Right index finger is itchy & ''swollen'' (wider than left index) for the past few months & hydocortisone creams barely work to halt the nonstop itch.

Finger swelling: You probably need to have someone look at the area that is bothering you. If you have been using the cortisone cream daily for such a long time, unfortunately, it can have a paradoxical effect: it can cause it's own skin irritation, rather than helping the problem. Stop using it. Use moisturizer (thick one) 4-5x/day. Use an antihistamine to stop the itching (like loratadine). If no better, see Dr

Swollen R index: Based on your description of what is going on, I think that this may be related to some sort of repetitive use or strain injury from working so hard with your hands all the time. Tendonitis, which is an inflammation around the tendons in the fingers, is a relatively common problem and could definitely give the symptoms you are describing. You will require a Dr. an MRI, a Doppler of arterial flow,