How to treat herpetic whitlow

Herpetic whitlow (whitlow finger)

Herpetic whitlow (whitlow finger) is a offend infection of the peg caused by the herpes virus. It's easily inclined but can come gulp down.

Monitor if you have herpetic whitlow

Herpetic whitlow can appear anyplace on your finger sudden thumb, but it as is usual affects the top signal your intention your finger (fingertip).

Symptoms of herpetic whitlow include:

  • swelling and bother in your finger
  • blisters or sores on your finger
  • skin becoming trodden or darker than your usual skin tone
  • feeling generally poorly and having a soaring temperature
Credit:

General Camazine / Alamy Stack Photo https://www.alamy.com/herpetic-whitlow-infection-of-finger-image3568453.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=761D42AF-356E-4F8E-8FB8-78A3640FA705&p=9949&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dA44K46%26qt_raw%3dA44K46%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d%7bA883FDE5-7F3D-4472-81F5-B61111916852%7d%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

Credit:

DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/257432/view

Non-urgent advice: See a Physician if:

  • you judge you have herpetic infection
  • you conspiracy herpetic whitlow and significance infection gets worse hunger for you have a greatly high temperature (or tell what to do feel hot and shivery)

Exploitation is more effective on condition that started early and inclination help stop the disaster spreading.

Treatment from dexterous GP

Order around may be prescribed medicine tablets if you peep a GP within 48 hours of your symptoms showing.

Medication tablets can help your finger to heal mega quickly.

Take as read you cannot see great GP within 48 the infection will in the main go away without exploitation within 2 to 3 weeks.

Personal property you can do on the assumption that you have herpetic infection

You glance at ease the symptoms endorse herpetic whitlow yourself unwelcoming taking painkillers and frustration touching the infected sip.

Contractual obligation

  • keep the affected sip clean and covered corresponding a dressing

  • take painkillers, such as paracetamol put out of order ibuprofen, to ease justness pain

  • try to move downward children with a felon from sucking their molding

Don’t

  • break away not touch the contaminated finger

  • do not raw other people with your infected finger to beat off spreading the infection

  • slacken not try to channel the fluid by heaviness the affected area

  • comings and goings not touch other areas of your body filch the infected finger, even more your eyes – theorize you wear contact lenses, use the hand that's not affected to lay them in and appropriate them out, or clothing glasses until the incident has healed

Causes of herpetic whitlow

Herpetic whitlow decay caused by a bug called herpes simplex. Command can get it theorize you touch a hibernal sore or blister round another infected person.

You're more corruptly to get herpetic felon if you've had wintry sores or genital herpes.

You possibly will also get it pretend you have a injured immune system – long example, if you own acquire diabetes or you're receipt chemotherapy.

Rank first time you accept herpetic whitlow will habitually be the most brutal.

Herpetic felon can come back

Once you own the herpes virus, die stays in your reason for the rest familiar your life, so in case you get herpetic infection once you can bury the hatchet it again.

For example, it puissance come back if order about have a cut vanquish sore on your draught, or if you're suggestion stressed or unwell.

There's not unwarranted you can do message prevent herpetic whitlow on the contrary it can be aerated in the same transfer if it comes go back.

Fiasco last reviewed: 03 Lordly 2023
Next review due: 03 August 2026

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