Extremely itchy and swollen pinky finger

I have itching and swelling in my right pinky finger and a little spot underneath my ring finger. I have had this reoccurring for the last year now. Ever since I broke my wrist this has occurred.  It intensely itches so badly to the point of crying. I have taken all the anti-itch creams there is on the market and not one has helped. I tried benadryl and it didn’t work either. The swelling is so bad I can't bend my finger. The only thing I can do is put ice directly on it for hours at a time. It starts with a little itch and then becomes worst and worst. There is no blistering. From start to finish it lasts week. The most painful swelling and itching last up to four days.  I have seen doctors and I was told it could be a number of things. I first got told it was Staph. So took the medicine and it came back months later. Then I was told it was herpes but the symptoms don’t match and there are no blisters. I do work at a coffee shop and am wondering if I burn myself without knowing, and then get the chemical cleaning supply in the burn. Do you think its weird the doctor will not take a skin scrap to find out what it is? Has anyone seen anything like this before? Please help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Such symptoms can be due to peripheral vascular disorder, neurodermatitis, peripheral neuropathy or Raynaud’s disease. Raynaud’s disease is a disease of the blood vessels in which blood can't get to the surface of the skin and the affected areas turn white and blue. You need to get a peripheral artery magnetic resonance angiogram done to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.