Many physical diseases are associated with externally visible changes in the natural anatomical makeup of the skin, bones or soft tissues. This is also true for the so-called drumstick fingers (also drumstick fingers), which are caused by a specific blood disorder.
What is drumstick finger?
Drumstick fingers are a clear indication of a circle of disease associated with chronic hypoxemia. These diseases are characterized by an undersupply of oxygen to the blood. As a result, thickenings are formed on the end limbs of the fingers, which include not only the bones, but also various soft tissues. The drumstick fingers are also called Digitus hippocraticus in medical professions or, in colloquial expression, piston fingers. In most causative diseases against the conspicuous drumstick fingers are accompanied by so-called clock glass fingernails.
Causes
The causes of distended drumstick fingers are currently clearly established. Hypoxemia is inherent in all of these conditions. These diseases affect either the lungs or the heart and contribute to drumstick fingers. Emphysema of the lungs, tumors of the bronchi, chronic obstructive disease of the lungs, and acute interstitial pneumonia are responsible for hypoxemia in the blood and tissues, resulting in the formation of drumstick fingers. The heart is also involved in providing oxygen to the organism. A congenital heart defect with a reduction in the pumping capacity of the heart muscle, pulmonary-induced high blood pressure and endocarditis can also cause drumstick fingers. Diseases of the digestive system such as a loss of function of the liver, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease equally condition drumstick fingers. Drumstick fingers can also occur in cystic fibrosis.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Drumstick fingers are characterized by a typical appearance. The symptoms here consist mainly of swollen-looking fingers. Here, the soft tissue changes are mainly due to newly formed capillaries. Drumstick fingers do not cause any discomfort, so they are painless and do not hinder the movement of the fingers. Numbness may occasionally occur, but this is more likely due to causative disease. The fingers appear conspicuously thick, which makes the symptom quickly noticeable to the affected person. Sometimes the fingers have a bluish discoloration or appear pinkish bloated. Drumstick fingers are particularly often accompanied by the so-called clock glass nails. The changes in the fingers are themselves a symptom of various diseases. In almost all cases, they are triggered by oxygen deficiency in the tissue, which in turn can be traced back to lung or heart disease. In rare cases, drumstick fingers also occur on one side only, which may be due to an aneurysm, inflammation, or certain types of tumors. Other symptoms of drumstick fingers depend on the underlying disease. They include, for example, breathing problems, cardiac arrhythmias, general weakness, circulatory problems and muscle weakness. Overall, the so-called piston fingers are considered an easily recognized and serious symptom. They almost always have an underlying cause that is serious and requires treatment.
Diagnosis and course
If drumstick fingers become apparent, a wide-ranging diagnostic workup is required if the history does not provide sufficiently solid findings. Diagnosis of drumstick fingers refers to the determination of specific laboratory values of the blood and serum, X-rays, an echocardiography, the control of lung function, an examination of the bronchi, a so-called sputum diagnosis and the examination of the digestive tract. Characteristic of the course or pathogenesis of drumstick fingers is that a lack of oxygen in the blood, and thus in the tissues, causes a physical reaction that leads to the thickened finger end links of drumstick fingers. The undersupply of oxygen contributes to an increase in the volume of bone on the fingers. This is exacerbated in drumstick fingers by additional swelling. The fingertips are areas where the tissue is subject to permanent stress.In order to be able to correspond to this, an additional bone tissue builds up, which is represented by the peculiar looking drumstick fingers. Another explanation of the development of drumstick fingers is based on the fact that hypoxia stimulates the production of a special growth substance. This substance contributes to an acceleration of a new formation of capillary vessels in order to achieve a better oxygen supply to the tissue. Drumstick fingers are thus formed by more capillaries and an increase in collagenous connective tissue at the fingertips. Due to these processes, the finger end links thicken and clock glass nails may additionally develop as accompanying symptoms of the presented diseases. Most often, drumstick fingers are coupled with cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes).
When should you see a doctor?
In the case of drumstick fingers, a doctor should be consulted in any case. Even though the symptoms may not lead to restrictions in everyday life for the patient, they usually always point to diseases of the heart or lungs and for this reason must be examined and treated in any case. If the drumbeat fingers are not treated, the patient may die of heart or lung problems in the worst case. Therefore, if there is a permanent swelling of the fingers, which occurs without any particular reason, a doctor should always be consulted. Blue discoloration of the fingers or extremities may also indicate complaints of the heart or lungs. These complaints must be immediately examined by a medical professional. If there is shortness of breath or a twinge in the chest, the person must call an ambulance or go directly to the hospital. Shortness of breath or a heart attack may continue to cause unconsciousness. In the worst case, drumbeat fingers or the underlying disease will lead to the death of the patient.
Complications
Because of drumstick fingers, affected individuals suffer from a number of different medical conditions. In most cases, the fingers themselves are significantly enlarged and swollen, resulting primarily in decreased aesthetics. Many patients feel uncomfortable with this and suffer from reduced self-esteem or even inferiority complexes. Furthermore, the entire hand can also be thickened in the process, so that there can be significant limitations in ordinary everyday activities. Drumstick fingers usually occur in conjunction with heart or circulatory problems, so that patients are always in need of an examination. In the worst case, cardiac complaints remain undetected, resulting in the death of the patient. Pain is also not uncommon in drumstick fingers, negatively affecting the patient’s daily life and quality of life. The treatment of this disease is carried out depending on the underlying disease. For this reason, no general prediction can be made about the further course of the disease. However, if the underlying disease is successfully treated, the drumstick fingers will also be cured. Possibly, the life expectancy of the patient is also reduced.
Treatment and therapy
On the subject of treatment of drumstick fingers, there is only the indication that the pre-existing conditions must be recognized and treated. If this leads to a better oxygen supply in the tissues again, the drumstick fingers will go away by themselves. In the treatment of drumstick fingers, rapid diagnosis and prompt and efficient treatment of lung, heart, liver, stomach or Crohn’s disease is necessary.
Prevention
To prevent drumstick fingers, the underlying diseases must be avoided. Patients cannot exert a direct influence on prophylaxis. One prophylaxis that does not directly affect the expression of drumstick fingers is influenza vaccination. In addition, if drumstick fingers and watch glass nails are likely to develop, nicotine consumption should be avoided. The already limited oxygen distribution in the blood due to existing diseases should not be additionally strained by nicotine. This may prevent the formation of drumstick fingers.
Aftercare
Drumstick fingers regress to normal finger shape as soon as the causative conditions are treated.The process takes several weeks to months, depending on the severity of the cause. Such causes are always an organic disease. After their successful therapy, regular controls prevent a recurrence of the symptoms. During the basic therapy, the treating physician determines periods for the control. Bronchoscopies, echocariographies and other examinations are repeated approximately every three months, or every six months in the case of mild symptoms. This is the only way to prevent recurrence, including other complaints, or to eliminate them in time. If drumstick fingers recur, it is important to act quickly. This is because a flare-up of old complaints leads to a recurrence of symptoms. Regular follow-up against drumstick fingers requires discipline. The possible causes, however, make this adherence to schedules worth every effort. After all, the change in the hands indicates far-reaching health problems. Only with medical help can causes be clarified and symptoms remedied. In the long term, adherence to doctor-prescribed diets and dietary instructions will help prevent the re-development of drumstick fingers. Predominantly, cancerous changes lead to these manifestations. Affected people nevertheless also ask for an examination for intestinal problems. Such can be a consequence of earlier treated complaints in the aftercare.
This is what you can do yourself
Drumstick fingers are a phenomenon that reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood. This causes the deformation of fingers and often fingernails (clock glass fingernails). The disease underlying the drumstick fingers must be found and treated, otherwise it can lead to the death of the patient. It is therefore imperative that those affected see their family doctor or an internist as soon as possible. If the underlying disease is cured or at least alleviated, the symptom of drumstick fingers will also improve. It is possible that drumstick fingers cause pain. For their treatment, nightly applications of pain gel have proven effective. For this purpose, those affected apply a cream containing ibuprofen or diclofenac to their fingers in the evening and first put on plastic gloves and then normal finger gloves. With the heat that now develops, the pain-relieving active ingredient of the ointment or cream can penetrate deeply and relieve the pain. If the patient suffers from the altered appearance of his hands or the reduced quality of life due to the underlying disease, psychotherapeutic intervention or – depending on requirements – long-term psychological support is recommended. Joining a self-help group can also help those affected. At the same time, patients should exercise according to their capabilities. This includes walking, because outdoor exercise in particular activates the body’s own immune system and thus helps the body to help itself.
