Why are my hands independently behaving like they've been soaked in water?

April 9, 2007 7:06 PM

Just recently, my fingers and hands are suddenly going prune-like (shriveled and wrinkled at the ends), just as though I've had a long bath. When it happens, it happens for a few minutes at a time, and then they return to normal. I get a few episodes in an hour or so, then nothing for a few days. Oh, and it's mostly one hand at a time. The beginning and end of each episode seems quite short duration. While I can't exactly see the wrinkles develop or disappear, they appear or disappear within about two to three minutes. What gives?
posted by blue_wardrobe to health (8 comments total)

IANAD, so my first suggestion would be to consult a dermatologist. My first medically-uneducated guess would be that you're dehydrated, but that seems a little too reductive, given that the "prune-like-ness" of your fingers only lasts a couple of minutes. Are you perhaps touching a common item/object before the onset of symptoms occur? It may be an allergic reaction to something which only manifests itself for a short period after exposure.

This woman has experienced similar symptoms. Obligitory disclaimer: I do not suggest you take this as medical advice or information suggestive of your own condition.
posted by numinous at 8:13 PM on April 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

The skin on your hands gets pruney after a bath because the cells in the skin get hyper-hydrated. Dehydration would not do this.

If I had to guess, (and this is a complete guess) I would say that something is causing a shift in the osmotic pressure within the cells of the skin of your hand. This shift is causing them to absorb more water from your blood and expand. Since it only occurs in one hand, it's probably related to something you have touched.

I would also say that the oddness factor alone makes it worthy of seeing a real doctor about.
posted by 517 at 8:39 PM on April 9, 2007

It's not a standard manifestation, but I suppose it could be Raynaud's.
posted by IndigoRain at 9:08 PM on April 9, 2007

Go to a doctor. You need to see a doctor.
posted by Divine_Wino at 9:56 PM on April 9, 2007

For what it's worth, this happens to me, too. For me, the best I can think of is anxiety and the subsequent sweaty palms.
posted by Ruki at 10:56 PM on April 9, 2007

And if I had read numinous's link before I posted, I could have added that I also have mitral valve prolapse and dysautonomia in the form of inappropriate sinus tachycardia. So, that's weird.
posted by Ruki at 11:02 PM on April 9, 2007

Divine Wino is correct. There are a number of potentially innocent explanations, but anything that's visibly altering your body's ability to handle fluids is a sign that medical examination needs to be scheduled immediately.
posted by effugas at 3:42 AM on April 10, 2007

@IndigoRain: thanks for the thought. A number of the Raynaud's websites mention the possibility that a pinched nerve could be involved if it's not Raynaud's. I happen to have a pinched nerve above my shoulder blade on the primarily affect arm rear its ugly head today. Extremely painful, and I wonder if it's been getting irritated for a little while before I felt it.

I'll give it a few days of Aleve and see what happens. Then perhaps the doctor.
posted by blue_wardrobe at 5:13 PM on April 10, 2007