raised red bumps on side of finger

I have some raised red bumps on the sides of my fingers next to my joints.  They start out looking slightly like an insect bite or small hard blister, then they dry up and get very hard and peel a little.  After they peel, they are gone for a few days and then come back.  They itch only every once in a while, and only seem to hurt when I'm bending my fingers.  Please help.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Since when have you noticed these symptoms? What work do you do? Do people living/ working with you have similar lesions? Do you handle gloves or wear gloves, etc?

This could be scabies, dermatitis, allergic reactions, urticaria or allergic reactions.

'Scabies is frequently misdiagnosed as intense pruritus (itching of healthy skin) before papular eruptions form. Upon initial pruritus the burrows appear as small, barely noticeable bumps on the hands and may be slightly shiny and dark in color rather than red. Initially the itching may not exactly correlate to the location of these bumps.

Generally diagnosis is made by finding burrows, which often may be difficult because they are scarce, because they are obscured by scratch marks, If burrows are not found in the primary areas known to be affected, the entire skin surface of the body should be examined.

The suspicious area can be rubbed with ink from a fountain pen or alternately a topical tetracycline solution which will glow under a special light. The surface is then wiped off with an alcohol pad; if the person is infected with scabies, the characteristic zigzag or S pattern of the burrow across the skin will appear.

When a suspected burrow is found, diagnosis may be confirmed by microscopy of surface scrapings, which are placed on a slide in glycerol, mineral oil or immersion in oil and covered with a coverslip. '

You could read more about this at the following links -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies

and

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/scabies/factsht_scabies.htm

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Regards.

[Megan08]

Thank you for your response.  I reviewed the information you provided on scabies, but I don't think that is what I have.  These areas don't really itch very much at all, and they look different than the pictures provided.  From what I've read about scabies, they are extremely itchy.  

I work in an office setting, my husband and baby don't have any of the same symptoms.  I don't wear gloves and I first noticed these symptoms about a month or two ago.  Although at that time it wasn't as bad.  The bumps are only on a couple of my fingers.  My first and middle fingers on both handes.  They are worse on my right hand.  And they are only adjacent to my middle and lower finger joints/knuckles.   They don't appear anywhere else on my hands or body.  

When the raised bumps go down the skin is very hard and dry in that area and a little sore.  They are pink/red in nature and kind of yellow when they dry out.  Are there any additional details I can provide that would help?  

Thanks,
Megan

[fyoder]

are the bumps filled with a puss?  are they spreading?

[Megan08]

I've posted a picture to my profile if that helps.  I appreciate your time.

[Megan08]

Hi fyoder, I'm not sure if they are filled with puss as they've never wept, but they seem to be.  They also seem to be spreading as I first noticed one probably a month or two ago and thought it was an insect bite of some kind.  It went away and then came back.  Since then, its moved to two more fingers, but only on the sides of my fingers and adjacent to my knucles.

[fyoder]

Hey.  The reason why I'm asking is that I seem to be having similar bumps on my hands, I've posted a comment and have had no responses.  Mine seem to have moved over to my other hand.  I've been wondering if it is from an insect or something as they started when I started clearing out weeds from my backyard, and it's been about a month or so.
Thanks for responding, maybe we can keep each other posted as to what we learn:)

[Amy7632]

I have been having these symptoms myself for about two to three months.

The time that it was the worst, the outside of my index finger on my left hand was covered in bumps and it was very itchy, and my middle finger on that hand was swollen and sore at the joint.  I noticed it after a morning of intense deep cleaning my house, so I wonder if it is an allergic reaction to the cleaners I use.  I have seasonal allergies.  I've had a few episodes since then, and it's now on my right index finger near the first joint, but it's never as bad as that day.

Most times it doesn't itch, and it's only a tiny bit tender.  Mine don't dry up and get hard, they seem to just disappear.

[apt7709]

i have recently had the same thing on my fingers i and it is very hard to figure out what it is. also as amy7632 said that she had been cleaning her house it may been a chemical and i use lots of chemicals in between  cleaning my house and yard work also another anomaly i have see a in all 4 case's now is that it a cures and  on the middle finger  and then moves  to ether on the index ,or the ring finger on min tho it only itches about an hr after i get out of the shower or late at night so hopefully this has been some help to y'all if there is another anomaly that accures  we all 4 might have the same thing and might be getting it from an allergic reaction from a house cleaning that we are not use to using

[lhk327]

I have the same bumps, and was looking for some answers when I stumbled upon this thread.  I have had these bumps on my fingers and sometimes my feet for years.  However, I am beginning to realize that it only occurs a few days before my period is due to arrive.  I am wondering if this is hormonal?

[Jep10]

I have had the same problem, they are not extreme lumps, just small one dotted around the knucles?? sort of a pinky skin colour?  It starts of on one finger with one or two and they do look like insect bites and can itch a little, then they begin to appear on other fingers, mainly on the knuckles. My hands also seem to become dryer than usual. I went to my doctor and they told me it is just a form of Excma, go to the doctors and they will prescribe you with a steroid cream which will help. My doctor told me the pain or feeling of your fingers blistering are common with the exma (eczema), thats why your experencing the pain when you bend your fingers, i have had the same too. It is meant to be brought on by stress or a change in hormones... and comes and goes as it pleases (which is not very often) If you are having extreme lumping on your fingers then this is obviously somthing else more serious.... either way go to your gp!

[elephants]

I too have noticed these blister like bumps on my fingers - middle finger and the next one over to the right. and that makes sense now. I was on sprintec 28, and stopped because  i was gaining weight - and i think since i have stopped taking the birth control i have these small hard blisters on the sides of my fingers that are kind of itchy.
and on my feet too... they itch worse on my feet and tried to apply anti itch cream.

[PLCH]

Hi there
I also get spots on my fingers.  Previously they were always on the side of my middle finger and I would only get one or two.  Today I noticed that, as well as having one on each middle finger, I have a couple coming up just by my nails on two of my other fingers.  I have been getting them on the middle finger for about a year and today is the first time they have appeared on the other fingers.  They do feel sore to the touch as if there is a prickle or splinter in them.  They never burst or get large and do not weep.  I would love to know what they are and what causes them.  Please keep me informed.
thanks
Paulette

[jackie5757]

hi i have had the same thing. i went to the doctors and they said they were chilblains but i could not have anything for them as the cream would have lowered my blood pressure and i already have very low blood pressure. i have made another appointment with the doctor for tomorrow so i will let u know as i am unsure whether the diagnosis was correct that was last year.

jackie