Red painful sores on fingers

[Genealogy66]

I am wondering if anyone has had anything similar to what I am experiencing and would be grateful for any insights.

I accidentally cut my finger whilst chopping salad two and a half weeks ago and ended up going to minor injuries as it would not stop bleeding. They dressed it and after a week it appeared to be healing nicely.

Within a matter of days though my fingers started to develop raised red bumps which are sore and very itchy. I have attached photos. I first thought they were chilblains as I sometimes get them on my toes but when I went to my GP he said that they were likely due to an infection connected to the finger injury. I am now on 7 days of antibiotics (today is fist day taking them) and have been told to look out for any signs of it spreading or feeling unwell.

I am really worried it will spread and I will end up in hospital with cellulitis or worse sepsis. I know I am probably over worrying but I had, like many of us, a traumatic experience being diagnosed, with many symptoms being dismissed.

I am also wondering if the injury has caused my vasculitis to flare, this time on my hands, and in which case the antibiotics may not help.

I know it is a matter of wait and see and return to the GP if the treatment does not work but if anyone has experienced something similar I would be grateful for their thoughts.

Thank you

Background info

I was diagnosed four years ago with borderline connective tissue disease and lymphocytic vasculitis after a rash appeared and spread throughout my right leg. It diagnosis by biopsy and bloods.

The above resolved after 12 months or so and I am managing occasional flares of tiredness. I could not tolerate hydroxy as it gave me severe swallowing and throat problems.

[Laz2]

I get similar to these - had them for years. Just the same. Like small ulcers on hands and feet. They are very painful (if it’s the same thing) and they go away on their own accord after about three weeks, I don’t need treatment in my case. No one I know or doctors know why. Changes in temperature seem to trigger them and I get a flare at least twice a year. I am not sure if it’s same but looks so?

[Genealogy66 in reply to Laz2]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I was in a very cold room at a castle last week where I was part of an event. When I left to meet my husband in town it was raining and even colder outside. My first thoughts were that it was chilblains. I have had them on my toes before and take a lot of precautions to try and avoid getting them. I have not had them on my hands previously. Maybe the combination of the cold and the poor circulation caused by the wound dressing on the cut finger has provoked an unwanted immune response. I will be monitoring it and reporting back to my rheumatologist and GP and ensure in future I take as much care of my hands than my feet.

[Laz2 in reply to Genealogy66]

They are awful 😞 - all about taking care as best we can but even then there is a time when I forget my gloves or am cold in bed etc.. sometimes wonder if they’re hormonal too as they started for me when I was a teenager and I have had them ever since on/off and I’m in my 40’s now. Sadly the doctors I’ve seen over the years just put it down to dermatitis or eczema, and give me cream. I get ulcers in my mouth and recently eye lid too 😔 But yes always essential to get GP to check in case something different that needs different treatment xx

[Genealogy66 in reply to Laz2]

I have tried putting low dose hydrocortisone cream on them this afternoon (after checking it was okay to do so with the antibiotics). The seem to be less inflamed and itchy. I now know I need to add warm gloves to my armoury as well as warm socks. Like you say it is so easy to forget them though! I like to keep my feet warm in bed too as they get so cold. 😀

[Laz2 in reply to Genealogy66]

yes I agree - just keep them warm / consistent temperature. Hot water bottle on feet in bed! Gloves - even today I wore my gloves. And my hat. Saves me from no end of trouble with the trigger of the temperature change. Although I can even get an attack when in the summer on a cool day (although rarer). What antibiotics were you given?

[Genealogy66 in reply to Laz2]

Flucloxacillin - 500mg 4 x a day. Trying to take them on an empty stomach one hour before food or two hours after is an art I have yet to perfect. If I miss a time slot it means I am eating at some very strange times! I am the same in summer with my toes. The floor tiles in my kitchen are not my friend 😀

[Laz2 in reply to Genealogy66]

that’s what I’m on at the moment for my eye infection! (I’m in a flare). But I get a side effect of vertigo from the antibiotics for me 😞 how are you finding the tablets? Are they helping? X

[Genealogy66 in reply to Laz2]

It is hard to say at the moment if they are helping. I have only had two full days of taking them, plus half a day after the GP prescribed them. I am taking a photo of my hand each day to try and track if there is any improvement. The inflammation under the nail of the finger I cut is the most painful area and I am wondering if bacteria from the cut caused an infection there before it spread to other fingers.

The antibiotics have not caused any vertigo for me so far, just the usual GI symptoms. An eye infection sounds so painful and I hope your antibiotics start to work soon. I’ve read that for soft tissue infections they can take up to three days before any benefit can be seen. I am trying to drink lots of water to keep myself hydrated ( not sure if this will help but I’m doing all I can to clear it).

[Laz2 in reply to Genealogy66]

I do hope you’re feeling better soon X always worrying isn’t it. Are you on the antibiotics for 7 days? I was put in for 7 days not sure if that’s usual? Yes please let me know how you get on and if they make a difference. My eye started to get better after 3 days as you say, it got worse before better sadly. It is still itchy and sore but the swelling has gone down a lot. I also had a cut near my eye like you describe 😞

[Genealogy66 in reply to Laz2]

I am on them for 7 days too and I have read that it is likely to get worse before it gets better. It is so hard to judge at this stage as even with taking regular photos at the same time and place each day the light can be different and the blisters/ ulcers look different. I’m glad your eye is improving - it’s encouraging to learn the antibiotics are working. 😀

[Charl80]

Hi, l currently have these and have had them for about three months, it first started with painful swollen fingers then the rash came on the fingers affected with pain, I’ve never had these with my lupus but I’m currently waiting to see my rheumatologist regarding possible rheumatoid arthritis x

[Genealogy66 in reply to Charl80]

Thank you for responding. I hope yours resolve soon and wish you all the best with your rheumatologist appointment. We just don’t know what to expect next with these autoimmune conditions.

[Pippin20 in reply to Genealogy66]

I get these just before or during a flare-up of my rheumatoid/psoriatic arthritis. It took many years to get a diagnosis, as I have lupus symptoms too. I was told these itchy, painful lumps were a type of pustular psoriasis. I use eumovate on them, which helps, but they seem to come and go in cycles. Keeping my hands warm helps a bit too. X

[Genealogy66 in reply to Pippin20]

They could very well be due to this. The antibiotics do not seem to be making more than a minimal improvement so perhaps it is not an infection from the cut as the GP suspected. I think I will be paying a return visit to the GP mid week for a follow up appointment. These things are certainly very trying for us as we don’t know what our bodies are going to throw at us next and diagnosing them is a lengthy process in my experience too. X

[NY22]

I have similar flare ups once ot twice a year- red swollen itchy also with pain in the finger digits and hair loss. I have gone through reviews on this and this particular symptom is related to circulation issues and vasculitis. Medically they will give you hydroxy and much more (steroids plus immuno suppressants). At home, important to moisturise, avoid putting your hand through hot or cold and wear gloves. Hope this helps.

[Genealogy66 in reply to NY22]

Thank you. The antibiotics do not seem to be helping and I am moisturising my hand as the sores are painful and sometimes itchy. I will telephone my rheumatologist’s secretary and maybe send a photo for advice before going back to my GP.

[OldTed60]

Hi. Perhaps time to involve your rheumatologist and get this checked out because you may need immunosuppressant having failed to tolerate Hydroxichloraquine. I do get stages of very similar but not provoked by a wound that won’t stop bleeding, more by erratic circulation I think. I have overlap ctd - systemic sclerosis and Sjogren’s with some kind of unspecified secondary anca negative vasculitis. In my case think the present finger lesions may be Sclerodactyl but in past they have seemed more like dishydrotic eczema. I hope the antibiotics work for you and no cellulitis. I’m a bit hospital phobic myself and had a wound sepsis years ago so I really understand. But the antibiotics should help and if not I’d really push your rheumatologist for diagnosis and treatment.

[Genealogy66 in reply to OldTed60]

Thank you. I will check in with the rheumatologist on Monday for advice before returning to my GP. It has come completely out of the blue. I have had no skin involvement, apart from itchy scalp, since being diagnosed and have been managing occasional flares of fatigue. I guess this is just another symptom to add to the others and I may need to explore medication other than hydroxy to manage it.

[SamRigs]

Hello, I’m really sorry to hear about your fingers. Your message jumped out at me as I had experienced this a while ago too. I do have Lupus SLE but my doctor seemed to think mine was caused by a finger nail trauma. He also put me on antibiotics and told me to watch out for the infection spreading. It got really bad before getting better and I actually could see the infection beneath my skin. At once stage it was really hot and did start to travel up my arm. I know it may sound risky and silly to do but I managed to pop open one of the blisters and drain the pus as it seemed at one stage to be at bursting point - things all seemed to settle down then but it took a good few weeks to clear up properly. I’ve attached a photo for you to look at. Hope yours gets better soon.

Finger showing blisters

[Genealogy66 in reply to SamRigs]

Thank you. Your finger looks so sore on the photo and I am glad you are now recovered. I hope the antibiotics clear it up or at least help my fingers on their healing journey. If mine is not an infection I suspect the cut provoked my body’s overactive response. I will need to check in with both the rheumatologist and the GP this week as we are due to go on holiday to Spain early April and I need a management plan if I am still having symptoms.

[pattypatchwork]

Hi, I get similar lumps and bumps on my hands and have had one biopsyed which indicated they are linked to an autoimmune disorder. I am currently suffering from a really bad attack and have been advised to double my hydroxychloroquine medication and will be having a steroid injection next Wednesday for the 1st time. My rheumatology consultant said they are classed as chilblains of the type caused by lupus or similar (Google chilblains lupus, you will see photos similar to the ones we have.I have these things all year round with a couple of really bad flare ups a year.

[Genealogy66]

I am so sorry you are suffering too and I hope doubling up on the hydroxy and the steroid injection will help. When the symptoms started last Saturday I did wonder if they were chilblains as the appearance and pain were similar to the ones I sometimes get on my toes. I was also in a very cold environment at an event in a castle where I was one of the participants. If chilblains it may explain why so far the antibiotics have not really eased the sores, although it is early days.

I hope you feel better soon and have a speedy recovery.

[CREATIA6_]

Hello Genealogy66

I am struggling with same problems as you do. I was told these are chilblains and I was prescribed cream for it( Dermovate Ointment). Recently my consultant prescribed me Viagra 3 times a day for my vascular problems. For people with auto immune vascular problems are very common.

Hope this will help.

Greetings

[Genealogy66 in reply to CREATIA6_]

I am thinking it is likely vascular. The antibiotics are so far making minimal difference (I am on day 5 of a 7 day prescription). I will try and get a follow up appointment at the doctors tomorrow. I will ask about the Dermovate ointment as a number of others who suffer have also mentioned it. X

[CREATIA6_ in reply to Genealogy66]

Recently I discovered that foot bath is helping a lot. My husband bought me bath soak crystals ( Baylis and Harding ) , they make my feet less sore. Maybe you can try it as well.

Greetings

[MusicalFurbaby]

I get vasculitis sores on my hands and feet, similar to yours. They have never spread, but they are super itchy and the ones on my feet make it hard to stand let alone walk. Hydroxy, combined with topical Anusol cream, helps to keep it at bay. Let us know how you go—I will be curious to hear if the antibiotics do you any good.

[Genealogy66 in reply to MusicalFurbaby]

Thank you for replying and sharing your experience. I’m using low dose hydrocortisone with the antibiotics and that seems to have helped combat the itching ( unless the antibiotics have started to work). I will let you know how I get on.