5 Possible Causes of a Purple Finger

A purple finger typically indicates a lack of oxygenated blood reaching the area due to conditions such as Raynaud’s syndrome or vasospasm. Recognizing the signs can help you take proactive steps. Talk with your healthcare provider if symptoms persist and suggest a health concern.

Vasospasm

A vasospasm occurs when blood vessels tighten, reducing blood flow because the arteries become narrower.

Vasospasms can happen anywhere in the body. In the arms or legs, signs may include:

• Fingers or toes turning purple or blue due to an inadequate supply of oxygenated blood
• Sharp pain, often described as burning or stinging, in the affected area

Treatment

Treatment for vasospasm in the fingers focuses on preventing blood vessel constriction. This includes:

• Avoiding exposure to cold
• Keeping pressure off the fingers
• Managing emotional stress
• Quitting smoking

Raynaud’s Syndrome

Raynaud’s syndrome, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, affects blood vessels, making them overreact to cold. More women than men experience this.

During a Raynaud’s syndrome episode, the body doesn’t send enough blood to the hands and feet. In severe cases, fingers can turn blue or purple due to decreased blood flow and lack of oxygen.

Stress and cold weather can trigger an episode. During these episodes, your hands and feet may feel cold or numb, and this can last from a few minutes to over an hour. Symptoms are usually mild

There are two forms of this condition:

• Primary Raynaud’s syndrome occurs for an unknown reason. It is the more common form of this disorder. Symptoms usually begin in people between 15 and 25 years old.
• Secondary Raynaud’s syndrome is linked to underlying health issues like lupus and scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease. It’s more serious than the primary form, with symptoms typically starting after age 35. 

Treatment

While there’s no cure for Raynaud’s syndrome, lifestyle changes and medications can reduce the severity and frequency of attacks in both primary and secondary forms. These measures can also help prevent tissue loss in fingers or toes. 

Lifestyle Changes

There are steps you can take to avoid or limit Raynaud’s episodes:

• Stay warm: It’s especially important to keep your feet and hands warm and dry. In cold weather, wear socks, hats, and gloves or mittens. Layer with loose clothing. If you will be outside for a long time, keep hand warmers in your pockets. Use insulated glasses to protect your hands when drinking cold beverages. Put on gloves before handling frozen or refrigerated foods.
• Avoid rapidly changing temperatures and damp climates: An extreme change in temperature can cause an attack. So can damp, rainy weather.
• Limit or avoid air conditioning: Air conditioning can lead to an attack.
• Don’t smoke: The nicotine in cigarettes lowers skin temperature, which may lead to an attack.
• Be careful with medications: Certain drugs cause the blood vessels to constrict. Beta-blockers, caffeine, narcotics, some migraine medications, and some chemotherapy drugs can cause an attack. Be sure to speak to your healthcare provider before starting any new medicines. Do not stop any drugs you already take without their guidance.
• Control stress: Relaxation techniques can help because stress can cause an attack.
• Exercise regularly: Exercise can improve your circulation and overall health. It can also increase your energy level, control weight, and improve sleep quality.

Medications and Surgery

Vasodilators, which widen the blood vessels, are the drugs most often used to treat Raynaud’s.

First-line treatment usually involves calcium channel blockers such as Procardia (nifedipine). Minipress (prazosin) is a high blood pressure drug sometimes prescribed for people with Raynaud’s.

Surgery may be needed in severe cases to restore blood flow to the affected areas.

Achenbach Syndrome

Achenbach syndrome can cause purple fingers. People with this rare condition have occasional pain and swelling in one or more fingers; the precise cause is unknown. Fortunately, although Achenbach syndrome causes discomfort, it is not dangerous.

A hematoma (a bruise with the blood pooling outside of broken blood vessels) will follow. This causes the color change in the affected finger. There are often warning signs a few minutes before the color change begins, including pain, tingling, and itching.

Treatment

Bleeding beneath the skin typically stops spontaneously or after applying pressure to the affected finger. The abnormal purple color usually resolves without treatment within three to seven days, leaving no permanent damage.

Chilblains

Chilblains is a rare, painful condition that causes red or purple bumps or patches on the fingers. It may also occur on the toes and, less commonly, the cheeks and ears. These bumps may burn or itch intensely and may become swollen or blistered.

Chilblains is a weather-related disorder caused by blood vessels that don’t react normally after exposure to cold and damp. Symptoms usually appear a few hours after exposure.

Chilblains mostly affects women, though the reasons remain unknown. 

Treatment

Because cold temperatures trigger chilblains, it can be prevented by keeping hands or other affected areas dry and warm. Additionally, keeping up core body temperature and not smoking are also helpful.

These steps are usually enough to keep chilblains under control. If not, a healthcare provider can prescribe Procardia XL (nifedipine) or pentoxifylline, drugs that work to improve blood flow.

Buerger’s Disease

Buerger’s disease normally affects the small- and medium-sized nerves, arteries, and veins. It causes blood vessels to swell and narrow, which constricts blood flow. This puts you at risk for blood clots that affect the hands and feet.

One of the symptoms of Buerger’s disease is decreased blood flow to fingers and toes in cold weather, which can lead to a purple or blue finger.

Other symptoms include:

• Coldness, numbness, tingling, or burning
• Pain in the arms, hands, legs, and feet, even at rest
• Painful muscle cramps, swelling (edema), and skin ulcers
• Inflamed veins and symptoms of Raynaud’s syndrome
• Gangrene, or tissue death, which may lead to toe or finger amputation (severe cases)

Healthcare providers aren’t sure what causes Buerger’s disease. Smoking is a common thread among people who have it.

Treatment

There is no cure for Buerger’s disease, but symptoms are often reduced or resolved when someone quits smoking. It is the most effective treatment to stem the effects of the disease.

Other treatments with varying success include:

• Drugs that improve blood flow and reduce blood clot risk
• Pain medicines
• Arm and leg compression
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Surgery to control pain and increase blood flow