Doctor reveals why King Charles III’s ‘sausage fingers’ are so swollen and red

By James On Sep 12, 2022

A doctor has revealed the possible health conditions the new King Charles III may be suffering from after royal fans noticed his ‘swollen fingers’.

The death of the King’s 96-year-old mother on Friday brought to light Her Majesty’s ailing health, with the Queen suffering increasing fatigue in her later years.

But now the attention has turned to her 73-year-old heir and his red and swollen hands, with pictures being shared across social media since Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Swollen fingers is something the now-King has suffered from for years, with the monarch himself even jokingly calling them his ‘sausage fingers’ back in 2012 while on tour in Australia after a long flight.

He has been pictured with swollen hands and feet many times, noticeably after long periods spent flying or travelling to hot countries.

A British doctor has since explained that several painful health conditions could be responsible, as well as the King potentially being prone to water retention.

Senior lecturer at the UK’s University of Chester Dr Gareth Nye said that several painful health conditions could be responsible for King Charles III’s swollen fingers

‘Oedema is a condition where the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, normally the legs and ankles but also in the fingers, which causes them to swell,’ Dr Gareth Nye told the Daily Star .

‘To see if this is the cause, pressing the swollen area for about 15 seconds would cause a depression in the area.’

Women are more prone to get oedema than men because their a female hormone, progesterone, tends to cause the condition, leaving some women with puffy ankles just before their period.

Older people can develop the disorder if they sit for long periods of time.

Another potential reason for the ‘sausage fingers’ is arthritis.

‘Oedema is a condition where the body starts to retain fluids in the limbs, normally the legs and ankles but also in the fingers, which causes them to swell,’ Dr Nye explained

‘Arthritis – another common condition in the over 60s. It often affects three main areas in the hand – the thumb joint or either joints in the fingers,’ he said.

‘Fingers usually become stiff, painful and swollen and although medication can help with the pain, the swelling can remain.’

Other causes could be a high salt diet or specific medications like those made for high blood pressure.

On Friday a doctor pointed to the Queen’s frail appearance at her final royal appointment as a sign that she was nearing the last days of her life.

If neither of these apply to the royal it could be a high salt diet or specific medications like those made for high blood pressure (pictured the now King Charles with his mother back in June)

Dr Deb Cohen-Jones, who lives in Perth, Western Australia, said photos of Queen Elizabeth II’s hands as she posed alongside the UK’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Tuesday was possibly a sign of declining health.

‘It looks like there is possibly evidence of peripheral vascular disease. It’s a blood circulation disorder that causes the blood vessels outside of your heart and brain to narrow, block, or spasm,’ she told FEMAIL.

‘It can sometimes result in heart failure. If your peripheral circulation is that poor, organs aren’t receiving a good blood supply. It can be a sign of multi organ failure.’

An Australian doctor has pointed to the Queen’s frail appearance at her final royal appointment as a sign she was going to die within days

Dr Deb Cohen-Jones said photos of Queen Elizabeth II’s purple-tinted hands (pictured) as she posed alongside the UK’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss two days ago is a sign of declining health

What is peripheral vascular disease?

Peripheral vascular disease is a slow and progressive circulation disorder.

Narrowing, blockage, or spasms in a blood vessel can cause PVD.

PVD may affect any blood vessel outside of the heart including the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels.

Organs supplied by these vessels, such as the brain, and legs, may not get enough blood flow for proper function. However, the legs and feet are most commonly affected.

Peripheral vascular disease is also called peripheral arterial disease.

Some of the well-known symptoms include intermittent pain, which may present as cramps or muscle fatigue, ‘coldness’ of the affected body part, numbness and pins and needles.

The late Queen’s hands were ‘mottled’ which usually occurs when the heart is no longer able to pump blood effectively.

The blood pressure slowly drops and blood flow throughout the body slows, causing extremities to begin to feel cold to the touch, Crossroads Hospice reported.

Sadly, Dr Deb confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II ‘would have been in a lot of pain’ if she suffered from the chronic disease because ‘it looks quite severe’

This official announcement from Buckingham Palace recorded that the Queen has carried out the historic audience