Painful hard bumps at finger joints near the nails

I really don't know what's going on here.  I'm going to be 34 next month and I've been climbing my entire adult life.

In the past few years, I've noticed a few bumps raised on my fingers.  These bumps are on the last joint before the nails.  I believe it's called the distal interphalangeal joint.  These bumps are most prominent on my index and ring fingers, and they are on both hands.  The bumps are not dead center over the joints; they seem slightly offset towards the thumbs.

These bumps are tender, swollen, and painful when pressure is applied, such as if I blindly reach into a bag and rummage thru the contents trying to feel for something.  They usually don't get in the way too much when I climb because I don't climb cracks often, but sometimes, they become painful when I pull hard on an undercling hold.  I noticed a reduction in swelling earlier this year when I didn't climb for several weeks, so I suspect that this is climbing-related somehow.

Can anyone tell me what may be causing this painful swelling or what I might do about it?

I'd guess they are ganglion cysts, if I were a doctor. But a real doctor would look at it and give you a real diagnosis.

Frank, would you suggest seeing a general doctor, or do you think a specialist might be in a better position to make a diagnosis?  I did ask my family care doctor about this last year before the swelling got worse, and she didn't seem to have much to say about it; at the time, I had other health concerns on my mind.

Maybe heberden's nodes?  Seems to be a thing among climbers, myself included.  Though mine aren't painful and I've got them on my pinky finger as well, which is weird because that joint never really sees much stress.  Doc just kinda shrugged her shoulders at that.

Sounds very much like a problem I had.  If it's on the fingernail side of the joint, and looks sort of like this:

Then it could be a form of ganglion cyst called a mucous cyst and often associated with arthritis of the finger joints.  They are filled with a highly viscous fluid and can be drained, albeit with difficulty and a large bore needle, and they often come back.  Don't try to drain it yourself, as you can cause some real damage.  If it recurs after draining, the option is to have it removed surgically.  Would suggest you go to a hand surgeon/specialist vs GP.  My experience only - I'm not a doc!!!!

Daniel Langdon wrote:

Frank, would you suggest seeing a general doctor, or do you think a specialist might be in a better position to make a diagnosis?  I did ask my family care doctor about this last year before the swelling got worse, and she didn't seem to have much to say about it; at the time, I had other health concerns on my mind.

I think you're almost always better off seeing a specialist, but they are usually more expensive and more booked. A hand orthopedist seems appropriate.

Ernest W wrote:

Sounds very much like a problem I had.  If it's on the fingernail side of the joint, and looks sort of like this:

Then it could be a form of ganglion cyst called a mucous cyst and often associated with arthritis of the finger joints.  They are filled with a highly viscous fluid and can be drained, albeit with difficulty and a large bore needle, and they often come back.  Don't try to drain it yourself, as you can cause some real damage.  If it recurs after draining, the option is to have it removed surgically.  Would suggest you go to a hand surgeon/specialist vs GP.  My experience only - I'm not a doc!!!!

That looks just like all the pics in google images if you search for "ganglion mucous cyst finger"...

Healyje wrote:

That looks just like all the pics in google images if you search for "ganglion mucous cyst finger"...

Nope, that's my very own finger. Had it drained about 4 yrs ago and been fine ever since. 

Thanks for the responses.  I'm definitely going to get this seen by a doctor.