Whitlow - Symptoms - Better Medicine

What are the symptoms of whitlow?

Symptoms of whitlow primarily affect the fingers, but other general body symptoms may accompany your finger symptoms and may indicate a severe infection.

Finger symptoms of whitlow

A whitlow usually causes symptoms on your fingers including:

Burning feeling
Development of small bumps or blisters
Itchy feeling
Redness, warmth or swelling
Tingling or other unusual sensations in the hands

General symptoms of whitlow

In addition to the finger symptoms of whitlow, a herpes simplex virus infection may cause other symptoms in your body. At times, any of these symptoms can be severe:

Blisters or sores at other sites on the body
Enlarged lymph nodes in arms (near the elbow or underarm)
Fever
Red streaks on the arms (lymphangitis)

Symptoms that might indicate a serious condition

Rarely, whitlow may lead to a serious infection that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have whitlow along with symptoms including:

Confusion or loss of consciousness for even a brief moment
High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)

INTRODUCTION

What is a whitlow?

A whitlow is a painful infection on the fingers caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is also known as herpetic whitlow.... Read more about whitlow introduction

CAUSES

What causes a whitlow?

Whitlow is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is more common and is often contracted during childhood. It is usually associated with cold sores and blisters on the lips, mouth or face. HSV-2 is slightly less common. It is primarily transmitted sexually and usually causes sores in the genital area. However, both types can occur in either location.... Read more about whitlow causes

TREATMENTS

How is whitlow treated?

In many cases, a whitlow infection will heal without treatment after two to three weeks. Although there is no treatment that will eliminate herpes simplex virus from your body, your health care provider may suggest medications to improve the symptoms of whitlow.... Read more about whitlow treatments