Everything you need to know about whitlow and its treatment

WHITLOW

Withlow is a very painful infectious viral disease of the thumb and finger tips. Rarely, it infects the toes and nail cuticles. It's self -limiting and it's of two types, Herpetic Whitlow and Melanotic .

Herpetic Whitlow is caused by the HERPETIC SIMPLE VIRUS(HSV). HSV is of two types, type 1 and type 2. Herpetic is caused when a wounded and exposed skin comes in contact with the body fluids contaminated with HSV. It may also be caused by Bacteria fingertip infection.

RISK FACTORS:

⦁    HIV

⦁    Nail biting 

⦁    Wounded finger with exposed skin surface

⦁    career in healthcare profession.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION:

⦁    Tingling

⦁    Itchy feeling 

⦁    Burning sensation

⦁    Blisters

⦁    Redness war with swelling

⦁    Fever 

⦁    Lymphangitis

⦁    Blisters and sores on other parts of the body

⦁    Enlarged lymph nodes on the arm 

⦁    Lack of consciousness .

Although, there is no known cure for the disease and the disease is a self-limiting one therefore, it usually takes two to three weeks to resolve back to normal.

However, certain measures may be undertaken to improve the symptoms ,this includes :

⦁    Topical anaesthetics to reduce pain and itching 

⦁    Antiviral medications 

⦁    Analgesics to reduce pain and fever 

⦁    Electrotherapy

COMPLICATIONS

Untreated whitlow can come with serious complications which include:

⦁    Encephalitis

⦁    Meningitis

⦁    Tenosynovitis 

⦁    Pain and discomfort

⦁    Spread of infections 

⦁    Skin ulcerations and infections .

Home remedies for whitlow 

Many people have tried several home remedies for whitlow but the most efficient one of them is to dip in the infected area into methylated spirit about four times a day.

Try this routine for about three days and see it dry off.