Hands are very important to man. You can do various tasks with your fingers. However, when joint problems begin, certain difficulties arise. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to perform a 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 after 40 years are more susceptible to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children can complain of joint pain. What causes it? Let's find out.
Pain in the joints of the fingers: causes
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for that. In medicine, it is believed that such a symptom is directly related to injuries and certain diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenotic 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 should we do in this situation? Of course, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. The fact is that this symptom can be caused either by a simple injury or by a rather serious disease that requires specific treatment. The earlier you start, 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 be acute or chronic. 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 do not stop even at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. In the latter, however, the disease occurs much less often. 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 can remain disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by a malfunction of the immune system. Children under the age of 16 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 be limited in movement and will constantly suffer from pain.
Under no circumstances should the treatment be carried out independently, as it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the reasons that provoked the disease. The first thing you should do is see a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe treatment.
Here are the measures doctors use if the joints of the fingers hurt:
- How to treat a patient if he is diagnosed with an infectious disease? Antibiotics are used in most cases.
- To relieve inflammation, the patient is prescribed drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop destructive processes.
- Gymnastic exercises are prescribed, including in the pool.
- Diets.
Arthrosis
If you wonder why the joints of your fingers hurt, then there may be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease such as arthrosis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens consistently. Initially, a person does not feel discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity, and that for quite a long time. However, after a certain period of time, their character becomes more intense. The pain occurs 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 "rhizarthrosis". The disease has three stages of development. It can be caused by several reasons. They can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, joint dysplasia was diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also occurs due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If the treatment is not started in time, it threatens not only the destruction of the cartilage, but also the joint ligaments and all nearby bone structures are affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis is, of course, pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may also feel a characteristic crisis when moving the finger, reduced mobility and numbness. All this adds to the swelling and redness of the skin. If your finger joint is swollen and painful, then it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is much easier to cure rhizarthrosis at the first stage than at the last. Quite rarely, surgery may still be required.
A disease like arthrosis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a minor injury can unlock it. In arthrosis, the joints are highly modified, which affects the shape of the fingers.
bursitis
If an inflammatory process occurs in the periarticular bursa, it means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. Accompanied by fluid accumulation. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or scrape. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbes - pyogenic. People with this pathology have pain in the joints of the fingers and toes. In addition, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid collects in the shoulder, knee, elbow and hip joints.
In medicine, two forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. It starts with the first one. At the initial stage, a person experiences severe pain, which increases significantly with movement of the joint. A rather elastic bump appears. Available in different diameters. When the disease begins to progress, the pain does not stop at night, even if the arm remains motionless. Also, during bursitis, reddening of the skin, swelling of the limb and hypothermia are observed.
If left untreated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. The joints of one's fingers hurt much less. You should not refuse treatment, since chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. Also, the inflammatory process leads to the formation of calcium deposits in the area of the diseased joint. In order to relieve the patient's condition as much as possible, you will need to secure the limb well with elastic bandages. This will protect you from accidental movement that causes severe pain. After that, you should consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will choose anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as anesthetics, which can be taken for acute pain.
gout
If you have pain in the joints of the fingers of the right or left hand, the cause of these unpleasant sensations may be gout. This disease is considered the most common. It is most common in the elderly. The reason for its occurrence 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. But it's not like that. In some people, such formations can also appear 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 fever that causes chills or fever. In an acute form of gout, the joints of the fingers 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 chosen individually by the doctor for each patient. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and juices per day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is prescribed anti-gout drugs. However, you should not count on quick results, as their use can last for years. Prescribed only by doctors. Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs can be added to them.
Stenotic ligamentitis
If the child has pain in the joints of his fingers, this may be caused by a pathology called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligamentous-tendon apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but 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 get stenosing ligamentitis. Most often these are people of retirement age.
The causes that provoke this disease in children are caused by uneven development. This means that annular ligaments grow much more slowly than tendons. Because of this, an imbalance occurs. It causes the ligaments to compress the tendons. For this reason, an easily perceptible compaction occurs. When bending a finger, the child may 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 causes pain in the joints of the fingers. Here is what else can cause the development of this disease:
- Excessive load.
- Heredity.
- Irregular structure of tendons and annular ligament.
- Some diseases (diabetes, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenosing ligamentitis:
- clicks when bending;
- pain on pressure;
- compaction formation;
- movement restriction.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. A seal is already forming on the second one. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer straighten his fingers independently. This can only be done surgically. However, such treatment is used in quite complex cases. It is best to start developing ligaments and tendons at the initial stage of the disease by performing a special complex of physical therapy.
Injuries
Do your finger joints hurt? The cause may be the diseases described above or luxation. The latter is provoked by displacement of the bones. Most often, athletes face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not immune from displacement. This type of injury has certain symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area and deformity of the joint.
Of course, any finger can be dislocated. However, the large one is most susceptible to this. The fact is that it is he who remains unprotected if he moves incorrectly. Although the ligament apparatus of this finger is quite powerful, it is easy to get 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 there may be redness.
Of course, you won't be able to lead your usual lifestyle if your thumb hurts. How to treat a sprain or sprain? If possible, you should consult a doctor. At a recorded time, a photo is taken to rule out breakage 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 also the whole body. It even penetrates the bone marrow. The seriousness of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process has an infectious nature. It spreads to all adjacent tissues. Over time, the lesion increases, grows larger and larger. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children most often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease occurs due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue with the blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, then doctors diagnose "post-traumatic osteomyelitis".
Symptoms:
- the joints of the fingers are very painful;
- there is pain and twisting;
- increase in temperature;
- the injured area swells and becomes red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus starts coming out through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medication. The latter is necessary to prevent the spread of bacteria in 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.
- Pain relief.
- Restore 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, the symptoms and the degree of inflammation. There is both medical and surgical treatment.
However, if one does not have the opportunity to visit the hospital, then one 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 after the effect of the drug wears off, a relapse will inevitably occur. If the pain is very strong, then the ointment will help improve the effect of the tablets.
Traditional methods
What to do if your finger joints hurt? In this case, you can also use folk remedies:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.It is used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will work. The ingredients are thoroughly 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 there was hellebore. To these ingredients 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.
- Oman roots.It is used as a tincture. The roots are crushed and then poured 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 into the joint.
Conclusion
Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that if the joints of the fingers hurt, it should not be ignored in any case. The fact is that such a symptom can be the first sign of a serious illness. If you start treatment on time, then in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today, medicine offers quite effective methods, you just need to visit a doctor and get yourself examined.