When your hands and fingers hurt, it means the body is signaling about joint diseases or internal pathologies. Often the patient tries to solve the problem alone, unaware of the danger of becoming incapacitated in a short time. Information about why pain in the finger joints occurs and what to do is useful for those who felt the first symptoms of the disease and have close relatives who suffer from joint pathology.
Causes
There are several diseases accompanied by pain and inflammation in the hands. These include:
Gouty arthritis
The disease appears after the age of 20. The thumbs are the first to suffer the inflammatory process. There is a paroxysmal course of joint inflammation. The attack usually begins at night. The joint pain is acute. The area of skin over the affected joint turns purple. The finger becomes hot and difficult to bend. The inflammation lasts a maximum of 10 days. The attack may disappear suddenly without treatment, but it will soon reappear.
Polyosteoarthrosis
People over 40 are affected: men - less often than women. A distinctive sign of the disease is Heberden's nodules, when the nodules begin to form, swelling and redness of the joints, burning and sharp pain are observed; In some patients, nodules form asymptomatically. In polyosteoarthrosis, the formation of nodules in the joints of the middle finger is also seen. Bouchard's nodules are fusiform, almost painless and characterized by slow growth.
Rheumatoid arthritis
The onset of the disease is manifested by inflammation of the joints of the index and middle fingers. Along with the metacarpophalangeal joints, the wrist joints become inflamed, swollen and painful. Finger joint pain is especially painful in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is accompanied by weakness, joint pain and fever.
Psoriatic arthritis
The pathology develops in patients with psoriasis. In pathology, pain and swelling in the joints are observed. The pathology has another name - "sausage-shaped" finger. At the same time, all joints and finger joints become inflamed. In rare cases, the joints on both hands become inflamed, but on different fingers.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
The inflammation only affects the thumb. Pain is caused by loads when trying to straighten the elbow towards the elbow. Sometimes your finger hurts for no apparent reason.
Rhizarthrosis
Rare pathology. Rhizarthrosis is a chronic form of osteoarthritis. The location is noted at the base of the thumb. The disease leads to deformation of cartilaginous tissue. The thumb bone becomes deformed, limiting movement of the inflamed joint.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
The pathology is manifested by symptoms:
- Pain is felt on the inside of the thumb.
- My index finger hurts.
- There is a feeling of numbness in the skin of the palm.
- Hand motility decreases.
Without treatment, the nerve loses its ability to function, which leads to disability.
Raynaud's disease
The cause of the disease is a decrease in hair tone. It is manifested by symptoms: numbness, pallor of the skin of the hands, vasodilation, resulting in redness of the fingers. Sometimes there is a bluish color, sharp pain and swelling. The pathology is characterized by constant freezing of the hands, which in the last stage of development become bluish or black. Trophic ulcers are often observed.
Injuries
Hand pain most often occurs with bruises and sprains. A bruise on the hand is manifested by the following symptoms: swelling, blueness or redness at the site of the bruise, severe pain when trying to move a finger, formation of a hematoma and pathological mobility of the injured finger.
Tendinitis
The disease affects a person who constantly performs monotonous movements (sewing, typing, playing the piano). "Writing" cramp occurs during the daily stress of typing. Pain syndrome is observed in people suffering from cervical osteochondrosis. Wrist pain is especially noticeable at night. Painful sensations are often accompanied by a cracking sound.
Tingling and numbness in the fingers appear in a person who makes small movements with his hands. Repeated overexertion of the hand contributes to trigger finger syndrome. A bent finger is difficult to straighten; if force is applied to straighten it, a click will be heard.
Pain due to internal pathologies
Often there is pain in the hands and fingers for reasons unrelated to joint disease. People suffering from pathologies are at risk:
- Cardiac ischemia. In myocardial infarction, the onset of the attack usually coincides with a feeling of pain and tingling in the left hand.
- Diabetes. The pathology leads to a more sensitive state of the hands due to poor circulation.
Pain and numbness are often observed in pregnant women. The following changes lead to swelling and pain in the finger joints during pregnancy: increased amount of the hormone relaxin, calcium deficiency, compression of the median nerve, depression.
Important!Heredity, freezing of hands, frequent immersion in cold water, decreased immunity contribute to pathological changes in the hands.
Pain in the fingers of the right hand
Several fingers hurt at the same time. Half of the painful manifestations occur in the ring and little fingers, and a third in the index and thumb. If you feel pain in all the fingers on your right hand, the problem is related to your blood vessels. Pain in the index finger and thumb indicates spinal pathologies. If the index finger, ring finger and thumb hurt at the same time, this indicates a disease of the radial nerve. Simultaneous pain in the little finger and ring finger indicates the presence of a foraminal hernia.
The fingers on my left hand hurt
If the pain occurs in all the fingers of the left hand only, the problem will be sought in the blood vessels. The thumb, index and ring fingers hurt - the radial or middle nerve is affected, the index and thumb - spinal pathology. Pain in the little finger and ring finger occurs with a C5-C6 foraminal hernia. The middle finger joint hurts due to a C4-C5 foraminal hernia.
Which specialist to choose
For whatever reason your hands hurt, a visit to the doctor is mandatory. If you have post-traumatic pain, make an appointment with a traumatologist. If the joints are inflamed or swelling appears, a rheumatologist will help. When the cause of pain is unclear, consult a cardiologist and endocrinologist.
Diagnosis
It is possible to diagnose pathologies using the following hardware tests:
- Radiography. The painless procedure allows you to study bone tissue. The results of the study are recorded on film in 3 projections.
- TC. The study is carried out using x-rays. The results obtained after computational processing are a series of cross-sectional images.
- Electrospondylography. Detects the presence of anomalies in the part of the spine responsible for the functioning of the arms. Pathology is detected at the initial stage of development.
- MRI. Diagnosis is carried out using electromagnetic radiation. As a result of the study, images of longitudinal and transverse sections are obtained.
Laboratory methods
To diagnose joint pathology, studies are carried out:
- General urine analysis. Allows you to identify advanced forms of bone inflammation.
- General blood analysis. The study determines the presence of leukocytosis and anemia.
- Biochemical blood test. Determines the increased presence of fibrinogen and sialic acids.
- Puncture. After piercing the affected joint, the liquid contained in it is taken for examination. The study is prescribed to accurately determine the cause of the development of pathology; carried out in rare cases.
- Biopsy. A piece of skin tissue is removed for microscopic examination. Using the method, lupus erythematosus and scleroderma are detected.
Treatment
Hand pain is treated according to the reasons that caused it. For exacerbations of arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. For normal supply of blood nutrition to the joints, it is necessary to use vasodilating drugs. Anti-inflammatory ointments are used for local therapy. Good results are obtained in the treatment of arthritis with ultrasound, electrophoresis and acupuncture.
For osteoarthritis, centrally acting analgesics are prescribed to relieve the patient's acute pain. In addition to pain relief, these medications have an anti-inflammatory effect. Chondroprotectors: chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid in some cases are taken constantly. Laser treatment has been used successfully in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Significant relief is achieved through physiotherapeutic procedures: massage, mud therapy.
For gout, it is recommended to take medications to normalize purine metabolism in the body. Painkillers are prescribed to relieve pain. Of particular importance is a diet with limited consumption of meat products, fish and alcohol. Rheumatoid arthritis has no cure, but it is possible to slow down the destructive process of the joint with the use of anti-inflammatories, physiotherapy and surgical methods. Acupuncture and massage have also proven to be good.
To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, comfortable working conditions must be created, taking into account the correct position of the hand. For painful sensations, make compresses with chamomile decoction.
Surgical methods
If conservative treatment is ineffective, the joint is surgically replaced. Indications for surgical intervention are:
- Injuries with separation of the tendon from the site of attachment to the nail phalanx.
- Hand arthritis.
- Fractures and cracks.
- Deep cuts.
- Malignant neoplasms of the hand.
How to treat according to traditional recipes
Effective folk recipes to combat hand pain:
- Recipe #1. Aloe vera ointment. Take 20 g of fresh crushed aloe leaf and add 5 g of dry mustard to it. Mix and cook for 8–10 minutes until smooth. Transfer to a container protected from light. The hand joints are lubricated morning and evening until there is visible improvement.
- Recipe #2. Bird cherry tincture. 50 g of bird cherry bark is poured with 200 ml of vodka. Insist for 10 days without access to light. Lubricate brushes 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
- Recipe #3. Bath with calendula. A tablespoon of dried calendula flowers is placed in 200 ml of boiling water. Prepare the decoction for 15 minutes. over low heat. Treatment procedures continue for 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 10 procedures.
- Recipe #4. Drinking from dandelion roots. So, 1 tablespoon of dandelion roots is placed in 200 ml of boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes. Drink 1 tablespoon 15 minutes before meals for 14 days.
- Recipe #5. Three tablespoons of sea salt are heated in the microwave. Wrap a gauze bandage, apply it to the joint and leave it on for 30 minutes.
The procedures are carried out daily for 20 days.
Useful Tips
By following doctors' recommendations, you can significantly help the body alleviate joint diseases. If swelling of the hands occurs, jewelry must be removed. In case of injury, it is necessary to keep your hand still and apply a cold compress. If there is pain due to exertion, it must be eliminated or significantly reduced. Need to change jobs that require repetitive movements.
You should immediately consult a doctor if the following symptoms occur:
- Post-traumatic pain does not subside, stiffness in movements is noted and it is difficult to bend the finger.
- The hand is red and there is heat in the skin area.
- There is a tingling sensation in the hand.
- The phalanges of the fingers hurt.
- The hand or finger becomes numb.
Prevention
To prevent hand pain, you should:
- Include exercises to strengthen your hand muscles in your morning exercise routine.
- If repetitive movements are necessary, you should take breaks.
- Prolonged stay in a position that requires a fixed position of the hands should be avoided.
- Avoid overcooling your hands.
Hand pain is caused by several reasons. To relieve pain, drug treatment, physiotherapy, surgical methods and folk recipes are used. To improve your quality of life, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.