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Swelling of the hands – This is most often a sign of some serious illness. They never show up for no reason. If you notice that your hands and fingers are swollen, this indicates that some malfunctions in the work of certain organs have occurred in your body: heart, kidneys, liver, etc. As soon as you notice swelling, do not leave it unattended, be sure to contact your doctor with questions, he should identify the cause of their appearance.
The most common manifestation of edema is in the morning, it is at this time of day that they are easiest to notice. This happens due to the fact that the liquid you consume during the day does not have time to be completely excreted from the body and accumulates in the soft tissues of the limbs, and also affects the functioning of vital organs.
Hand swelling symptoms
The very first symptoms of swelling of the hands are swelling of the fingers. This can be seen with the naked eye, it is enough to compare with any other person’s hand. You can also conduct a simple test: if you press your thumb on the swollen tissues in the area where the bone is supposedly located, then after the finger is removed, you will notice a significant depression, a hole that will not disappear so quickly.
If this is a common edema, then after sleep it disappears within a few hours and does not affect the patient’s condition in any way. You should contact your doctor even if it does not bother you and does not interfere with your usual lifestyle.
If the swelling of the hands does not go away until the evening, this indicates that some organ cannot fully cope with its work. If the internal organs do not work properly, the hands can swell not only in the morning, but also in the late afternoon, at night during sleep.
Swelling on the hands is very easy to see if you wear rings. Jewelry will be very difficult to remove or impossible to put on.
Causes of swelling of the hands
The most common reason why hands swell a little in the morning is excessive fluid intake just before bedtime. The amount of food eaten, alcohol consumed, the general health of a person and the work of his internal organs also affect. Swelling of the hands may go away a few hours after waking up. However, some edema may not go away for several days or even weeks. The so-called “permanent symptom” of swollen hands can indicate the presence of obvious serious or even severe human diseases, as well as a complication or exacerbation of any disease that was before. There are also edema that can only be removed by taking diuretics.
Often, swelling of the hands occurs in women during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester and just before childbirth. This is due to the fact that some bacteria or microbes penetrate the top layer of the skin through a small wound, cut or abrasion. With such an infection, the swelling site responds with severe pain when pressed, body temperature may rise to 38-40 ° C, dizziness and severe headache. Such edema is quite rare and most often affects pregnant women whose immunity is too weak and unable to resist even the simplest infection, as well as when a woman suffers serious injuries. In no case should any inflammatory process be left to chance, it must be immediately shown to the doctor and immediate treatment should be started, otherwise it can spread to other soft tissues, thereby increasing the edematous area.
Here are some factors that explain the cause of swelling of the phalanx of the fingers and what to do if you encounter this:
the most common factor is the usual finger bruise or injury, fracture. The inflammatory process in this case is a completely understandable reaction, it is enough to apply cold for several hours and consult a doctor to avoid negative consequences;
If the cause of the edema was a common allergic reaction to any cleaning or detergent, household chemicals, washing powder or fabric softener, then first of all it is necessary to find out what exactly caused such a reaction. In this case, you must either exclude these funds from use, or use them only when putting on rubber gloves on your hands. They will protect your hands from the aggressive effects of chemicals;
In addition to household chemicals, an allergic reaction that appears in the form of swelling of the hands can also be caused by exotic dishes or fruits. Which you have never tried before;
Edema of the hands can also appear with insufficient blood circulation, blockage of blood vessels;
Swelling of the fingers on the hands is quite normal for girls who are in position. Just with the manifestation of edema, you should definitely tell your doctor about it and take a urine test, the results of which should not contain protein. Edema is a simple excess of fluid in the soft tissues, which can be removed with diuretics;
A significant change in the shape of the fingers with swelling of the hands can indicate serious problems with the thyroid gland. It is necessary to contact an endocrinologist and conduct examinations;
Edema of the hands can also be caused by poor functioning of the kidneys, liver, heart failure;
Another factor that is manifested by swelling of the hands is long work without breaks and rest, poor and malnutrition, insufficient and restless sleep. In this case, you should reconsider your life, try to change the schedule of work and rest, set your priorities and start taking care of your health. Remember that elementary fatigue and lack of sleep are manifested primarily by edema;
The hands can also swell from prolonged heavy physical exertion, for example, carrying heavy loads or sawing boards for firewood with a long absence of rest, digging a garden in a country house or in a village – all these factors affect the condition of your hands. You should not work for wear and tear, you need to think about your health in time and set a clear schedule for rest and work, in which you will not overwork too much.
Edema of the hands can occur due to many reasons, each has its own and there are quite a lot of them. However, it is not worth trying to solve such a problem yourself or even put it on the back burner. It is better to contact a specialist who will not only identify the cause of swelling of the hands, but will also be able to prescribe the right treatment for you.
Swollen hands in the morning
Most often, edema is found in the morning, immediately after waking up from sleep. In most cases, swelling of the hands indicates that in the evening, shortly before bedtime, a lot of water or tea was drunk.
As described above, edema is the result of a severe bruise, injury or fracture of the fingers. If the injury was received in the evening, then it is most likely that you will see swelling of the injured finger, and possibly neighboring fingers, only the next morning. Microbes spread quickly enough, often in the morning there is already a noticeable suppuration of the wound if it has not been treated in time with the necessary medications.
Another reason why you have swollen hands in the morning is a possible allergic reaction to a cleaning agent or household chemicals applied in the evening, or a new night cream that was applied just before bed to your hands.
In some cases, swelling of the hands may be a side effect of taking any medication. You need to first carefully read the instructions for the medication used, pay attention to contraindications and possible side effects. If any are found, then you should stop taking the drug and consult a doctor immediately. Your medication will be changed or your dosage will be changed.
If, in addition to swelling of the hands, you also notice swelling of the eyelids in the morning, after sleep, then this is a sure sign of a malfunctioning liver. It is possible that the liver cells are severely damaged, so the body cannot fully cope with the removal of harmful toxins from the body and they cause swelling of the soft tissues and skin cells.
Also, the cause of swelling of the hands in the morning can be some kind of kidney disease. They cannot remove the required amount of fluid from the body. In addition to the hands, in this case there is swelling of the eyelids, face, and there is also swelling under the eyes.
Pathologies or anomalies of the heart and blood vessels can also cause swelling of the hands in the morning, and in the late afternoon, the fluid accumulated in the tissues gradually accumulates in the lower extremities. This is clearly noticeable after the shoes are removed, in which the person walked all day.
Often, swelling of the hands is accompanied by significant soreness when touched. First of all, this may indicate the onset of diseases such as rheumatism or arthritis. With this diagnosis, swelling of the hands may not go away up to 6-8 weeks.
If, in addition to swelling of the hands in the morning, you also notice an increase in the lymph nodes in the armpits, then this may indicate a serious lung disease, as a result of which the outflow of lymph is disturbed. Often, with such suspicions, the therapist sends women to a mammologist to check the mammary glands in order to exclude the possible development of cancer.
In people suffering from obesity, overweight, lack of sleep, frequent stress, chronic fatigue, swelling of the hands in the morning is quite a common problem that many do not pay attention to. Also, the hands can swell in pregnant women who have been found to have hormonal disorders.
Far from always, even the most experienced doctor can quickly find out the cause of swelling of the hands, a special examination and study of the research results will be required. Do not try to self-medicate, it can be dangerous for your health, it is better to consult your doctor immediately.
swollen hands at night
Edema of the hands occurs precisely at night, just at the time while you are sleeping, and your body is working hard. It is during this period that excess fluid from the body gradually accumulates in soft tissues. In heart failure, the accumulation of fluid occurs due to poor blood flow to the extremities and the inability to remove it from the body.
Swelling of the hands in the morning is the result of what happened at night in your body. During your sleep, not only the hands can swell, but also the face, eyelids, if too much liquid was drunk in the evening.
What to do if your hands are swollen?
If we take into account only the fact that swelling of the hands occurs in most cases only in the hot season, or in small stuffy rooms in which there are many people at the same time or a lot of equipment is working, then hormonal failure, an allergic reaction, and bruises can most likely be excluded. and injuries, varicose veins in the arms. Most likely, the cause of swelling of the hands in this case will be a common violation of water metabolism.
With such violations, the fluid may not be excreted from the body in sufficient quantities. It’s just that the kidneys do not cope with their work due to too much water that has entered the body.
What can be done in this case to remove swelling?
First of all, remove all objects that squeeze your wrist (watches, baubles, bracelets, etc.). This will help to some extent improve blood flow to the hand. Also, blood circulation is affected by the fact that many women prefer to wear their not very light bags on the elbow bend, while squeezing the veins. That is why doctors recommend carrying handbags either on the shoulder or in the hands, especially if they are heavy enough.
With swelling of the fingers on the hands, one should refuse to eat very spicy and salty foods, as well as from the use of alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks. Because of these products, the liquid is able to linger in the body for a long time.
If your hands are swollen, try to limit the amount of fluid you drink throughout the day. This should also include not only clean water, but also soups, teas, coffee, sour-milk drinking products. Try not to drink somewhere 2-3 hours before bedtime so that the body can remove all excess fluid in time. In the morning, swelling can be present not only on the hands, but also on the feet, eyelids.
When your hands are swollen, you should include in your menu as many products as possible, such as kefir, watermelon, cottage cheese, cucumbers, as well as viburnum, celery and mountain ash juices. Thanks to its composition, filled with many vitamins and minerals, such a menu will help you get rid of edema.
In a stuffy room during the hot months, try to ventilate the room as often as possible, use a fan or air conditioner.
Simple physical exercises will help improve water metabolism in the body, which will also give your muscles tone. To get rid of swelling of the hands, it is best to choose running, walking, swimming, cycling or water aerobics. Try to spend at least 5-10 minutes every morning exercising. If possible, do some of the simplest exercises in the evening, 2 hours before bedtime.
With swelling of the fingers on the hands, a contrast shower helps. A sharp change in water temperature has a beneficial effect on blood circulation in the body and significantly reduces swelling of the hands and feet. A sauna or bath at least once every two weeks can help improve water metabolism.
Baths with a small amount of sea salt can often be effective. In this case, the water temperature should not exceed 35-37 ° C. For a full bathroom, 300 g of sea salt is enough. You can take water procedures immediately. It takes about 25-30 minutes to relax in warm fragrant water. Sea salt dissolves on its own within a few minutes, does not require special stirring of water.