What Causes Swelling And Itching In Hands?

Posted on Wed, 12 Aug 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 12 Aug 2015 Answered on

Tue, 1 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : both hands itch and swell for periods of at least a month especially at night, bad enough that I cannot sleep. The skin looks normal but if I scratch enough, small blisters will appear. I also have tiny intense itching points that come and go all over my upper body.I am taking lisinopril, metoprolol for HTN, Paxil, omeprazole for gastritis, apixaban for anticoagulation due to a pulmonary embolus in January 2015 , neurontin for foot neuritis, and Crestor for cholesterol. I was treated for colon cancer early this year with chemotherapy and surgery that removed the right lobe of the liver and colon from the cecum to the splenic flexure. Thus far I am cancer free.

This is the second episode of this condition this year. The first episode resolved spontaneously last Spring.

Answered by Dr. V. N. S. Parinam (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It reminds me of scabies

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Night episodes of itching and swelling especially in the webs of fingers and hands could be because of scabies. It is a parasite that breaks the skin and survives under epithelium. It is active at night as it is cold. The small blister groups are charecteristic of scabies. In chronic scabies which is left untreated the body defense will take care. However in elderly individuals who have small defense are a typical candidate for chronic scabies.

I suggest you to immediately see a Dermatologist for Permithrin therapy for a month.

We can look at other causes if the scabies is ruled out first. I do think chemotherapy be a cause but only after scabies.

Hope this answers.

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