Hands are very important for a person. You can do a variety of finger work. However, when joint problems begin, some difficulties arise. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to perform a normal movement, let alone the most refined work with small details. Of course, this affects your quality of life, so it is important to monitor your health. But what to do if your finger joints already hurt? The causes and treatment of this condition will depend on many factors. The age of the patient plays an important role. Naturally, people after 40 are more susceptible to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children can complain of joint pain. What causes it? Let's find out.
Finger joints hurt: causes
Your joints won't get hurt so easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that such a symptom is directly related to injuries and some diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenosing ligamentitis.
- Arthrosis.
- Gout.
- Bursitis.
- Osteomyelitis.
Of course, these are not all the reasons that can cause pain in the finger joint. The most common ones are presented above. So let's get to know them in more detail.
Arthritis
Does your finger joint hurt? What to do in this situation? Of course, the first thing you need to do is consult a doctor. The fact is that this symptom can be caused by a simple injury or a rather serious disease that requires specific treatment. The sooner you start it, the easier it will be to achieve a positive result.
Most people of retirement age begin to experience joint pain. They usually develop arthritis. The inflammatory process can manifest itself in acute or chronic form. It is worth paying attention to the fact that arthritis affects not only the joints of the fingers, but also others. A person suffering from this disease feels quite sharp pain. They don't even stop at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. However, in the latter, the disease appears much less frequent. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are often diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. To date this species has not been fully studied. But its consequences are quite serious. Some children not only have difficulty moving their fingers, but may also remain disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by improper functioning of the immune system. Children under 16 are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis is different in nature. Caused by infectious and allergic diseases. The danger of this type is that without treatment the acute form becomes chronic. Such a person will be constrained in movements and will constantly suffer from pain.
In no case should treatment be carried out independently, since it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the reasons that provoked the disease. The first thing you need to do is visit a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe treatment.
Here are the measures taken by doctors if the joints of the fingers hurt:
- How to treat a patient if he is diagnosed with an infectious disease? In most cases antibiotics are used.
- To relieve inflammation, the patient is prescribed drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop destructive processes.
- Gymnastic exercises are prescribed, even in the swimming pool.
- Diet.
Arthrosis
If you are wondering why your finger joints hurt, there may be several reasons for this condition. One of them is a disease such as arthrosis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilaginous tissue. This happens sequentially. Initially, the person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity and rather long. However, after a certain period of time, their character becomes more intense. The pain also occurs at night. This indicates that the disease is starting to progress.
For people who suffer from chronic osteoarthritis and severe pain in the thumb joint, doctors diagnose the disease as "rhizarthrosis. "The disease has three stages of development. It can be triggered by several reasons. They can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, dysplasia of the articular joint is diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also appears due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If treatment is not started on time, this threatens not only the destruction of the cartilage, but also the joint ligaments and all nearby bone structures.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis, of course, is pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may also experience a characteristic crunch when moving a finger, decreased mobility and numbness. All this complements the swelling and redness of the skin. If your finger joint is swollen and painful, it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is much easier to cure rhizarthrosis in the first stage than in the last. Fairly rare, but surgery may still be necessary.
A disease such as arthrosis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a minor injury can trigger it. With arthrosis, the joints are significantly changed, which affects the shape of the fingers.
Bursitis
If an inflammatory process appears in the periarticular bag, it means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. It is accompanied by an accumulation of fluids. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or abrasion. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbe: pyogenic. People with this condition experience pain in the joints of the fingers and toes. Additionally, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid builds up in the shoulder, knee, elbow and hip joints.
In medicine, two forms of disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. Let's start with the first one. At the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which significantly increases with movement of the joint. A rather elastic swelling appears. It is available in different diameters. When the disease begins to progress, the pain does not cease at night, even if the hand remains immobile. Also during bursitis, redness of the skin, swelling of the limbs and hypothermia are observed.
If left untreated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. A person's finger joints hurt much less. You should not refuse treatment, since chronic bursitis does not exclude increased fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. In addition, the inflammatory process leads to the formation of calcium deposits in the area of the diseased joint. To alleviate the patient's condition as much as possible, it will be necessary to secure the limb well with elastic bandages. This will protect you from accidental movements, which cause severe pain. Next, you should consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will select anti-inflammatory drugs and anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
Gout
If the joints of the fingers of your right or left hand hurt, the cause of these unpleasant sensations may be gout. This disease is considered the most common. It is found more often in older people. The cause of its appearance is a violation of uric acid metabolism (sodium crystals are deposited in the tissues). Most people think that gout can only occur on the feet around the big toe. However it is not. In some people, such formations can also occur on the fingers of the upper limbs.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, severe redness, pain and peeling of the skin. Even microtraumas, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. can be a provoking factor. The disease manifests itself quite quickly. Within a few hours you will notice all the symptoms described above. Patients often have a high temperature, which causes chills or fever. In the acute form of gout the finger joints are very painful. Even a light touch can significantly increase the unpleasant sensation.
With this disease it is important to strictly adhere to the diet. It is selected individually by the doctor for each patient. It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and juice per day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is prescribed anti-gout drugs. However, you should not count on quick results, since their use can last for years. They are prescribed only by doctors. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be added to them.
Stenosing ligamentitis
If a child has pain in the finger joints, this may be caused by a condition called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligament-tendinous system. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but also several can get stuck in a bent state. In children it manifests itself starting from the first year of life. But they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also get stenosing ligamentitis. Very often these are people of retirement age.
The reasons that cause this disease in children are caused by unbalanced development. That is, annular ligaments grow much more slowly than tendons. This is why an imbalance occurs. It causes the ligaments to press on the tendons. For this reason, an easily palpable compaction occurs. When bending a finger, the child may hear a characteristic click in a certain joint.
The cause of stenosing ligamentitis in adults is an inflammatory process, the focus of which is in the tendons. This is what causes pain in the finger joints. Here's what else can trigger the development of this disease:
- Excessive load.
- Inheritance.
- Incorrect structure of the tendons and annular ligament.
- Some diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenosing ligamentitis:
- clicks when folding;
- pain when pressed;
- compaction formation;
- restriction in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. A seal is formed already at the second. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer straighten his fingers on his own. This can only be done surgically. However, such treatment is used in rather complex cases. It is better to start developing ligaments and tendons at the initial stage of the disease, carrying out a special complex of physical therapy.
Injuries
Do your finger joints hurt? The cause could be the diseases described above or a dislocation. The latter is caused by the displacement of the bones. Most often, athletes face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not protected from dislocations. This type of injury has some symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area and joint deformity.
Of course, any finger can sprain. However, the large one is the most susceptible to this. The fact is that it is he who remains defenseless if he moves incorrectly. Although the ligament apparatus of this finger is quite powerful, it is easy to suffer a sprain without calculating the load. This pathology can also develop if you accidentally fall on your hand. A person immediately feels severe pain, after which (for about an hour) the limb swells and redness may occur.
Of course, you will not be able to lead your usual lifestyle if your thumb joint hurts. How to treat a dislocation or sprain? If possible, you should consult a doctor. At the appointment a photo is taken to rule out a fracture or displacement. In the first minutes it is advisable to apply something cold. Warm compresses are then recommended. Analgesics are taken to reduce pain. Ointments that have an analgesic effect are also very useful.
Osteomyelitis
This disease is accompanied by a purulent process that can affect not only the joints, but the entire body. It also penetrates the bone marrow. The severity of this condition cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is infectious in nature. It spreads to all nearby tissues. As time passes, the lesion increases, growing bigger and bigger. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children very often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease occurs due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue with blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, doctors diagnose "post-traumatic osteomyelitis. "
Symptoms:
- the joints of the fingers are very painful;
- there is pain and twisting;
- the temperature increases;
- the injured area swells and turns red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus begins to leak through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medications. The latter is necessary to prevent the bacteria from spreading throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, folk remedies are considered ineffective.
My finger joints hurt. Treatment
Treatment of this pathology is necessary only in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Relieve pain.
- Restoration of functions.
As mentioned above, treatment must be selected individually in each case. Of course, when choosing certain methods, doctors take into account the cause of severe pain, symptoms and the degree of inflammation. There are both medicinal and surgical treatments.
However, if a person does not have the opportunity to visit the hospital, he can simply try to reduce the pain syndrome. Painkillers are suitable for these purposes. But it is important to remember that they do not eliminate the root cause, so once the effect of the medicine wears off, a relapse will inevitably occur. If the pain is very severe, the ointment will help enhance the effect of the compresses.
Traditional methods
What to do if the finger joints hurt? In this case, folk remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.Used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will work. The ingredients are carefully mixed. The ointment is applied to the skin of the affected area.
- Caucasian hellebore.This type of plant is used to prepare an ointment that perfectly relieves pain. To prepare it you need to take the same amount of honey as hellebore. To these ingredients we add unrefined vegetable oil, literally a few drops, and a pinch of dry mustard. All this is mixed until smooth, then heated in a water bath. Apply to the affected area before going to bed.
- Raw potatoes.The vegetable is grated, slightly heated, placed on a bandage or gauze and applied to the finger.
- Elecampane roots.Used as a dye. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist 14 days in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. It perfectly relieves inflammation if you use it daily, massaging it into the joint.
Conclusion
Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that if the joints of the fingers hurt, this should in no case be ignored. The fact is that such a symptom can be the first sign of a serious disease. If you start treatment on time, in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today medicine offers quite effective methods; just see a doctor and be examined.