The world watched with admiration as Charles III was crowned King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. However, his unusually fat fingers also attracted concerns from a decent number of people who watched the royal event.
While the uninformed person might consider the King’s fat fingers an evidence of good living, experts at the Cleveland Clinic say it might be a medical condition that the King is living with.
Indeed, the Scottish Daily Express states that then Prince Charles reportedly laughed at his swollen fingers back in 2012, suggesting that the King has been living with the condition for at least 11 years.
Experts say that the condition appears to be what is known as dactylitis in medicine.
Scientists warn that arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are the most common causes of dactylitis, and that the condition is caused by infections that need to be treated without delay in order to prevent them from spreading.
‘Sausage fingers’ are called dactylitis in the medical world, causing severe swelling that affects fingers and toes.
“This condition arises due to inflammation and can be a result of arthritis, multiple bacterial infections or even tuberculosis.
“Other possibilities include high salt levels, allergic reactions, medicinal side effects, injury and autoimmune diseases,” experts say.
The severe swelling affects fingers or toes (your digits) and it is called “sausage fingers” because of the round, puffed up shape it gives your digits.
Causes of sausage digits include high salt levels, allergic reactions, medicinal side effects, injury and autoimmune diseases
Doctors warn that the swelling might cause other symptoms, including pain, a feeling of warmth or heat, discoloration and difficulty moving or bending the fingers the way you usually can.
Describing dactylitis as “almost always a symptom of another condition,” doctors say infections that can cause dactylitis include:
- Lyme disease
- Syphilis
- Tuberculosis
- Flexor tenosynovitis
- Blistering distal dactylitis
Bottom line
If your fingers suddenly start ‘gaining weight,’ it is important to get the swelling diagnosed right away. So, see your doctor without wasting time.
