Causes & Treatments of Puffy Hand Syndrome

During the pandemic, many people are trying to diagnose themselves online, rather than venture out to a doctor’s office. This can be dangerous, however, as some medical conditions that seem like “no big deal” are actually symptoms of a serious underlying medical condition. A good example of this is swelling or “puffiness” of the hands.

Extreme swelling or puffiness in the hands is almost always an indication of a medical condition that requires treatment as soon as as possible.

What is Puffy Hand Syndrome?

The appearance of extremely swollen hands is actually called “Puffy Hand Syndrome” – also medically known as edema of the hands. This is a condition where the hands experience severe swelling.

Puffy hand syndrome is usually painless, but it can interfere with the hands’ mobility or ability to function. Puffy Hand Syndrome can also cause embarrassment from the enlarged appearance of the hands.

Puffy Hand Syndrome can be caused by a variety of medical conditions including Rheumatoid Arthritis, gout, an autoimmune disease, chronic drug use or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Cardiac (heart) conditions, liver disease, and kidney issues can also result in Puffy Hand Syndrome, (edema of the hands).

Puffy Hand Syndrome is Different than Swelling

It is important to realize that temporary swelling can occur in the hands that is NOT actually “puffy hand syndrome”.

Bites from insects, animals (such as cats) or even humans can cause painful swelling in the hand. Fractures (broken bones), nail infections, allergies, exposure to extreme cold, IV fluids, medications and many other events or mild and serious illnesses or injuries can cause the hands to temporarily swell.

For this reason it is important to see a hand surgeon for an accurate diagnosis, if you are experiencing swelling of the hands. It can be very dangerous to ignore hand swelling. Rest assured that our Clarkston area medical office is a safe and sterile environment, and we follow all COVID-19 protocols.

How do Hand Surgeons Treat Puff Hand Syndrome?

Identifying the root cause of Puffy Hand Syndrome is important to identifying the best treatment.  Typically, treating the underlying cause of the edema is also the best way to also reduce the swelling in the hands.

Clarkston area hand surgeon Dr. Rehman will need to obtain an extensive medical history to find (or rule-out) underlying causes of the puffy hands. Additionally, our hand doctor may wish to test for conditions like Hepatitis C, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and gout.

There is no specific single medication available to treat puffy hands – so your hand  surgeon will have to take a broader “whole body” approach to address the cause of the edema. In some cases preventive measures against skin infections, such as antibiotics may also be required.

Because there are so many causes of puffy hand syndrome and swelling hands – from mild to extremely serious – it is best not to self-diagnose or self-treat without seeing a board certified hand surgeon like Dr. Rehman.

Top Clarkston Area Hand Surgeon

Your hands and wrists are delicate structures that can perform amazingly complicated maneuvers, and we want to keep them that way! If you are experiencing temporary swelling or ongoing “puffiness” in the fingers or hands, contact a Board Certified Orthopedic hand doctor such as Dr. Rehman for a full evaluation and comprehensive treatment plan.

We have a team of hand specialists and physical therapists that work with Dr. Rehman, who can help get your hands back to full mobility and help make the annoying and unsightly swelling (“edema”)  go away.

As with any medical condition, early diagnosis and intervention is the most effective way to combat the effects of conditions like puffy hand syndrome.

Clarkston area hand surgeon Doctor Rehman will assess your individual situation, and prescribe the treatments that are best for your condition.

Clarkston Area Hand Surgeon: 248.335.2638