Each type of finger infection has its symptoms and signs so you have to evaluate carefully as it is confusing to identify the kind of infection based on the symptoms of your infected finger. Listed below are the symptoms of each type of infection.
Paronychia: The skin around the fingernail is swollen and red. It is sometimes in the cuticle. Under your skin is a collection of pus. Discoloration of your finger is another symptom. When you touch the infected finger, you can feel the discomfort and pain.
Felon: Because a felon infection affects the fingertip, you can see the redness in your fingertip. It is also painful and swollen. It takes time to swell, but if it becomes swollen, you can feel the softness because of the collection of pus underneath your fingertip skin. When swelling becomes serious, the infected area will become hard to the touch.
Herpetic Whitlow: The first sign of this infection is fever. Then you can feel itchiness and pain in the affected fingertip. It may also become swollen but not as serious as felon. Blisters, like lesions will also appear in that area then will become small wounds. There is also swelling in the armpits and lymph nodes. It takes time for the symptoms to appear after you get the virus and sometimes the virus tends to be inactive for a couple of weeks. Blisters may also take several days to come out.
Cellulitis: This is a superficial infection so only the surface of the skin is affected. You shouldn’t feel the pain when you move your hands and fingers because it doesn’t involve the deeper structure of your fingers and hands. Otherwise, it is a symptom of deep space infection. Cellulitis begins in a small area then it will spread and cause inflammation and redness. It is also warm and painful.
Flexor tenosynovitis: The symptoms of flexor tenosynovitis may appear all at once or one at a time. Your flexor in your finger is tender. The pain is over the flexor of your finger. Then your fingers will become swollen all at once. When you want to straighten or extend your hand you feel the pain. Your fingers will be in a slightly bent position. These signs are also known as Kanavel cardinal signs.
Deep space infection: The web space of the finger is swollen and painful. Collar button abscess is the name of the deep space infection. There is also some redness in the web space. There is a collection of pus under the skin, that is why you feel some softness in the affected area when you touch it. If the abscess becomes serious, your infected finger will create a bigger web space because of the pressure.
Tags: Infected Finger