Hands are very important for a person. You can do a variety of jobs with your fingers. However, when joint problems begin, certain difficulties arise. Sometimes a person finds it difficult to perform normal movement, let alone the finest work with small details. Naturally, this affects the 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 pathology will depend on many factors. The age of the patient plays an important role. Of course, people over 40 years old are more susceptible to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children can complain of joint pain. What causes it? Let's figure it out.
Pain in the joints of the fingers: causes.
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that this symptom is directly related to injuries and certain diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenosing ligamentitis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Drop.
- 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 do in this situation? Of course, the first thing you should do is consult a doctor. The fact is that this symptom can be due to both a simple injury and a fairly serious illness 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 occur 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 acute pain. They don't stop even at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. However, in the latter the disease appears much less frequently. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are most 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 be disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by improper functioning of the immune system. Children under 16 years of age are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis is of a different 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 have limited movement and will be in constant pain.
In no case should the treatment be carried out independently, since it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the reasons that caused the disease. The first thing you should do is visit a doctor. After the examination, he or she will prescribe treatment.
These are the measures doctors use if the finger joints hurt:
- How to treat a patient if they are diagnosed with an infectious disease? In most cases, antibiotics are used.
- To relieve inflammation, the patient is prescribed medications such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop destructive processes.
- Gymnastics exercises are prescribed, including in the pool.
- Go on a diet.
osteoarthritis
If you are wondering why your finger joints hurt, there may be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease like osteoarthritis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens sequentially. Initially, the person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations may appear only after physical activity, and for a long time. However, after a certain period of time, his character becomes more intense. The pain appears even at night. This indicates that the disease is beginning to progress.
For people who have chronic osteoarthritis and severe pain in the thumb joint, doctors diagnose it as "rizarthrosis. "The disease has three stages of development. It can be triggered for several reasons. They can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, articular joint dysplasia is diagnosed. Rizarthrosis also appears due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If treatment is not started on time, this threatens not only the destruction of cartilage, but also the articular ligaments, and all nearby bone structures are affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis, of course, is pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may also feel 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, then it is time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is much easier to cure rhizarthrosis in the first stage than in the last. It is quite rare, but surgery may still be necessary.
A disease such as osteoarthritis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a minor injury can trigger it. With osteoarthritis, the joints change greatly, which affects the shape of the fingers.
Bursitis
If an inflammatory process appears in the periarticular bursa, this means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. It is accompanied by an accumulation of fluid. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or abrasion. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbe - pyogen. People with this pathology present pain in the joints of their 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 the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. Start with the first one. At the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which increases significantly with movement of the joint. Quite elastic swelling appears. It comes in different diameters. When the disease begins to progress, the pain does not stop at night, even if the hand remains motionless. Also during bursitis, redness of the skin, swelling of the limb 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. Treatment should not be refused, since chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in 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 diseased joint area. 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. After this, you should consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will select anti-inflammatory medications as well as anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
Drop
If the joints of the fingers of your right or left hand hurt, gout may be the cause of these unpleasant sensations. This disease is considered the most common. It is found more frequently 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 appear on the feet, around the big toe. However, it is not. In some people, these formations can also appear on the fingers of the upper extremities.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, intense redness, pain and peeling of the skin. Even microtrauma, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. They can be provoking factors. The disease manifests itself quite quickly. Within a few hours you will notice all the symptoms described above. Patients often have a high temperature, causing 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 follow the diet. It is selected individually by the doctor for each patient. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and juices a day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is prescribed anti-gout medications. However, you should not count on quick results, since its use can last for years. They are prescribed only by doctors. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be added.
Stenosing ligamentitis
If a child has pain in the joints of the fingers, this may be due to a pathology called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligamentous-tendinous apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but also several, can be locked in a bent state. In children it manifests itself from the first year of life. However, they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also suffer from stenosing ligamentitis. Most 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. Due to this, an imbalance occurs. It causes the ligaments to put pressure on the tendons. For this reason, easily palpable compaction occurs. When bending a finger, the child can feel 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. This is what can most trigger the development of this disease:
- Excessive load.
- Inheritance.
- Incorrect structure of tendons and annular ligament.
- Some diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenosing ligamentitis:
- clicks when folding;
- pain when pressing;
- compaction formation;
- restriction in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. A seal is already formed in 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, this treatment is used in quite complex cases. It is better to start developing ligaments and tendons at the initial stage of the disease by carrying out a special physiotherapy complex.
Injuries
Do your finger joints hurt? The cause may be the diseases described above or a dislocation. The latter is caused by the displacement of the bones. Very often, athletes face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not protected from disorders. This type of injury has certain symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area, and joint deformity.
Of course, any finger can be sprained. However, the large one is the most susceptible to this. The fact is that he is the one who is left unprotected if he moves incorrectly. Although the ligamentous 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 drop your hand. A person immediately experiences severe pain, after which (for about an hour) the limb swells and redness may appear.
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 photograph is taken to rule out fracture or displacement. In the first minutes it is advisable to apply something cold. Afterwards, warm compresses are recommended. Pain relievers 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 even penetrates the bone marrow. The severity of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is infectious in nature. It spreads to all nearby tissues. Over time, the lesion increases and grows larger and larger. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children more often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease arises due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue along with the blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, doctors diagnose "post-traumatic osteomyelitis. "
Symptoms:
- the joints of the fingers hurt very much;
- there is pain and torsion;
- The temperature increases;
- the injured area becomes swollen and red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- Pus begins to ooze through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medications. The latter is necessary to prevent bacteria from spreading throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, home remedies are considered ineffective.
My finger joints hurt. Treatment
The treatment of this pathology is only necessary in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Ease the pain.
- Restoration of functions.
As mentioned above, treatment must be selected individually in each case. Naturally, 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. Pain relievers are suitable for these purposes. But it is important to remember that they do not eliminate the root cause, so once the medication wears off, a relapse will inevitably occur. If the pain is very severe, the ointment will help improve the effect of the tablets.
Traditional methods
What to do if your finger joints hurt? In this case, home remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.Used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will work. The ingredients are well 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 as much honey as hellebore. Unrefined vegetable oil is added to these ingredients, literally a few drops and a pinch of dry mustard. All this is mixed until smooth and 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 tincture. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist for 14 days in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. It perfectly relieves inflammation if you use it daily by rubbing it on the joint.
Conclusion
Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that if the joints of the fingers hurt, this under no circumstances should be ignored. The fact is that this symptom can be the first sign of a serious illness. If you start treatment on time, in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today, medicine offers quite effective methods, just go to the doctor and have an examination.