Felon Finger Infection- Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Felon Finger Infection?

Felon finger infection is a common finger infection. It is a painful condition caused by a bacterial infection that occurs at the soft pads or pulp of the fingertip. It results in a pus-filled infectious swelling on the fingertip. If left untreated, this infection can spread and cause serious complications.

What Are the Causes of Felon Finger Infection?

The causes of felon finger infection are discussed below.

• A piercing trauma, such as a cut, scrape, splinter, or puncture wound, which typically results from anything sharp and pointed object creating a small opening in the skin, is what most frequently causes a bacterial infection to invade the finger and cause a felon finger.

• There are opportunities for bacteria to develop and proliferate when the skin of the fingertip is punctured.

• Staphylococcus aureus is the most prevalent pathogen that causes felon finger infection. Additionally, the bacterial species Streptococcus may be the source of this infection.

• Untreated paronychia can potentially cause felon finger problems sometimes. Paronychia is an infection that frequently develops around the nail beds as a result of stress to the nails from nail-biting, manicures, or artificial nails.

What Are the Risk Factors of Felon Finger Infection?

Some conditions can make an individual more prone to developing a felon finger infection. These factors are called risk factors which are discussed below.

• Previous finger injury.

• Weak immunity which impairs an individual’s ability to fight infections.

• Pre-existing inflammation of fingertips.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Felon Finger Infection?

The signs and symptoms of felon infection are discussed below.

• Unusual redness and swelling at the fingertip.

• Swelling is firm on touching.

• Pain at the fingertip is throbbing in nature, which means it is recurring and quickly comes and goes away.

• Visible yellowish area of pus at the tip of the finger.

• The affected finger might feel numb in some cases.

In the early stages of felon finger infection, the fingertip appears red and might not accompany any other symptoms. However, later on, all the other symptoms gradually appear.

How Is a Felon Finger Infection Diagnosed?

A clinical examination can frequently be used to make the diagnosis. The affected finger is examined thoroughly, and it typically exhibits tense tissues, fluctuance (moving), redness, and swelling in that area. It is possible that the fingertip is painful to touch. The doctor takes note of any skeletal anomalies and checks for ischemia (inadequate blood supply) symptoms.

Patients are always asked for history, which includes questions related to fingertip swelling. For example, if there is a history of a foreign body penetration or recent injury to the finger. Imaging is done in case of foreign body penetration. In addition, imaging can also spot osteomyelitis (a bone disease), gas production in the tissues, and fractures, all of which may point to a different diagnosis.

To help direct antibiotic therapy, a gram stain and culture of any discharge or drainage are collected and sent to the laboratory for microscopic identification of the causative pathogen.

What Are the Other Infections That Look Similar to Felon Finger Infections?

Felon finger infections might be confused with other finger infections due to the same appearance of symptoms. These infections are:

• Cellulitis (a bacterial skin infection that causes swelling).

• Dermatomyositis (inflammation of muscle that results in skin rash).

• Fingertip injuries.

• Granuloma annulare (a skin condition characterized by tiny pink or purple bumps arranged in a ring pattern).

• Hematomas (collection of blood outside the blood vessel that results in a bruise) from pulse oximetry.

• Herpetic whitlow (finger infection caused by the herpes virus).

• Pyogenic granuloma (noncancerous skin lesions that appear as tiny, red, and raised bumps on the skin).

• Paronychia (a type of nail inflammation caused by trauma, irritation, or infection).

• Reiter syndrome (a kind of arthritis brought on by an infection).

How to Treat a Felon Finger Infection?

A felon finger is normally treated with antibiotics if diagnosed timely. The antibiotic course typically lasts seven to ten days and treats both staphylococcal and streptococcal infections. Cephalexin, Amoxicillin and Clavulanate, Trimethoprim and Sulfamethoxazole, and Clindamycin are a few potential antibiotics. A tetanus injection could be administered as a preventative strategy if the trauma caused by the foreign body was the root cause of the felon finger infection.

Abscess formation is very common in felon finger infections. An abscess is an extremely painful collection of pus, or it may be called a pus-filled pocket. When an abscess develops, incision and drainage are frequently necessary. The incision is typically performed on the side of the finger for deep abscesses. However, if the abscess is located closer to the skin's surface, a cut may be made down the middle of the finger pad. For healing to take place, gauze is often left in place for 24 to 48 hours following the incision and drainage and then changed every day. To make sure the felon finger infection is mending properly after treatment, follow-up appointments may be planned. In most cases, once drainage has taken place, antibiotics are not recommended.

How to Treat Felon Finger Infection at Home?

In some cases, if a felon finger infection is recognized early enough, it may be possible to treat it at home. There is a conservative approach that is considered to be the best way to treat the felon finger, which consists of soaking it in warm water and elevating it for about 10 to 15 minutes, three or four times a day. The finger can also be elevated by resting it above the level of the heart in order to achieve the same benefits. In addition to this, it is possible that a healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics that must be taken at home.

When to See Doctor?

If an individual feels severe pain and signs of inflammation like massive swelling, redness, and warmth, and if they have some underlying medical condition like diabetes or they are immunocompromised, then they should immediately see a doctor to prevent the complications.

What Are the Complications of Felon Finger Infection?

Felon finger infection can turn into a serious infection and may cause several complications if not treated at a time or left untreated. The complications are listed below.

• The infection may spread deeper and may infect the underlying bone, joint, or tendons.

• Osteomyelitis.

• Flexor tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendon of the finger).

• Necrosis (tissue death) of the fingertip.

Conclusion:

To conclude, felon finger infection is a common finger infection that can be prevented by simple methods, including basic hand hygiene and the use of safety gloves when working with wood or other potentially splinter-causing materials. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are key to good treatment outcomes for felon-finger infections.