What Your Swollen Fingers Are Trying to Tell You About Your Health

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You know that how your body looks and feels sometimes changes by the day. One day you're so bloated that your jeans feel a size too small, while another you wake up and your skin looks dewy and glowing. Swelling, especially in places like your hands and feet, often seems to come and go just as frequently.
As such, there's typically no need to rush to the doctor if you suddenly can't slide your wedding ring off your finger. But in some cases, swollen fingers may point to the presence of a more serious health condition. Here are the most common causes of swelling in your fingers, plus when you should be making an appointment with your healthcare provider.
1. It's super hot out
Heat causes blood vessels to expand, which allows more heat to escape through your skin so you can keep cool, explains Tammy Olsen Utset, M.D., M.P.H., an associate professor in the rheumatology department at the University of Chicago. As the vessels stretch, some of their fluid can leak into your soft tissues and cause puffiness.
Dr. Utset says this type of swelling tends to go away as you use your hands and continue your regular activity. But if you notice swelling only in your hands and fingers (and not your legs), accompanied by pain or a weak grip, that could be a sign it's not just the heat and you need to consult your doctor.
2. You overdo it on the salty foods
General Tso's chicken, lots of chips, or anything fried could be the reason behind your swollen fingers. Your body likes to keep a consistent salt-to-water balance, Dr. Utset says. So when you consume extra sodium, it compensates by retaining more water, leading to swelling.
Typically, mild swelling brought on by salty foods goes away on its own within a day but it can last longer depending on how much extra salt is in your system. If you limit your salt intake and the swelling persists, see your doctor, Dr. Utset advises.
3. You are developing osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
If it's the bony finger joints themselves that are enlarged (say, you can't get rings over your knuckles), osteoarthritis may be to blame, especially if you wake up in the morning and your fingers are already swollen. This age-related form of arthritis is caused by the wearing down of the cushioning tissues at the end of your joints. Osteoarthritis is often, but not always, accompanied by pain and stiffness, Dr. Utset says.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease that attacks the lining of the joints, can also cause swelling. Unlike osteoarthritis, RA isn't age-related and can happen to anyone at any age. Swelling in people with RA often happens in the wrists and finger joints. 'RA can cause the joints to swell up as well as cause inflammation in between the joints,' says Neha Vyas, M.D., a physician in the department of family medicine at Cleveland Clinic.
4. An infection or injury is the culprit
An infection in your finger, known as a felon or felon finger, causes a small pocket of pus to form under the skin of your fingertip. These infections can form in different ways, but dishwashing without gloves, manicures, ingrown nails, hangnails, and biting your nails can all transfer bacteria to your fingers and lead to swelling, redness, and throbbing pain. Minor traumas and injuries, like cuts, puncture wounds, and splinters can also have similar effects, giving bacteria an opening to infect your finger and form a painful abscess.Neosporin Antibiotic Ointment
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When caught early, infections can be treated with warm water or saline soaks and antibiotic ointment. But if you're in serious pain, have trouble using your finger, or notice any oozing pus, see your doctor ASAP. They can drain excess fluid and prescribe oral antibiotics if needed.
5. You complete a really tough workout
During exercise, your fingers and hands might swell because the blood vessels in your body are responding to the increased energy demands on your muscles. 'When it comes to exercise, our body produces heat," Dr. Vyas says. "The vascular system allows more fluid to release into our fingers, hands, and toes. This is the way the body cools down.' This type of swelling will subside relatively quickly once your workout is over.
6. It is a side effect of your medication
Certain medications can also cause swelling in the fingers and hands. Dr. Vyas says high blood pressure drugs, OTC pain meds, diabetes medications, steroids, and birth control pills can all cause puffiness as a general side effect. If the swelling is constant and unpleasant, talk to your doctor about switching to a different drug.
7. Carpal tunnel syndrome is to blame
Carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that women are three times more likely to develop than men, occurs when the nerve that runs from the forearm to the palm of the hand is pinched or squeezed at the wrist, Dr. Utset explains.
Repeated trauma or injury to the wrist, work stress, an under-active thyroid, and rheumatoid arthritis can all be triggers. In addition to swollen fingers, carpal tunnel syndrome is usually accompanied by pain, burning, tingling, or numbness in the hands or arms—symptoms that often develop slowly over time. To help prevent and ease carpal tunnel syndrome, try these five stretches at your desk.
8. Pregnancy is changing your body
Some swelling is typical for expectant moms, occurring mostly in the ankles, feet, and fingers, thanks to the increased blood volume and fluid retention. But swelling in the hands and face—especially if pressing your thumb into your skin leaves a noticeable indentation—can be a red flag for preeclampsia, a complication characterized by high blood pressure.
If preeclampsia goes untreated, it can lead to organ damage, including to the liver and kidneys. Dr. Vyas says that in addition to swelling, signs of preeclampsia include blurry vision, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. The risk of preeclampsia is highest in women who are over 35, having their first child, or pregnant for the first time in over ten years. It's also common in women carrying multiples, those who are obese, or women who have high blood pressure, diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, or a family history of preeclampsia.
9. You have Raynaud's disease
Raynaud's disease is a rare but typically harmless condition characterized by narrowing of your arteries, which limits blood circulation. The causes are not completely understood, but cold temperatures, stress, injuries to the hands, tissue damage, and even certain drugs (like high blood pressure or migraine meds) may all be triggers. The condition is more likely to occur in women than men, Dr. Utset says.
Swelling—along with numbness, prickling pain, or color changes in the skin—occurs most commonly in the fingers and toes when circulation returns (as you warm up or your stress dissipates). When an 'attack' comes on, your fingers may first turn ghostly white, but other parts of your body can also be impacted, such as your nose, lips, or ears.
10. Your kidneys aren't doing their job
If your kidneys fail to remove excess fluids—also known as edema—your body will retain it, which could result in swollen hands.
Edema can affect any part of your body, but swelling mostly occurs in your hands, feet, legs, and ankles. 'When your kidneys aren't filtering what needs to go out, the fluids stay within you,' Dr. Vyas explains. 'The kidneys also help regulate the electrolytes in our body, so any type of kidney disease or kidney issue can affect this process. Hypertension and both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are some conditions that can cause these kidney problems.' Edema typically only lasts a few days—if it lasts for longer, you should give your doctor a call.
11. There's a blockage in your lymphatic system
Lymphedema is a rare limb-swelling disease that comes on when lymph fluid (which carries waste, bacteria, and viruses out of the body) doesn't adequately drain. Your fingers and toes may swell, and usually, your arms and legs will swell, too. Your skin may also feel tight or thicker than usual, according to a report from the National Cancer Institute. Lymphedema has been linked with surgery or radiation breast cancer treatments. In rare cases, lymphedema can also be caused by an abnormal growth near a lymph node or vessel, which can lead to fluid blockage. If you don't have any of these existing conditions you're unlikely to have lymphedema, but it's worth being aware of the possibility if you do.
12. You have trigger finger
Trigger finger (or trigger thumb) is a condition that causes your fingers to get stuck in a bent position, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Those with the condition may have stiffness when bending the affected finger or hear snapping and popping when moving them. With trigger finger, the tendons become irritated and swollen and can no longer easily move. A bump may also form on the tendon, which can make it even more difficult to move your finger effectively.
'Trigger finger can lead to swelling because of the inflammation of the tendons and because when people have trigger finger, they try to keep from bending their finger, to prevent the 'catch', and the immobilizing of the joint also causes swelling,' says David C. Hay, M.D., an orthopedic hand and wrist surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.
When you should see a doctor about swollen fingers
Swollen fingers is a broad symptom and it could be a million things, says Dr. Hay. As you saw in many of the cases above, the swelling will resolve itself and subside within a few days. If you need to treat your swollen fingers, you can do so with both anti-inflammatory medication and movement. However, if your fingers are not improving after a week of rest and anti-inflammatory meds, or come with associated pain, it's time to see a specialist.
'If your swollen finger appeared after some kind of wound or bite, you're really worried about infection and you have to take that very seriously,' says Dr. Hay. Alternatively, 'a swollen finger from an injury can just be a sprain or a break, and if it's not getting better in a few days, see a doctor.'
Lastly, if you have swollen fingers in the absence of injury, wound, or bite, it's likely due to arthritis, trigger finger, or some other underlying condition. If it doesn't improve on it's own, definitely give your doctor a call.
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