A finger typically turns purple when blood is not circulating well to the hand. Blood is bright red when it is moving the proper amount of oxygen through the body. Without an adequate amount of oxygen, blood turns dark and color changes—including a change to a purple tone—follow.
Cyanosis is when your skin, lips and/or nails turn a bluish tone. It occurs when your blood lacks the oxygen it needs to reach the different tissues in your body.
Peripheral cyanosis is when the hands, fingertips, or feet turn blue because they are not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. Possible causes include Raynaud's disease, cardiovascular problems and hypothermia. All organs and tissues need oxygen to function.
Achenbach's syndrome, also known as paroxysmal finger haematoma, is a rare condition that results in spontaneous bruising and pain in one or more fingers.
This disease is often seen on the volar surface of fingers. Blue-colored finger and sudden onset pain are the most common symptoms. No morbidity and mortality have been reported in this syndrome.
What causes Achenbach syndrome? Achenbach syndrome is a subcutaneous bruise probably due to minor fragility of capillaries or a small vein in the palmar skin. Preceding minor trauma may be recalled in 30% of cases such as sweeping, handwashing of clothing, or cycling.
Achenbach's syndrome is a benign skin manifestation with an unknown etiology. No specific treatment is required for this condition, and the skin lesions oftentimes recover spontaneously. Patients need to be reassured about the benign nature of the disease to avoid unnecessary investigations and prevent anxiety.
Bruises occur when small blood vessels under your skin tear or rupture, most often from a twist, bump, or fall. Blood leaks into tissues under the skin and causes a black-and-blue colour that may become purplish black, reddish blue, or yellowish green as the bruise heals. Rest and home treatment can help you heal.
Point to Remember: Achenbach syndrome (paroxysmal finger hematoma) is a benign entity with an alarming presentation of pain, swelling, and ecchymosis.
Achenbach's syndrome is an uncommon condition in which patients describe a sudden, painful, and alarming discoloration of one or more fingers of the hand.
When purple finger occurs, it's a sign you're not getting enough oxygenated blood to that or perhaps other areas of the body. If it persists, especially after warming the hands, or if it appears with other concerning symptoms, seek a medical evaluation.
Most bruises aren't serious and will go away on their own within 2 to 4 weeks.
Blue skin and lips is usually caused by low blood oxygen levels or poor circulation. It can be a sign of a serious problem. Call 999 or go to your nearest emergency department immediately if you notice an adult or child suddenly turning blue.
What Causes Purple Hands? When the blood vessels in your extremities contract due to cold exposure, blood-flow to certain areas of the body (usually the fingers or toes) is drastically reduced. When this happens, your hands can start to turn purple due to a restricted oxygen supply.
Some heart defects cause major problems right after birth. The main symptom of cyanosis is a bluish color of the lips, fingers, and toes that is caused by the low oxygen content in the blood.
It's a term to describe what happens when a blood vessel is blocked, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching it. For those with hand ischemia, an inadequate supply of blood to the hands causes the fingers to become painfully cold, numb, and pale—or blueish in color.
Vascular insufficiency is often characterized by pain, numbness, cold intolerance, swelling around the blood vessels, and discoloration of fingertips, as well as the formation of ulcers on the hand that do not heal in a normal timeframe, if they heal at all.
Raynaud's disease causes smaller arteries that supply blood flow to the skin to narrow in response to cold or stress. The affected body parts, usually fingers and toes, might turn white then blue.
Seek medical attention right away for any of the following: The finger is bent and you can't straighten it. The skin is cut open and bone is exposed. The injury involves the palm or any of the joints, such as a finger or the wrist.
Conclusions: The exact etiology and pathophysiology of Achenbach's syndrome remain unclear. It is assumed that SARS-CoV-2 infection could be the triggering factor in the pathophysiological mechanism of paroxysmal finger hematoma.
Achenbach syndrome, also known as “painful blue finger” or “paroxysmal finger hematoma,” is a rare clinical condition, which results in the sudden onset of bruising along with burning pain, mostly on the volar aspects of fingers.
Paroxysmal finger hematoma, also known as Achenbach syndrome, is a benign, self-limiting condition that predominantly affects middle-aged women. It is characterized by recurrent spontaneous subcutaneous bleeding in the fingers, typically on the palmar surface, mainly around the proximal interphalangeal joint creases.
Achenbach's syndrome is a vascular disorder of the hands and feet. It is of unknown etiology and has a benign course. Because of its low prevalence, available literature is limited, and most publications are case reports.