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Hard, Purple, And Painful Finger Tips, No Injury. Taking Medication For High Blood Pressure

Posted on Tue, 25 Sep 2012

Question: My pinkie and ring fingertips on my left hand are hard, purple and painful. I have not had any injury to these fingers. It started about two days ago and has gotten worse. I am 56 and am on medication for high blood pressure.

Answered by Dr. Ram Choudhary (35 minutes later)

Hi AAAAA
Welcome back to Healthcare Magic!
The fingers can be having discoloration and pain due to problem in circulation like in a local blood clot in the arteries or veins of the fingers or due to vasospasm from a condition called Raynaud's phenomenon where rewarming and elevation of the hand will reduce the symptoms.
Another strong possibility is a local infection due to some cause, can occur and go unnoticed like by small injuries like at manicure etc.
Please put up a follow up with close photographs of the hands so than I can fine tune my opinion to give you an tailor made advise.
I hope I have answered you query, if still any doubt please put up follow up with exact details.
I would be happy to solve your problem.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ram Choudhary (15 minutes later)

I have been doing some internet research and I may have stumbled on a possibility. Dupuytren's contracture seems to described my condition. I have several knots in my palm beneath both pinkie and ring finger. After viewing photos of it on the internet, I realized they looked just like the knots in my palm. I understand that the pinkie and ring fingers are the ones that are almost always affected. I also read that it is not very common in women. I am wondering if these "ropes" that develop in this disease may be affecting the circulation. The fingertips are hard and firm like tissue is when circulation has been restricted. I also understand that this disease progresses rather slowly. I don't seem to have the typical bending toward the palm on these fingers and I easily pass the "table test". However I am concerned it could be interferring with the circulation of these fingers.

What are your thoughts?

Answered by Dr. Ram Choudhary (54 minutes later)

Hi AAAAA
Welcome back to Healthcare Magic!
Thanks for putting up your concerns about Dupuytren's contracture.
Your problem does not fit in the Dupuytren because you have full finger mobility, pain is rarely a feature of Dupuytrens. They are far less common in females.
Things may appears to resemble but they are not the same and for that very reasons medical issues are too complex for a layman to to pin pointed.
Please forward a follow up with photographs or you can visit an experienced local physician.
I wish you a great health.

Note: Do you have more questions on diagnosis or treatment of blood disorders? Ask An Expert/ Specialist Now

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar