localize a deeper splinter.

Radiolucent splinters are not visualized on plain radiographs, and CT scanning, MRI, or ultrasonography should be strongly considered. Markers such as needles help in the precise localization of the splinter and facilitate its removal. Once localized, the foreign body is removed with a forceps or a hemostat, avoiding any unnecessary tissue dissection. Deeper splinters, especially those close to important structures such as nerves, tendons, blood vessels, or vital organs, should be referred for surgical removal.

SUBUNGUAL SPLINTERS

The traumatic introduction of wood splinters under the fingernails and toenails is common and frequently associated with severe throbbing pain.¹⁷ Most of the splinters are lodged in the distal portion of the nail and their removal does not result in nail dystrophy. However, for a more proximal subungual splinter, caution must be exercised not to disturb the nail matrix because this may result in failure of the nail to grow back normally.

To remove such a splinter, the digit is anesthetized by means of a digital nerve block, and the nail plate overlying the splinter is partially avulsed. This can be accomplished by a variety of methods. Most commonly, a V-shaped piece of nail is cut using small, but strong, scissors. The point of the V is at the proximal tip of the splinter.¹⁷ The V-shaped portion of the nail is removed using a nail elevator and a forceps. The splinter is grasped and removed, taking particular care not to push the splinter further into the nail bed (Figure 3).

The nail plate also may be partially avulsed by shaving the nail plate overlying the splinter with a no. 15 blade. This is done by using light strokes with the blade held in a proximal-to-distal direction. This technique gradually creates a U-shaped defect in the nail, exposing the entire length of the splinter¹⁸ (Figure 4).

Alternatively, the distal portion of the nail plate may be vaporized with a carbon dioxide laser unit, if that option is available.¹⁷

Follow-Up Care

After removal of the splinter, the wound is copiously irrigated under high pressure, and the contaminated tissue is debrided. ⁴ Sutures are avoided if possible, especially with contaminated wounds, where delayed primary closure is preferred. Routine wound-care instructions are given to the patient, and a 48-hour follow-up visit is scheduled as an office visit or a telephone call. After subungual splinter removal, postoperative wound care should include an occlusive dressing and a topical antibiotic.

The need for tetanus prophylaxis is addressed at the time of removal.² Prophylactic antibiotics are generally not required but may be considered in some cases, depending on the type of splinter material and the appearance of the skin and subcutaneous tissues.

Why the finger is swollen and what to do about it

October 3, 2021

Likbez

Health

In some cases you don’t have to worry, but sometimes you need a doctor’s help.

1. Fluid retention

Swelling on all fingers can occur if there is excess fluid in the body. This happens, for example, in athletes who exercise a lot and sweat. Together with sweat, they lose sodium, which normally retains water in the bloodstream. Otherwise, it comes out of it and impregnates the tissues, which leads to swelling.

Fluid retention is also due to hormonal changes in women during pregnancy.

What to do

If your fingers are swollen due to sports, try:

• Remove rings from your fingers before exercising;
• During exercise, rotate your arms periodically to improve blood flow;
• Stretch your fingers and clench your fists between sets.
• Drink enough fluid containing electrolytes to retain water in the blood. Suitable, for example, mineral water.

Pregnant women with swollen fingers should tell their gynecologist about it. Usually, the symptom does not portend serious problems, but it happens that edema is the first sign of a dangerous condition – preeclampsia.

2. Injury

If a finger is hit hard, broken, dislocated or sprained, swelling will occur. It will be accompanied by redness, pain, and sometimes bleeding.

What to do

For a minor bruise, you can put a cold compress on your finger and take an over-the-counter pain reliever. But if the pain is severe, the wound is large, or the finger is arched unnaturally, you need to see a doctor. A dislocation will require reduction, and a fracture will require fixation and repair.

3. Infection

Because of it, the finger on the hand can also swell. Even through a small wound, cut or puncture, bacteria enter the finger, which provoke inflammation. It can be superficial, or it can spread to the deep tissues of the fingers, between the muscles, in the fascia.

What to do

You need to see a surgeon. He will decide whether in your case it is enough to wash the abscess and take an antibiotic or surgery is needed.

4. Rheumatoid arthritis

Inflammation of the joints most often begins on the hands. It is believed that the disease is associated with autoimmune reactions, when the body attacks its own tissues and produces antibodies to them.

In addition to swelling of the fingers, rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by other symptoms:

• pain in the joints;
• joint stiffness, especially after sleep;
• fever;
• redness of the hands;
• fatigue and loss of appetite;
• bumps under the skin of the fingers – rheumatoid nodules.

What to do

You should see a doctor if you have these symptoms. He will do a physical examination that includes blood tests, X-rays of the joints, and possibly a study of joint fluid. Only after confirming the diagnosis, the specialist will prescribe treatment. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but symptoms can be reduced by:

• over-the-counter pain relievers;
• immunosuppressants;
• hormonal drugs;
• antirheumatic agents.

In addition, you will have to lose weight if you are overweight, stop smoking, eat right, reduce the load on the joints, but at the same time do aerobics and exercise therapy.

In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.

5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

In this disease, the nerve that runs from the forearm to the hand is compressed in the tissues of the wrist between the ligaments and bones. Unpleasant symptoms appear:

• numbness and tingling in fingers, especially thumb, index and middle fingers;
• soreness and swelling in fingers;
• weakness in the arms;
• atrophy of the muscles at the base of the thumb in advanced cases.

Numbness, tingling and pain may occur at night or in the morning on one or both hands. And then these signs begin to disturb during the day. For example, when a person holds a phone to his ear or drives a car.

What to do

You need to see a doctor. He can recommend:

• Wear a splint. This is a special device that is fixed to the brush at night;
• Avoid activities that aggravate symptoms;
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers;
• Use corticosteroids;
• Inject a local anesthetic into the joint.

If treatment fails and symptoms worsen, surgery may be necessary.

6. Gout

Due to pathology, uric acid is retained in the body. It settles in the kidneys, and also forms crystals in the joints and damages them. Therefore, they swell and hurt a lot. Usually the big toe is affected first, and then other bony joints. The fingers on the hands can also swell, and tophi sometimes form on them. So called painless tubercles from deposits of uric acid.

What to do

At the first symptoms, you should go to the doctor. He will examine you and prescribe treatment. It is impossible to completely get rid of gout. Therefore, a person will have to follow a low-protein diet for life, as well as take over-the-counter pain medications and hormonal drugs.

7. Raynaud’s disease

This is a disease in which the small arteries in the hands suddenly constrict in the cold or under stress, which stops the blood flow to the fingers. Therefore, they become numb, hurt, become pale and cold. When the attack passes and blood flow is restored, the fingers may swell.

What to do

To make spasms of blood vessels less frequent, you need to protect them from the cold, as well as avoid stress and sudden changes in temperature. If these measures are not enough, the doctor may prescribe medication. Usually these are drugs from the group of calcium channel blockers or antispasmodics. In some cases, specialists recommend nerve surgery or injections of Botox and local anesthetics.

8. Lymphedema

It develops when something blocks the lymphatic vessels and prevents them from collecting fluid from the tissues. This can happen due to rare hereditary factors, in people with cancer or infection of the lymph nodes, and after surgery or radiation therapy.

With lymphedema, not only the fingers swell, but also the whole leg or arm. In addition, there is a feeling of heaviness and constraint of movement, and the skin may become rougher and tougher. Another symptom is frequent infections.

What to do

There is no cure for the disease, but swelling can be reduced in the following ways:

• Do exercises that improve lymph flow.
• Practice tight wraps.
• Perform lymphatic drainage massage periodically.
• Use pneumatic compression when a special sleeve is put on the arm and air is pumped into it.
• Wear compression stockings if your feet and toes swell.

9. Mixed connective tissue disease

This is a rare autoimmune disease in which a person simultaneously develops symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma and polymyositis, and sometimes Sjögren’s syndrome.

At an early stage, a person’s fingers hurt and swell, their tips become white and numb. There is pain in the muscles and joints, general malaise, and a red or red-brown rash appears on the knuckles. Raynaud’s symptoms may also be observed.

What to do

There is no cure for the disease. But a doctor can prescribe medications that will reduce symptoms. For example:

• over-the-counter pain relievers;
• corticosteroids;
• antimalarials;
• calcium channel blockers;
• immunosuppressants;
• remedies for pulmonary hypertension.

Mayo Clinic experts also advise you to quit smoking, protect your hands from the cold and avoid stress.

Read also 👩‍⚕️☝️🦵

• How to remove a ring from a swollen finger: 7 easy ways
• 9 doctor-approved ways to remove excess fluid from the body
• Why the eyelid is swollen and what to do about it
• What is panaritium and how to treat it
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Panaritium – health articles

Panaritium in a child is an inflammatory process that occurs mainly in the tissues of the upper phalanx of a finger or toe. Panaritium is always preceded by small penetrating soft tissue injuries that have not been properly treated with disinfectants, especially with damage to the epidermis in newborns.

Panaritium treated with local therapy in newborns is prone to frequent relapses at an older age.

Taking into account the location and nature of the affected tissues, the following types of panaritium are distinguished:

• skin
• periungual
• subungual
• subcutaneous
• bone
• articular
• osteoarticular
• tendon

Causes

The causes of panaritium are always associated with infection of injured soft tissues of the fingers and toes in children. There are many ways of infection: scratches left by animals, splinters, cuts not treated with antiseptics, scratches, finger abrasions received when falling during street games. Inaccurate or infrequent trimming of nails, ingrown nails in newborns also often cause cuticle injuries, and later on periungual panaritium.

Symptoms of the disease

Panaritium symptoms develop rapidly. First, the deep layers of the skin become inflamed, the surface of the skin turns red. If there is no treatment, a purulent process begins. A vesicle with cloudy grayish-yellow pus forms. The area of ​​​​the abscess hurts a lot, burns. At this stage, treatment should not be postponed, the inflammation will worsen, the abscess will grow, penetrating even deeper into the tissues.

Different types of panaritium show their own specific symptoms. But there are common signs indicating an acute purulent inflammatory process:

• Finger of the hand, foot swells, swells, the surface of the skin becomes very red. If suppuration is aggravated, the color of the skin becomes bluish.
• The inflamed area hurts a lot, the pain is throbbing, constant, intensifying.
• The mobility of the finger is limited, the child cannot bend, unbend the affected finger, every movement brings pain.
• Due to acute inflammation, the temperature rises.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on the clinical symptoms of the disease. To determine the shape of the panaritium and clarify the localization of the abscess, palpation is performed with a bellied probe. To exclude bone and articular panaritium, x-rays are performed. It should be borne in mind that, unlike bone panaritium, with the articular form of the disease, changes are not detected immediately and may be mild. Therefore, to clarify the diagnosis, comparative radiographs of the healthy finger of the same name on the other arm or leg should be prescribed.

Treatment of panaritium

Treatment of panaritium should be started at the earliest stage, as soon as the first symptoms become noticeable. Then you can do without surgery, limiting yourself to conservative methods of therapy. Conservative treatment is effective only during the serous-infiltrative stage of suppuration. Methods of local hypothermia, UHF therapy, electrophoresis, ultrasound, baths with salt and soda, alcohol-based dressings and drugs are used.

When the process is running, an operation is performed using local anesthesia. Sometimes alternative methods of anesthesia are used, including general anesthesia.