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[Dierdre]

I noticed many years ago that sometimes a vein would burst in my finger, it wouldn't take much to cause this either. I googled this and was surprised at the amount of posts on the net, mainly women asking this same question, why this happens? Some had been to the doctor but had vague replies or shown no concern.  I've had this intermittent for years, sometimes going many months and then like today mowing the lawn and suddenly feeling the burning pain and then the blue swelling in the inside of my finger. The bruise only lasts a couple of days but its painful when this happens. Is it an age thing or hormonal I wonder, any one else get this?

[Foxylady]

Hi Dierdre, I've had this (usually middle finger), not often but a couple of times, always thought it strange!

[jaypo]

Me too Deirdre,had that a few times😳

[linz57]

Deirdre, are you on any medication ?I have had this in the past when I was on an anti anxiety pill. I was checked over by a vascular consultant and he said all looked well. I didn't get a definite answer from him so  I then started searching in books in my local library and found a small reference to this being connected to prolonged use of certain medications. After stopping the pills for a few weeks, the bursting veins also stopped.
My mum also gets lots of bursting and bruising and she has been on blood pressure medication for over 25 years. She is 84 though so I can't honestly say whether hers is connected or whether it's an age thing. I do know mine  was though.

[Dierdre]

No, I'm not on any medication except for Vagifem and Ovestin but I've had this happening years before I started using local oestrogen just 4 years ago, so doubt that's connected. I've never been on any medication and only  occasionally take paracetamol if I have a cold. It's strange as it happens so randomly. I'm not overly worried but curious to know the cause and its sounds quite common.

[Saffy]

My first post on this forum was to reply to someone who had something that sounded similar with their feet  . I'd been suffering with burst veins in my fingers and Googled out of curiosity. I'll go and find my answer and post it here:

"Could it be Achenbach syndrome? It usually occurs in the hands (mostly at the base of fingers) predominantly in women. I have had several occurrences characterised by sudden intense itching followed by sharp pain at the base of my middle finger and then swelling of the vein. Immediate application of ice helps but it always seems to result in an ugly bruise for a few days. Out of the blue I had one on the sole of my foot too which felt like I had stood on a sharp stone.

I did a lot of Googling and discovered that it is supposedly rare but there are thousands of people out there reporting similar symptoms online so I think it is just under reported TBH. I have never been checked out at the doctors but it has been suggested that it may indicate clotting issues. However most of the discussions I've seen are from perfectly healthy people who have no underlying problems at all."

It sounds very familiar doesn't it? Strangely I've just realised I've not had it happen since I started HRT  .

[Dierdre]

It sounds exactly the same, the itch, the pain and then the swelling and I agree it's not rare. I'll Google this and have a read but I think you've solved the mystery, thank you Saffy.

[Wrensong]

Oh, not sure whether what happens with me is the same as I don't get any itching with it, but my finger & toe joints bruise excessively for almost no reason & have done for around a decade or more.  Just opening a door with a lever handle or shifting weight in the shower can be enough to cause sudden intense bee sting pain, immediate swelling with a cushion-like sensation, then disproportionate bruising that can be widespread.  Last time this happened I was simply standing on our very thick bath mat when I felt the tell-tale sting & sure enough on lifting my foot to look at the sole, there was a bruise spreading from around the joint at the base of my little toe, which with me is a common site for it.  I am underweight so its' not excessive pressure on feet that causes it, though also flat-footed so maybe there is more pressure than there should be!   That doesn't explain the same thing happening in finger joints though.  Does this sound like what happens with you, ladies?  Not sure because I get no itching with it.

The bruising is often so widespread on my foot that OH once photographed it so I could show GP, but so much else going on with me that I never bothered!  I have mentioned it to several consultants at first appointments where they want history & a comprehensive overview, but no-one has been concerned about it.  I thought it probably indicated a clotting issue - I eat a lot of fruit & veg including berries that are high in salicylates & have oily fish, nuts & olive oil in my diet, but as I've eaten that way for decades & the bruising thing only began in peri I thought perhaps associated with the decline in collagen.  Incidentally, OH gets what looks like the same thing with his finger joints but not in feet & not as often as me.  So maybe just age-related?

[Foxylady]

Hi Wrensong, I also get random bruising, seems to come in threes. Was being investigated originally for another immune issue (already underactive thyroid) but other than one random test which was initially positive then negative when repeated I was discharged. Not sure what the cause is, didn't really get an answer. I'd never thought about it being hormonal but it could well be as it does tend to be that for a period of time I have nothing then as I said three random bruises (in different areas of the body and hours/day apart) will appear without me having any recollection of injury and in unusual places (upper arm, near armpit).

[Wrensong]

Foxylady - it seems to be finger & toe joints that bruise easily with me, rather than random bruises appearing all over, though they do say we all bruise more easily with age.  I am hypothyroid like you & it's said that Thyroxine can affect Warfarin (blood thinner) if the level is not right, so I wonder whether the likes of you & I will just tend to bruise more easily because replacing thyroid hormone can never work quite as well as having a healthy thyroid.

[Dierdre]

I've only had it happen once under my middle toe, I thought there was a spider or bee in my shoe as it did feel like a sting, then the swelling, bruising etc, but other than that one occasion it's always just the fingers, on any hand but never the thumb.

[Wrensong]

The attached link is interesting, though not a scientific paper.  Seems to suggest the decline in collagen at menopause is a factor.  Also lack of protective fat.  Both would explain my easy bruising issues!

https://www.healthcentral.com/article/menopausal-women-face-increased-tendency-to-bruise-easily

[Dierdre]

I found this one, still vague on causes etc but seems nothing to worry about.

http://brownemblog.com/blog-1/2018/12/10/clinical-image-of-the-month-achenbachs-syndrome

[Wrensong]

Yes Deidre - the photo is how my fingers look when this happens.  I have had Raynaud's for decades but the bruising is nothing like a Raynaud's episode, though I did wonder whether Raynaud's predisposes to the bruising, as blood vessels are over-reactive in RP & once or twice the bruising in my feet has happened in a hot shower after being out in the cold. 

Holding a wire supermarket shopping basket was enough to cause the finger bruising once & the swelling happened so quickly I couldn't get my ring off in time & it became stuck, making me afraid the blood supply would be cut off.  Had to force the ring off in a warm bath once home, as the swelling persisted.  Finger didn't drop off! 

I don't think article mentions toes, so not sure it's what I get.  Interesting though.  Thank you for posting it.

[racjen]

Yes, I had something very similar for a few months after starting HRT; went to the GP and he suggested Achenbach's syndrome. But apparently oestrogen itself can make you more likely to bruise. This from the web: 'Estrogen is also a vasodilator, meaning it keeps blood vessels open, which could increase bruising. Dilated blood vessels mean more blood leaking out before clotting.' Mine has cleaard up now, so maybe the body just needs to adjust?