Edema occurs as a result of excessive accumulation of fluid in the extracellular space of soft tissues. If the hands swell (usually the hands and fingers), it looks like a swelling, which can be accompanied by painful sensations, redness of the skin, difficulty in moving. The swelling of the hands is one- and two-sided, appear gradually, suddenly, periodically. Hands can swell for various reasons, and often for their clarification it is required to conduct a number of diagnostic measures.
Why are my hands swelling?
Consider the most common causes of swelling of the hands:
- If the hands swell in the morning, and after a while after awakening, the swelling itself disappears, this can be caused by excessive intake of liquid just before bed, taking alcohol, salty foods. Also, swelling may appear due to an uncomfortable position in the sleep, causing stagnation of blood.
- The cause of the swelling of the hands may be an allergic reaction . Most often it is provoked by means of household chemicals and cosmetics, but also puffiness can be a symptom of allergy to medicines, food products, etc.
- If only the right or only the left hand swells, the cause of this may be acute thrombosis of the subclavian vein. In this case, sudden dense swelling of the hand from hand to shoulder occurs, often accompanied by pain. This pathology is associated with a strong physical load on the arm. Over time, the swelling may disappear, but soon reappear, - the disease becomes chronic.
- The swelling of the hand, in which cyanosis of the skin is observed, the pain is sometimes provoked by trauma. Namely, the cause can be a bruise, injury, insect bite, etc.
- The swelling of the hands, as well as other parts of the body (legs, face) can be associated with certain diseases of the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system, thyroid.
- Periodically occurring swelling of the hands in women can be associated with hormonal changes in the body, for example, during menstruation, pregnancy.
- Arthritis and arthrosis is a common cause of joint edema. In this case, the swelling appears above the affected joint of the hand.
- The hand can swell due to lymphangitis - an inflammatory lesion of the lymphatic vessels. This disease is associated with infectious processes and, in addition to the swelling of the hand, is expressed by symptoms of general intoxication of the body (headache, fever, sweating, etc.).