What should you know about a pea sized lump under the skin on a finger?

A lump beside a nail or on the finger pad may behave differently from one over a knuckle or close to a joint. A smooth, firm swelling near a joint can be related to deeper structures, while redness, warmth, tenderness, or pus suggests inflammation or infection. Repeated gripping, a small injury, or friction can make a lesion more noticeable. Skin lumps have multiple causes, and a finger lump cannot be diagnosed from size alone. A changing, crusted, or bleeding surface lesion needs a clinician's examination.

Notice whether the lump moves with the skin or with finger movement, whether the nail is changing, and whether bending or straightening is limited. Remove rings if swelling is developing. Protect the area from pressure and avoid cutting into it or trying to drain it. Photograph it and note any recent injury, bite, manicure, or splinter. Book an assessment if it persists, enlarges, recurs, or affects grip. The treatment depends on where the lump originates; a skin inflammation and a joint-related swelling are not managed in the same way.

Seek prompt care for spreading redness, warmth, pus, severe throbbing pain, fever, numbness, colour change, or a finger that becomes difficult to move. Urgent assessment is needed after significant trauma, if a ring cannot be removed, or if the fingertip becomes pale, blue, or unusually cold. Arrange routine review for a persistent, growing, bleeding, or crusted lump.

Is the lump arising from skin, tendon, joint, or nail tissue? Does finger movement change it? Would imaging or a follow-up check help? How should I protect the finger while it is being assessed?