Are you having thumb swelling? Looking for thumb swelling causes and treatments? There are many causes of swollen thumb. It is important to know the cause of thumb swelling to determine the thumb swelling treatments with our thumb swelling specialist clinic for children and adult. Call or Whatsapp at 64762106 for an appointment.

Knuckle Thumb Swelling Causes

Thumb is the most commonly use everyday. Common thumb swelling causes:

1. Thumb swelling caused by arthritis

Arthritis of the thumb often occurs with age. Even so, 30 percent of this disease is also experienced by those who are under 65 years of age.
Not only is the thumb swollen, arthritis can also cause complaints of pain and stiffness. This condition is usually triggered by an infection in the body.

2. Thumb swelling caused by autoimmune

The human body’s immune system is designed to fight against something foreign, such as viruses and bacteria. Well, in autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks healthy body cells. Therefore, symptoms such as swollen thumbs, fatigue, muscle aches, fever without cause, difficulty concentrating, and easy hair loss may occur.

Examples of autoimmune diseases that can cause these symptoms include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus, and Sjogren’s syndrome

3. Thumb swelling caused by Gout

Gout is a state of uric acid that settles and forms crystals in the joints. This condition, which is also often called gout, is the leading cause of joint inflammation in men over the age of 30.

4. Thumb swelling caused by infection

If your thumb has recently been bitten or scratched by an animal, you are very likely to experience a swollen thumb. These complaints can also occur if you have antibiotic resistance.

Some of the other symptoms that arise apart from swelling are redness, fever, pain, and pus formation from the wound on the thumb.

5. Thumb swelling caused by thumb sprain

Thumb sprained is often experienced by athletes. As a result, the thumb becomes stiff, reddish, and it is difficult to move or squeeze something. Many times, thumb sprains will result from sports injuries or falls. For example, skiing and basketball may result in thumb injuries. Or, you may fall and try to catch yourself, bending your thumb in an awkward position. 

Read more: Sprained thumb symptoms and treatments

6. Thumb swelling caused by pregnant

Swelling all over the body, including the hands and fingers, is common in pregnant women. This swelling is known as edema, which is caused by a build-up of fluid. These fluids help the pregnant woman’s body expand and soften to support the growth of the fetus and prepare joints and tissues for labor.

7. Thumb swelling caused by cancer

Any type of cancer can metastasize to the bone. In rare cases, cancer can metastasize to the bones of the hand. In this case, the tumor can make the fingertips swell.

Lung cancer is the cancer that most often metastasizes to the bones of the hand, followed by kidney cancer and breast cancer.

8. Thumb swelling caused by trigger thumb

Trigger thumb is a type of thumb overuse injury that causes stiffness and swelling at the base of the thumb where it connects to the palm of your hand.

Read more: Trigger thumb pain causes and treatments

Thumb Swelling Treatments

At thumb swelling specialist clinic, our hand surgeon said the treatment for thumb swelling depends on its cause. Some causes are benign and can be treated at home. Others are more serious and require prompt medical treatment.

Thumb swelling treatments include medications, physiotherapy, immobilization like splinting, steroid injection, surgery for severe cases.

Surgery is sometimes needed to remove cancerous growths in the thumb and to correct trigger finger, thumb fracture, and other injuries.

There are many possible causes of a swollen thumb. Many shouldn’t be concerning, while others are more serious. How you treat your swollen thumb depends on its cause. When in doubt, schedule an appointment to see our hand specialist, especially if the swelling is accompanied by pain, redness, and fever. Call or Whatsapp us at 64762106.