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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is Discoloration And Numbness Of The Right Ring Finger A Serious Concern?

Hi, my father is age 86 and 2-3 days ago his entire right - ring finger (next to pinkie) was reddish-purple and cold to the touch, looked slightly swollen, circulation issue possibly. Said he would discuss with his doctor at his appt in a week. Family felt he should not wait. He said he slept on it wrong, yet the discoloration is concerning to us. He has various medical issues.
Mon, 15 Oct 2018
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hi,

If his finger was under constant pressure during the entire duration of his sleep, it could disrupt the blood supply to that area. Another condition that can mimic symptoms you are describing is called Raynaud's disease in which arterioles are hypersensitive to cold and few other stimuli. The usual presentation is that these arterioles constrict when exposed to cold and that area becomes pale, after a while, these arterioles dilate creating reddish-purple discoloration.

If this is happening too frequently, I would suggest you visit your doctor and discuss this with him. The isolated episode should not warrant a doctor's consultation.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Saralkumar R. Desai,
General & Family Physician
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Is Discoloration And Numbness Of The Right Ring Finger A Serious Concern?

Hi, If his finger was under constant pressure during the entire duration of his sleep, it could disrupt the blood supply to that area. Another condition that can mimic symptoms you are describing is called Raynaud s disease in which arterioles are hypersensitive to cold and few other stimuli. The usual presentation is that these arterioles constrict when exposed to cold and that area becomes pale, after a while, these arterioles dilate creating reddish-purple discoloration. If this is happening too frequently, I would suggest you visit your doctor and discuss this with him. The isolated episode should not warrant a doctor s consultation. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Saralkumar R. Desai, General & Family Physician