Medical reason behind King Charles' 'sausage fingers' and NHS advice for swollen hands

dailyrecord.co.uk:

King Charles will visit Scotland today as he marks his ascension to the throne with a series of events for a 'second Coronation' celebration.While the monarch is known for his duty to the throne, past environmental activism and years of charitable work, one thing concerned royal fans have spotted is his swollen hands - or so-called 'sausage fingers'.The king's fingers have regularly been in the spotlight after photos taken during the Coronation in May, and also Prince Philip's funeral, showed they were swollen.The sovereign has previously joked about his hands and in 2012, after getting off a long haul flight to Australia, people questioned if there was a medical reason behind the swelling.The NHS has listed advice for anyone concerned about the condition, while GP Chun Tang, Medical Director at Pall Mall Medical in Manchester, has given insight into the potential cause.Dr Tang told the Daily Mail: "Often puffy fingers are a symptom of water retention which can be caused by numerous health conditions."This condition arises due to inflammation and can be a result of arthritis, multiple bacterial infections or even TB."Other possibilities include high salt levels, allergic reactions, medicinal side effects, injury and autoimmune disease."The technical term for the King's 'sausage fingers' is dactylitis – which is used to describe severe swelling that affects fingers and toes.

The King has never confirmed the cause of his swollen fingers.The NHS website says that a build up of fluid in the arms and hands can be caused by anything from staying in the same position for too long to eating too much salty food.Often it is the side effect of medicines but it can also be a sign of problems with the kidney, liver or heart.The NHS