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Mystery of King Charles's 'sausage fingers' unravelled: Doctors weigh in on worries about monarch's health

Reportedly, the King even made fun of the appearance of his fingers in the past. In a letter to a friend after the birth of Prince William, he referred to himself as 'sausage fingers'

LONDON, ENGLAND: Pictures of King Charles III have been doing rounds on the Internet ever since Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at her residence in Balmoral. The royal fans have sparked a debate on the Internet on the red and swollen fingers of the new king.
 
A doctor has weighed in on the debate revealing the possible health conditions King Charles might be suffering from. Swollen fingers are something he has suffered for years. He even pulled a joke on the same way back in 2012 calling them “sausage fingers,” as reported by the Daily Mail. A British doctor has hinted that water retention or simply old age could be the reason behind the red and swollen fingers of the King.
 
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What is the reason behind King Charles’ swollen fingers?

Dr Gareth Nye, Senior Lecturer at the University of Chester, in an interview with The Daily Star spoke about Charles’ condition saying, “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.” He added, “To see if this is the cause, pressing the swollen area for about 15 seconds would cause a depression in the area.” Dr Gareth Nye further shared, “Oedema is a common condition and mostly affects people over the age of 65 as the ability for fluid control is restricted.”
 
He added, “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.” According to him, fingers usually become stiff, painful, and swollen and although medication can help with the pain, the swelling can remain. “Uncommon causes may include high salt diet leading to fluid retention, certain medications can rarely lead to swelling as a side effect such as with blood pressure medications or steroid medications”, said Dr Gareth Nye. He, however, made it clear that it was not a sign of a major health issue and “is most likely a sign of his age."  

‘I'd never seen anything like it’

Social media users noticed the swollen fingers of King Charles. Speaking on the same, one said, “I heard someone mention about King Charles' hands and how they're concerned about his health too and wow I'd never seen anything like it.” Another posted, “Forgive me, but the nurse in me is worried about King Charles’s hands.”
 
The next one tweeted, “I know the next thing that may cause a stir especially after King Charles’ address at 6pm. His hands. He has a chronic illness. Dactylitis is severe inflammation of the finger and toe joints. The puffy nature of the inflammation can make your digits look like sausages.” Whereas, another added, “Why do King Charles' hands look like he ordered those anchor arms from SpongeBob?” And, one concluded, “Stop going on about Charles’ fat hands. Glad I’ve got a king with gout. Feels historic” adding a laughing emoticon in the end.  

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