Prince Charles sausage fingers: NHS advice on swollen hands and feet condition

Prince Charles, 73, and Camilla, 74, are currently on a tour of Ireland with a packed schedule.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall haven't been short of activities from visiting County Tyrone in Northern Ireland to spending time at Superstars Café charity in Cookstown.

Much like Kate and William's Caribbean tour, Charles and Camilla's Ireland visit is part of the celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

And those keeping up with the tour haven't failed to notice Charles' swollen fingers and toes.


They were first spotted on another tour, when Charles enjoyed a rickshaw ride during a tour of New Delhi.

In one photograph, his fingers were noticeably bulbous and red and the same applied to his feet which were seen while he walked barefoot at the Bangla Sahib Gurdwara Sikh Temple.

Swelling in the hands and feet is not uncommon and there are a number of reasons why it could occur.

So why are his fingers and toes swollen so?

Well it could well be due to the heat or effects of a long-haul flight and Charles has even joked in the past about having "sausage fingers" after a flight to Australia in 2012.

The condition Oedema is the name given to swelling that is caused by excess fluid trapped in your body's tissue.

According to the NHS, this is typically caused by a number of reasons, including staying in the same position for too long, eating too much salty food, being pregnant or taking certain medicines – such as some blood pressure medicines, contraceptive pills, antidepressants and steroids.

There are many other reasons why Oedema might be present, and the NHS cites them here.

How to help the problem

If the swelling occurs in your digits much like Prince Charles, there are number of ways to help.

The NHS says lying down and using pillows to raise the swollen areas is your best bet.

You can also drink plenty of water, try raising your hand above your head while you open and close your fist, get some gentle exercise, like walking, to improve your blood flow and massage your arm or hand towards your body using firm but not painful pressure.

There have been a number of times when Prince Charles' hands were seen to be swollen, including while pulling a pint at the Prince of Wales pub in South London.

You can find out about Oedema here

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