Health
Ask a doctor: 'Why are my hands swelling and what should I do about it?'
If you notice your hands are swelling, it could be both uncomfortable and unsettling, but in most instances the cause could be situational — caused by factors such as temperature, exercise, diet, medications you’re taking or certain health conditions.
You may notice your rings aren’t fitting correctly, among other things.
To find out more about the condition, Fox News Digital asked two doctors what causes hand swelling and what can be done to treat it.
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Here’s what you need to know.
What causes hand swelling?
Most commonly, hand swelling is due to fluid buildup in the soft tissue.
“Soft tissue swelling, or edema, is not always a cause for concern, and can occur with weather changes or fluid shifts in the body,” said Amy Kehl, M.D., RhMSUS, a board-certified rheumatologist with Saint John’s Physician Partners in Santa Monica, California.
Fluid shifts can occur with too much salt intake — which can lead to increased hand or foot swelling, experts say. (Getty Images)
Most patients observe some degree of soft tissue swelling or edema with hot weather and with exercise, according to Kehl.
Fluid shifts can also occur with too much salt intake, she noted, which can lead to increased hand or foot swelling, she said.
“Certain medications can contribute to soft tissue swelling in the hands or feet.”
“Additionally, certain medications, such as blood pressure medications like amlodipine; steroids such as Prednisone or Medrol; or hormone treatments, can contribute to soft tissue swelling in the hands or feet,” Kehl added.
What are the more serious causes of hand swelling?
If a person notices an increase in hand or foot swelling that is not reversible or intermittent — or if the hand swelling is also accompanied by leg swelling with marked elevations in blood pressure or shortness of breath — medical attention should be sought, Kehl said.
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A person “should ensure they have had proper medical evaluation to assess both kidney and cardiac function, as hand or foot swelling can be an indicator of kidney dysfunction, protein loss in the urine, or cardiac dysfunction,” she cautioned.
“Soft tissue swelling or edema is not always a cause for concern, and can occur with weather changes or fluid shifts in the body,” said one medical professional. But in some cases, patients should consult with their doctors to get to the root of the issue. (iStock)
“Your doctor may order tests to assess your kidney function, urine studies or, in some cases, an echocardiogram.”
Diuretics may be needed to remove the excess fluid if it is related to cardiac dysfunction, she said.
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Another possible cause of fluid build-up is lymphedema, which can occur if the patient has had surgery, such as a lymph node resection for breast cancer treatment, according to Kehl.
“This may be treated with local lymphatic drainage treatments, arm elevation, compression sleeves and exercise,” the doctor said.
“Patients should seek medical attention right away if new and asymmetric swelling and pain develops.”
Individuals should also be cognizant of other symptoms.
“Certainly, if the hand swelling is associated with joint pains, this may indicate an underlying inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis,” Kehl told Fox News Digital. “Again, an examination may be warranted to distinguish soft tissue swelling from articular or joint swelling.”
If a patient notices hand swelling in association with face or lip swelling, this warrants immediate medical attention, said one health professional. (iStock)
Patients should also be aware if the swelling is asymmetric.
“This can be a sign of something more serious, such as a blood clot, and patients should seek medical attention right away if new and asymmetric swelling and pain develops,” Kehl warned.
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If a patient notices hand swelling in association with facial or lip swelling, this warrants immediate medical attention, she said.
What are some ways to reduce hand swelling?
If the hand swelling is deemed to be due to “benign causes,” this is typically reversible, Kehl noted.
“For instance, to reduce hand swelling after exercising, elevating the hands and performing arm circles may be helpful to increase the blood flow to the hands,” she said.
To help alleviate swelling, movement can help. “Stretch both arms up, move your hands and wrists, and make fists several times,” said one doctor. (iStock)
Similarly, it may be necessary to review your medication list with your medical provider to identify any pharmaceutical culprits.
“Typically, with discontinuation of the offending medication, the swelling should subside,” Kehl said.
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Diet should also be monitored.
“Staying well-hydrated can help keep fluids circulating.”
Maintaining the proper balance of salt and water is important, and reducing salt intake and following a low-sodium diet may be advisable for some patients, the expert noted.
Lifestyle changes, such as movement, can also be incorporated to help alleviate the swelling.
Maintaining a proper balance of salt and water is important, as is reducing salt intake and following a low-sodium diet. (iStock)
“Stretch both arms up, move your hands and wrists, and make fists several times,” Beth Oller, M.D., a family physician with Rooks County Health Center in Stockton, Kansas, told Fox News Digital.
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Running your hands under cool water may help, she said, and taking off jewelry or constricting clothes while exercising can also help prevent swelling due to temperature changes.
“Staying well-hydrated can also help keep fluids circulating,” Oller added.
Pregnancy is another common cause of swelling. In that case, Oller said that moving the extremities can help.
“If swelling in pregnancy occurs suddenly or is extreme, talk to your physician immediately, as this can be a symptom of elevated blood pressure,” she also said.
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Fitness influencer and trainer Mark Langowski, known on social media as @bodybymark, hosted a pushup and plank competition in New York City this week, where he urged the public to get up and get moving.
On his platform of nearly two million Instagram followers, Langowski asks fit people to share their workout routines. He was able to meet more in-shape New Yorkers at his Washington Square Park meet-up, in partnership with Oikos yogurt on May 12.
A male and a female winner who achieved the most pushups or held a plank the longest were gifted $500 each.
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Besides the cash prize, the inspiration was to get more people moving, Langowski shared during an interview with Fox News Digital.
Fitness influencer and trainer Mark Langowski, known on social media as @bodybymark, hosted a pushup and plank competition in New York City this week, where he urged the public to get up and get moving. (Kelly McGreal/Fox News Digital)
“[It’s] a way to encourage strength and overall fitness in New York City and all around the country,” he said.
“We got together and we’re doing a plank competition, pushup competition. We had a guy just do 111 pushups. We’re just getting people moving.”
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Langowski said the attributes of a great competitor include strength, humility and confidence.
“The people who … did the most, they didn’t say they were going to do the most,” he said. “And there were other people who said they could do 150, and they did 70.”
Having a bit of humility helps make a good competitor, the trainer added.
@BodybyMark films the pushup competition’s male winner during a meet-up in Washington Square Park in New York City on May 12, 2026. (Kelly McGreal/Fox News Digital)
Pushups and planks mark a “good general baseline” for measuring fitness level, according to Langowski. Some other basics include pull-ups, squats and endurance challenges, like running a mile — the kind of basics included in an elementary school fitness assessment.
For those who haven’t yet mastered these basics but want to get in better shape, Langowski shared some advice on how to get started.
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“Get with a trainer or someone who knows how to progress you,” he advised. “A lot of people are like, ‘I can’t do a pushup, so I’m never going to do one.’ That’s not the way.”
Langowski recommends starting with pushups on your knees or against a wall, then gradually progressing to standard pushups by moving onto your toes and lowering yourself fully to the ground before pushing back up.
The trainer recommends starting with pushups on your knees or against a wall, then gradually progressing to standard pushups by moving onto your toes and lowering yourself fully to the ground before pushing back up. (Milan Markovic/iStock)
“You’ll be surprised after you do that for a couple weeks, a couple months, a couple years – you’re going to be able to do a lot,” he said. “Nobody was born being able to do 111 pushups. They put in the work and they started somewhere.”
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The trainer noted that in addition to practicing, it’s just as important to give the body rest and to support muscle growth with proper protein intake and an overall healthy diet.
But perhaps the most crucial step toward getting in shape, according to Langowski, is having the motivation to get started
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“I know that’s easy for me to say – I’ve been in fitness and been relatively fit most of my life,” he said. “And I know a lot of people are sitting on the couch and they either feel sorry for themselves or they’re going through a tough time … You’ve just got to get out there.”
The trainer noted that in addition to practicing, it’s just as important to give the body rest and to support muscle growth with proper protein intake and an overall healthy diet. (iStock)
The trainer suggested starting with a simple walk — even just around the block — with no gym equipment required.
“You don’t need an expensive gym membership to get in good shape,” he said. “Most of the people that I stop on the street, they don’t have a gym membership at all. They do it in their living room.”
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“And that’s where you can do the exercises I mentioned – the squats, the lunges, the pushups,” Langowski went on.
“So, I would encourage people just to start, but also to get some friends or get a trainer, someone to support you and do it safely.”
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Researchers have shed fresh light on how a simple, centuries-old Chinese practice could be almost as effective as some medications in lowering blood pressure.
Baduanjin is a form of exercise that’s been widely practiced in China for at least 800 years. It involves a series of eight slow movements, gentle breathing and meditation — and typically takes only about 10 minutes to complete.
In a clinical trial, researchers studied 216 adults age 40 and older with Stage 1 hypertension. Over the course of a year, participants performed either baduanjin, self-directed exercise or brisk walking.
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Researchers found that participants who practiced baduanjin five times per week experienced lower blood pressure within three months.
The results were “comparable to reductions seen with some first-line medications,” they wrote in their report published by the American College of Cardiology.
High blood pressure, if left untreated, can lead to heart attack and stroke. Now, researchers have shed new light on how a simple, centuries-old Chinese practice could be almost as effective as some medications in lowering blood pressure. (andreswd/Getty Images)
Baduanjin also showed “comparable results and safety profile to brisk walking at one year,” the researchers further reported.
“Given its simplicity, safety and ease at which one can maintain long-term adherence, baduanjin can be implemented as an effective, accessible and scalable lifestyle intervention for individuals trying to reduce their [blood pressure],” said the senior author of the study, Jing Li, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Matthew Saybolt, medical director of the Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center’s Structural Heart Disease Program, said he was surprised by an aspect of the study’s results.
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“I was biased and expected that higher intensity exercise like brisk walking would have resulted in greater improvement in blood pressure than baduanjin, but the effects were the same,” Saybolt told Fox News Digital. (He was not affiliated with the study.)
Dr. Antony Chu, clinical assistant professor at Brown University’s Warren Alpert School of Medicine, was born and raised in the U.S. to immigrant parents — his mother is from Hong Kong and his father is from Taiwan.
Practitioners of baduanjin, such as those in this class, incorporate slow movements with mindful breathing. (Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images)
Having spent a lot of summers in Asia, Chu told Fox News he experienced “the best of both worlds” concerning Eastern and Western medicine, including exposure to the benefits of baduanjin.
“[These researchers] are taking a lot of things that have been commonplace for many, many centuries or millennia and then just applying mathematical modeling and statistical analysis to sort of give [them] some credibility,” Chu said.
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“Western medicine is reactionary,” Chu also said.
He compared the philosophies to a house on fire: Eastern medicine practitioners are more invested in preventing the fire, whereas Western medicine is more focused on “all those things that it would need to do to try to put that fire out,” he said, sharing his opinion.
A new study shows how people with high blood pressure can reduce it without medicine. (FG Trade/Getty Images)
Left untreated, high blood pressure has dangers that are “too numerous to count,” Saybolt said. The risks include increased risks of stroke, heart attack, atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure.
Baduanjin, Chu said, is effective at reducing blood pressure, which he likened to “the water pressure and the pipes of your house,” by calming the nervous system and reducing stress.
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“People are totally stressed out,” Chu said. “And stress reduction is huge.”
Saybolt said the study offers hope for people with hypertension — “and that hope doesn’t immediately have to include pharmaceuticals.”
Baduanjin is easily incorporated into most lifestyles and can be done without equipment almost anywhere and at any time. (Getty Images)
Saybolt added that he’s always advocated for lifestyle modifications, including healthy diet and exercise, “as key therapies for treatment of diseases and to improve longevity.”
With the baduanjin data, Saybold said he is now “more optimistic than ever,” as “we have evidence that a very low impact exercise with mindfulness can yield a benefit.”
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Chu said that translating overwhelming medical guidelines is a big part of his job.
“It’s not to just tell somebody, ‘Hey, your blood pressure’s too high, pick a pill,” he said.
Baduanjin has been a preventative health practice the Chinese have been incorporating into their routines for centuries. (Xinhua News Agency/Getty Images)
“Lifestyle changes” can be daunting for many people, he added.
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“They always make it sound like you have to live for seven years in Tibet on a mountain somewhere, and it’s really not that.”
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His simple translation for the baduanjin study is this: “Close the door in your office and just say, ‘I can’t be bothered for 10 minutes,’ and just focus on breathing slowly and moving your arms or legs around.”
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