DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST
for Hand swelling

Why: to determine if acute of chronic.

Why: determine if swelling is localized or generalized, if it involves the joints of the hand or soft tissue.

Why: may suggest soft tissue injury or fracture.

Why: may suggest the generalized swelling that may occur in pregnancy or preeclampsia.

Why: may suggest haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Why: e.g. osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout.

Why: e.g. systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, kidney disease, hypothyroidism, Acromegaly.

Why: e.g. Axillary clearance of lymph nodes due to breast cancer may result in arm and hand lymphoedema (swelling) especially if axillary radiotherapy is also given.

Why: e.g. exposure to some medications may cause nephrotic syndrome such as penicillin or gold.

Why: e.g. reactions to many allergens such as poison ivy, pollens, bee stings and cows milk may be associated with nephrotic syndrome.

Why: e.g. people with nephrotic syndrome may have a family history of allergy or kidney disease.

Why: certain occupations requiring repetitive motions are at risk of causing work-induced overuse disorders e.g. process and meat workers are at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome due to rapid finger and wrist movement; manual labour causes muscular growth of the hands.

Why: e.g. African trypanosomiasis follows the bite of the tsetse fly which may be found in West and Central Africa and may cause hand swelling.

Why: may suggest osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus erythematosus, psoriatic arthritis.

Why: e.g. paresthesia or "pins and needles" affecting the pulps of the thumb, index , middle and half of the ring finger. These symptoms are usually noticed after, rather than during, rapid use of the hands. There may also be pain, which may radiate up as far as the shoulder, from the inside of the wrist.

Why: e.g. nausea, headache, swelling of hands and feet, flashing lights in vision, right upper abdominal pain.

Why: e.g. frothy urine, swelling of feet, hands, abdomen, face and sometimes genitals.

Why: e.g. disorder of infancy or childhood that usually follows a febrile illness, especially gastroenteritis or an upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms include skin pallor, reduced urine output and swelling.

Why: e.g. thickening of the skin, swelling of the hands, tightening of the skin of the fingers leading to tapering, difficulty with swallowing, Raynaud's phenomenon, palpable nodules due to calcium deposition in the soft tissue of the fingers.

Why: e.g. husky voice, tiredness, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, loss of hair, puffy face and eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome.

Why: e.g. swelling of the entire upper arm and hand, aching sensation with a feeling of tightness, often most sever in the axilla, arm and hand may be blue in colour, visible distended veins over the shoulder and front of the chest.