Whitlow: signs of the disease

Whitlow most often occur in people who perform work related to the possibility of injury to hands, contamination of skin-irritating substances -slesarey, tractor drivers, workers and other textile industry. In 80% of cases observed felon I, II or III fingers of the right hand.

What is a felon and why it occurs

Felon - an acute inflammation of the tissues of the finger, usually occurs as a result of infection microtrauma (small wounds). Inflammatory processes, complicating extensive injured fingers, do not apply to felon. In this case we speak about the infected wounds of fingers.

Felon divided into skin, okolonogtevogo (paronychia), subungual, subcutaneous, bone, joint, tendon, pandaktilit.

The most common causative agent of the disease is the white or golden staph hemolytic Staphylococcus , Sometimes in combination with other agents. The emergence felon contribute to decreased immunity, metabolism Metabolic disease , Endocrine diseases, the impact on your hands irritants, cold, moisture, vibration, which occur when the local blood circulation disorders and metabolic processes in the tissues of the fingers, impaired local immunity. This also contributes to getting into a wound of some metals and chemicals.

Signs felon

The main feature of any felon - a very strong throbbing pain in inflammation, which is enhanced with strong bending, and especially when the finger extension, so it is always in a slightly bent position. Appears as redness and swelling of the tissues of the finger, the most pronounced on the back surface, the finger gets hot to the touch. Under festering pain becomes excruciating, leading to insomnia. May suffer overall: fever, malaise and weakness appear. Increasing the nearby lymph nodes.

When skin felon suppurative focus is in the skin, forming a bubble with purulent or bloody contents, which can sometimes take up the entire surface of the finger.

When okolonogtevogo panaritiums (paronychia) purulent inflammation is deep in the nail roll. The skin in that area becomes red, swollen, with pressure drops may leak pus.

Hyponychial felon - an inflammation of the body under the nail, which can start on their own, after penetrating a nail puncture wounds, suppuration subungual hematomas, or as a complication of other species felon. The nail is raised above the surface of the finger, it may appear a drop of pus, there is a very strong pain.

Subcutaneous felon - an inflammation of the subcutaneous fat finger - the most common form felon. Often it occurs on the inner surface of the toes, wherein, due the anatomical features of the structure of fingers, swelling and edema were more pronounced on the lateral surfaces and the rear finger. The finger swells, becomes tense, the inflammatory process quickly moves to the periosteum and tendons. Pain constant increases to high numbers body temperature. The purulent inflammation may involve other tissues of the finger and the palm and fingers are adjacent.

Bone felon called purulent inflammation of the finger bones. It may be primary (eg, drooping with deep wounds) and secondary (if other complications panaritiums). Getting sharp, finger can take the form of a flask of hard, smooth skin. The pain is constant, there is a strong chills, headache Headache , High fever. Festering process can go on tendons and joints.

Articular felon - a purulent lesion knuckles. In stage I disease process involves only the soft tissue of the joint, in II - destroyed cartilage, bone and ligaments, there is a painful joint mobility. Can form a fistula (passage), through which the surface of the finger from the focus of pus inflammation.

Tendon felon - purulent inflammation of the tendons of the finger. Inflammation of the tendons of the extensor fingers usually does not happen. However, the inflammatory process can go on the finger flexor tendon. As a result, inflammation dramatically compressed blood vessels that are in the tendons, which leads to the death of tissue tendons. This process is often spread on the hands and fingers. The most characteristic feature of the tendon felon - continuous pain along the tendon, worse when you try to finger extension.

Pandaktilit - a purulent inflammation of all the tissues of the finger occurs as a complication over other forms felon.

If not timely begun treatment with inflammation of the finger can move to the other fingers on the hand, forearm, wrist joint, and so on. Severe inflammation may result in the formation of large amounts of scarring and dysfunction of these organs.

Treatment panaritiums

Treatment operative. Conservative treatment can help only at the very beginning of the disease: the hand attached to a fixed position, prescribed hot baths, physiotherapy, antibiotics. After subacute (or after surgery), prescribe physiotherapy.

Operations are widely opening the abscess, removal of necrotic (dead) tissue, removal of pus from the wound and applying drainage (special tool through which the pus from a wound leaves). After surgery, the wound is applied gauze bandage with antiseptics (eg furatsilinom). In severe forms panaritiums about the removal of the phalanx.

The most important thing when panaritiums - time to consult a surgeon.

Galina Romanenko