What Causes Pain And Swelling On The Fingers?

Several weeks ago, I started having pain in the bone of my right-hand finger (4th finger). About a week ago, the finger got visibly (although slightly) swollen (just the part closest to the hand). The severity varies, but it s continuous. Today, the pain is such that I can fill it all the way to the elbow. If I hold my hand to the light, I can see some white spot inside my skin throughout my hand. The pain is very similar to when you try to ice a area of your body with ice. Before it gets numb, you will feel the pain all the way to your bone. That s the way it hurts. I can use my hand to write and type. It would hurt if I try to cut something with a knife, though.