Why are my fingers puffy in the morning

If you slide in a ring on your thinnest finger in the morning, you’d be shocked at how the ring wouldn’t slide down a centimetre. You are one of those many who suffer from swollen hands in the morning. It is a common syndrome in people to have swollen hands after getting up in the morning. There are many reasons why your hands may feel ballooned with air inside the first thing after you wake up. However, the most common reason is fluid retention. Before you jump into conclusions and dial the emergency number, here is something to give you a sigh of relief: swelling of hands in the morning is normal and can happen to anyone. There is no need to create a panic alarm for this. Basic precautions and recommendations can help reduce the puffiness in no time. 

Causes

The actual reason why the hands swell up has not been able to be pointed out. Some of the causes that experts have pointed out include the following:

1) Trauma to the affected area

Considering that our hands and feet are the most exploited parts of our body, they are significantly prone to accidents and injuries because of overuse. For pregnant women, swollen fingers and toes are no news. If you are a woman, a possible reason for this unusual feeling is that you are due for menstruation. 

Also Read: Do Not Touch These Body Parts For No Reason 

2) Abnormally high or low levels of sodium in the Body

Eating excess of salt in dinner can lead to the blood vessels leaking fluids into the tissues that surround. On the other hand, when you drink a lot of water at night before sleeping, the sodium, levels in the body get diluted, triggering an electrolyte imbalance called hyponatremia. One of the signs of this medical condition is swollen hands, though other signs of the disease may be more prominent like vomiting or confusion.

3) Activity or inactivity

Because you have been inactive all through the night (while sleeping), there is a possibility of feeling uneasy in your hands the following morning. Positioning any part of the body singly can lead to mild oedema. If you have been exercising in the morning, you can attribute your swollen hands to it because substantial endurance activities influence blood to be pushed to the heart and muscles but the hands.

Also Read: Treat Varicose Veins On Time To Avoid Serious Complications

Treatment

There are various ways in which you can reduce swollen hands, though it may be close to impossible to try and completely get rid of the problem. Doing the following can restore the size of your hands in a jiffy.

1) Exercise the swollen hand

Move the fingers to pump any excess of fluid back to the heart. Other forms of exercise for the hands include typing on the keyboard, flexing or doing work that involves the hand.

2) Elevate the hands

Swelling can be caused by poor blood circulation and stagnation of blood in the hands. If you elevate your hands, the blood will flow back towards the heart. Make sure that you elevate your hands for a while. Elevating the hands above the head will work in your favour.

3) Rub the swollen hands 

If both your hands are swollen, you could take help from somebody in the house. Slowly massage the tissues present in the fingers in the direction of your heart. Massaging will stimulate the flow of blood to the fingers and put excess fluid away. If the swelling does not reduce, you can go to the spa for a professional massage.

If none of the treatments work, pay a visit to the doctor because swelling of hands may also be caused by obesity, an allergic reaction or an underlying infection.

As mentioned, there are numerous causes for swollen hands in the morning that range in severity. Some of the causes for swollen hands have a very easy natural fix and other causes may require medical intervention. Here are the most common causes of swollen hands in the morning to be aware of.

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Dehydration or insufficient water intake: When the body is dehydrated it goes into starvation mode, meaning the body will retain fluid and will swell as a result. As long as you consume enough water throughout the day, your body will not need to hold onto water, thus reducing swollen hands in the morning.

Sleeping posture: Sleeping in abnormal positions can lead to body parts swelling. For example, sleeping with your wrist bent can prevent fluid and circulation from going to the hands, thus causing them to swell.

Arthritis: Arthritis can cause inflammation within the joints, and smaller joints – those found in the hands – are often the first to be affected. This swelling may only be temporary or until you take medication for your arthritis.

Kidney issues: The kidneys help cleanse the body and remove excess water and toxins. If excess water is not released, it can be kept within the body contributing to swelling.

Severe allergies: Having allergies can result in watery, itchy eyes or stuffy nose, but they may also lead to swelling. Taking an antihistamine can greatly reduce swelling of hands in the morning due to allergies.

Pregnancy: Because the fetus is taking nutrients from the mother (who may also be consuming too much salt during this period of her life), a woman may end up with swollen hands in the morning during pregnancy.

Poor diet with high sodium: High sodium content in the diet can result in swelling as sodium retains water. It’s important that you eat a healthy diet low in sodium and sugar, and that you always check labels for sodium and sugar content to be on the safe side.

Overuse of specific joints: Completing repetitive motions with the same joint as well as strenuous activities can result in swelling.

Injury: Swelling will occur as a result of injury. This is temporary and can be reduced by icing the injury or allowing it to heal.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: Overuse of the wrist can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Not sleeping with a splint at night can have your wrist bending in all sorts of ways, which can aggravate the condition and thus cause swollen hands in the morning.

Other causes: Other causes of swollen hands in the morning include certain medications, pseudo-gout – with urate crystals form in the joints, and osteoarthritis characterized by cartilage degeneration.

Treatment of swollen hands and fingers in the morning

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Other solutions may be consuming plenty of water, checking sodium levels in your diet, treating arthritis, wearing a wrist splint, checking your medications for any swelling side effects, avoiding overuse of the hands and fingers, and treating any kidney problems you may have.

Tips to avoid swollen hands and fingers in the morning

There are ways you can reduce the swelling. Here are some of those tips to prevent sausage-like hands and fingers in the morning.

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day
• Wear compression gloves
• Perform hand exercises whenever you can
• Avoid alcohol
• Eat a balanced and healthy diet
• Take anti-inflammatory medications
• Rest your hands after a long days work
• Ensure you are sleeping in a proper posture
• Lose weight if you are overweight or maintain a healthy weight

If your swollen hands result from a deeper rooted medical problem, speak to your doctor about what you can do to reduce swelling.

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