Signs You May Have Dupuytren’s Contracture Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Living With Dupuytren s ContractureDupuytren's Contracture 6 Signs You May Have Dupuytren s Contracture A bump underneath the skin of your palm or stiffness in your fingers could be pointing to this hand condition. By Jessica MigalaMedically Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MDReviewed: March 22, 2021Medically ReviewedIn Dupuytren’s contracture, one or more fingers are pulled toward the palm.iStockMost people have never heard of Dupuytren’s contracture, which is an abnormal thickening of the tissue in the hand, but it’s not a rare condition. It’s estimated to affect 5 percent of people in the United States and is three to 10 times more common in those of European descent, notes the U.S. National Library of Medicine. In fact, in some European countries, up to 36 percent of the population have the condition, according to an article published in July 2019 in European Journal of Human Genetics. Dupuytren’s is a disorder in which connective tissue in the hand shortens and thickens. Over time, the fibrous layer of tissue (called fascia) in the area underneath the skin in the palm and fingers develops into thick, ropelike cords that can then contract, pulling one or more fingers inward, toward the palm, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The affected fingers cannot straighten completely, which can impact your ability to perform routine tasks, such as grasping objects, putting on gloves, or putting your hands in your pockets. The condition typically develops slowly over a period of years, according to the AAOS, and while some people with Dupuytren’s contracture may only have the bumps underneath the skin, most experience worsening symptoms that can result in impaired function and mobility of the fingers without treatment. “Eventually, patients have a difficult time straightening their fingers,” says Daniel Osei, MD, a hand and upper extremity orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Doctors aren’t sure exactly what causes Dupuytren’s, but there seems to be a genetic component since it tends to run in families, according to the AAOS. What’s more, Dupuytren’s is far more common in older people, with cases usually diagnosed after age 50, and in men, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dupuytren’s risk factors may include smoking, alcoholism, diabetes, or a nutritional deficiency. Signs of Dupuytren s Contracture Here are six signs you may notice if you have Dupuytren’s contracture.You feel a bump in your palm. A bump or a nodule in the palm is usually the first symptom people notice, according to hand surgeon Alejandro Badia, MD, an orthopedic hand surgeon at the Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Florida, near Miami. This is a sign that the palmar fascia, or connective tissue in your palm, is becoming diseased, he explains. “This almost always occurs on the ulnar (pinky side) of the hand,” Dr. Badia adds. He notes that patients often come in because they’re worried that the bump may be a cancerous tumor, but in Dupuytren’s contracture, the growth is benign. At this early stage, Dupuytren’s usually does not need to be treated, because it may or may not get worse.You can’t open your hand to perform everyday tasks. One complaint Badia frequently hears from his patients is that when they wash their face, they poke themselves in the eye. “This is the result of not being able to open your hand as you need to,” he says. The disease can impact any finger but most often affects the ring finger and pinky.You can no longer open your hand completely. Another sign of Dupuytren’s is when you go to rest your hand on a table, you may notice that your palm no longer lays completely flat, because fingers are beginning to pull inward.Your hand is tender and itchy. Dupuytren’s is often not painful at all. But according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, about one in four people with the condition report tenderness, burning, itching, or pressure when trying to straighten fingers, because of increased inflammation in the hand.Your hand doesn’t fit into gloves. Another sign of Dupuytren’s is that you have a tough time putting your fingers into gloves. “Because of a finger bend, you might find it difficult to straighten your finger to get a glove on,” says Dr. Osei. Similarly, when you go to put your hands in your pockets, four fingers might go in just fine, but one may get caught on the pocket.You’re having trouble with mobility. Fortunately, the condition doesn’t usually affect the ability to grip objects or make a fist, says Osei, but you may notice that you have a decreased range of motion in your fingers and hand. If you play golf or tennis, you may find that you can’t hold the tennis racket or golf club the way you used to. Why Early Diagnosis and Treatment Is Beneficial for Dupuytren s Contracture If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to get checked out early so your doctor can confirm whether you have Dupuytren’s and rule out other conditions. These include trigger finger, which is a problem with flexor tendons where a finger can get stuck in a bent position, and rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause a boutonniere or swan neck deformity of the fingers, according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand). Getting the correct diagnosis as early as possible can lead to treatment working more effectively. “When people haven’t heard of Dupuytren’s, they can’t recognize when it happens,” says Osei. “That leads to delays of people coming into the office. We find that the earlier you recognize it and treat it appropriately, the better outcomes patients have.” Moreover, a Dupuytren’s contracture diagnosis can help you be aware of related conditions. For example, people with Dupuytren’s have a greater risk of developing other connective tissue diseases, including Garrod’s pads (nodules in the knuckles), Ledderhose disease (nodules in the soles of the feet), frozen shoulder (scar tissue and loss of fluid in the shoulder joint), or Peyronie’s disease (the development of scar tissue in the penis), according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. More in Dupuytren' s Contracture Are You a Candidate for Nonsurgical Treatment for Dupuytren s Contracture How Is Dupuytren s Contracture Treated Living With Dupuytren s ContractureNEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Healthy Skin Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. 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