A swollen or swollen hand can be the result of an injury, joint disease, insect bite, bite, among others. This symptom should be the subject of a medical consultation.

The fact of having the swollen or swollen hand corresponds in medical term to an edema. The edema can be uni or bilateral (affect one or both hands).

The hand is made up of many bones and joints, ligaments, vessels: it is a complex mechanism that can be altered or injured at different levels and lead, in reaction, to swelling often accompanied by pain, a feeling of heat and redness.

We can distinguish several situations, even if there are other possible diagnoses:

• edema related to a hand injury (fracture, shock, tendonitis, bite, etc.);
• edema related to joint or rheumatic disease;
• a blood circulation or neurological disorder.

In the first case, the swelling (swelling) usually follows a shock, a fall, a wrong movement or a trauma … The hand is swollen and painful, it can be blue (or red), hot, and the pain may “start” or be continuous.

In the other cases, the pain is chronic, can wake up at night, and be worse when you wake up than during the day: it is an inflammatory pain rather than a mechanical pain which reflects more of a joint disease.

Do not delay in seeing a doctor in case of a swollen hand, because it is not a trivial symptom.

Due to the structural complexity of the hand, edema or swelling can be due to a multitude of causes. The diagnosis therefore depends on the history and antecedents: Was there a shock? A wound ? When and how did the pain start? Is it worse at night?

If the swelling occurs after shock or trauma, one should consult promptly to make sure nothing is broken. Hand edema may be due to:

• a fracture: the hand has no less than 27 bones! ;
• a strain or sprain, usually in a finger;
• an insect bite or bite (snake, spider, etc.);
• infection from injury.

Other common causes of swelling of the hand (s): osteoarthritis (which very frequently affects the fingers) and inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

These diseases, which are numerous, often have an autoimmune component. They can affect various joints, including the hand. This is the case, among others:

• rheumatoid arthritis, which often starts with the hands and small joints;
• systemic lupus erythematosus;
• spondyloarthropathies;
• infectious rheumatic diseases, such as bacterial arthritis.

Finally, in some cases, the swelling of the hand is due to a blood circulation disorder. There are many situations that can lead to poor circulation and water retention in the hand, including heat and pregnancy.

Among the other possible causes:

• gout attack (more commonly affects the toes but can affect the hand);
• a side effect of chemotherapy (swelling of the hands and feet or palmoplantar erythrodysthesia);
• the consequence of kidney or heart disease;
• algodystrophy (or complex regional pain syndrome type 1, CRPS 1), which is a complication that can occur after any trauma or surgery to the hand or wrist.

The hands are very stressed in everyday gestures and hand edema, which interferes with movements or even prevents them completely, is particularly troublesome.

A swollen hand should therefore prompt consultation, in particular to rule out the diagnosis of fracture or rheumatic diseases.

In the event of an injury, adequate management is also necessary. The hand is a complex structure, made up of many nerves and tendons, and it is important that the injury or wound is properly treated to avoid motor sequelae.

Treatment obviously depends on the underlying cause.

In case of sprain, the application of ice and the taking of anti-inflammatory drugs are generally recommended. Some sprains of the thumb or fingers can be treated with an immobilization orthosis or a flexible orthosis to block lateral movements for 8 to 10 days. If the thumb is affected, it can be immobilized by strapping, orthosis or plaster / resin.

Physiotherapy, rehabilitation or physiotherapy sessions can be useful for the hand and fingers to regain their mobility.

In the case of inflammatory rheumatism, rheumatology treatment will be necessary to limit pain and functional discomfort. Additional analyzes (blood, imaging) may be performed to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment of these diseases is based on various drugs, starting with anti-inflammatory drugs, and basic treatments such as methotrexate and biotherapies.