Finger joints most often begin to hurt after 40-45 years (in 1 in 10 people this is due to age-related changes in the body).After 60 years, pain often appears against the background of polyosteoarthrosis (damage, destruction of the articular cartilage of various joints).
Deformities and destruction of the wrists are diagnosed in 10% of older people.
Pain in the finger joints is also a characteristic sign of diseases such as:
- rheumatoid arthritis (in 80% of cases it begins with inflammation of the finger joints);
- psoriatic arthritis (fingers are affected first in 70%);
- Gout (arthritis of the fingers, occurs in 10-15% of patients with gout);
- Osteomyelitis is an infectious inflammation of the bones (accounts for 6.5% of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system).
Most arthritis diseases in which the finger joints are the first to be involved in the process are systemic diseases (i.e. they affect different systems of the body and not just the joints).They are diagnosed equally frequently in people of all ages, including young people;in men they occur three to five times less frequently.
Another cause of pain is mechanical injuries, the consequences of blows or bruises to the hands (often in athletes, the prevalence is up to 40% of all traumatic injuries).
Some diseases that cause pain in the finger joints cannot be completely cured;Over time they can lead to disability (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, polyosteoarthritis).And, for example, osteomyelitis can be eliminated forever with timely treatment, but the process quickly becomes chronic and can lead to the loss of a limb (in 30% of cases).
If you suspect a systemic disease (arthritis, polyosteoarthrosis), you should consult a rheumatologist or arthrologist.Osteomyelitis is treated by an orthopedist-traumatologist, surgeon, injuries - by an orthopedist-traumatologist.
Why pain occurs in the finger joints: causes and symptoms
Why do my finger joints hurt?There are many reasons and factors that can accelerate or advance the process.Common predisposing factors for all illnesses and injuries include:
- Profession (this category includes people forced to work with hands and fingers, musicians, seamstresses, programmers).
- Stress (injuries and microtraumas caused by hours of sports training and rehearsals).
- Hormonal changes, disorders (pregnancy, estrogen deficiency in older women).
- Heredity (close relatives are more susceptible to systemic diseases).
- Deficiencies or diseases of the immune system.
- Metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes).
- Chronic infections (tuberculosis).
- Hypothermia (hypothermia).
- Some long-term negative factors (including taking medications, poisoning with toxic substances in a dangerous company, smoking, alcoholism, etc.).
The following article describes the pathologies and conditions that cause pain in the finger joints.
Injuries
The pain that occurs after an injury is difficult to confuse with anything else:
- all symptoms occur immediately after a blow, bruise, compression or other injury;
- severe pain is accompanied by swelling, bruising at the site of impact and limited joint mobility;
- with moderate and severe damage, the symptoms do not subside for a long time, but intensify - pain, stiffness, swelling;
- The symptoms worsen when you try to bend or straighten your fingers.
Severe injuries to the fingers of the upper extremity are combined with:
- Tears of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, bleeding into the capsule (hemarthrosis) and soft tissues (hematomas);
- bone fractures and cracks;
- Nerve damage (loss of sensitivity in fingers and skin).
Prognosis: Minor injuries heal without a trace in 90-95% of cases.Severe and moderate injuries can result in various complications - from reduced finger sensitivity to traumatic arthritis in 70%.
Polyosteoarthrosis
Polyosteoarthrosis is a chronic pathology in which the joints of the fingers are gradually deformed and destroyed (there is a form of the disease that affects the joints of the thumb - rhizarthrosis).
After hard work (sewing, embroidery, practicing a musical instrument for hours), aching pain initially appears.As the disease progresses:
- Pain in the finger joints becomes constant and does not disappear at rest;
- The pain is accompanied by clicking and grinding (when moving);
- Stiffness occurs (minor at first).
The main symptoms in periods of exacerbation include swelling, edema, increased local temperature and sometimes redness in the joint area.
Over time the fingers become deformed:
- Heberden's nodes (bone growths, pea-sized lumps) form on the joints closer to the nails.
- Bouchard's nodes (overgrowth of articular surfaces, bone spines) form on the middle joints.
The finger joints lose their original shape (knotty) and lose mobility over time due to ossification of the soft tissue (ankylosis).
Prognosis: The pathology is incurable, but in the early stages (until the appearance of deformation) it can be stopped for a long time.Later it becomes a cause of disability (the tissue grows together, ossifies, the mobility of the fingers can only be restored through surgery).
Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, which occurs with the participation of other organs and systems in the pathological process (outer membrane of the heart, lungs, vascular walls, skin).
Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by:
- gradual increase and intensification of symptoms (initially the exacerbation is replaced by relatively long periods of asymptomatic progression, which, however, become increasingly shorter over time);
- Morning stiffness reminiscent of tight gloves (disappears in 30-60 minutes);
- stabbing, acute, boring pain in the finger joints (on both hands), which increases to the point of unbearableness when bending;
- Redness, swelling, swelling, joint stiffness.
The pain syndrome usually occurs at night or in the morning and eases slightly in the afternoon.
When the acute symptoms subside (during remission), the pain becomes less pronounced, aching and increases with movement and when working in cold water.The joints in the fingers hurt when bending and stretching, remain painful and slightly swollen when touched.
Gradually, the disease leads to the formation of a stable deformation and dysfunction of the fingers - they turn outward or up, bend (most often the middle, index and ring fingers are affected, extremely rarely - the little finger and thumb), other joints are involved in the process (wrists, ankles, knees, shoulders).
Prognosis: The pathology is incurable, progresses rapidly and leads to loss of ability to work, disability - 40% of cases in the first 5 years of development.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is one of the forms of a serious systemic disease (psoriasis).
The most characteristic signs of damage to the finger joints:
- sudden, sharp onset of arthritis;
- Damage to the interphalangeal and distal joints (closer to the nail);
- constant, uniform, severe pain associated with severe swelling, redness of the skin, limited mobility (the shape of the fingers at this moment resembles a radish or sausage, it is impossible to bend or straighten the finger joints due to pain and swelling);
- Increase in general temperature.
In the long term, there is destruction of the nail plates (they crumble and lose their shape), deformation of the fingers (they “turn” outwards or upwards) and loss of ability to work.
Prognosis: Psoriatic arthritis is incurable, severe, progresses rapidly, and is disabling in 90-95% of patients.
Gouty arthritis
Gouty arthritis occurs against the background of metabolic disorders, which cause excess uric acid to accumulate in the body.It penetrates the joint tissue and causes inflammation.
Typical signs of gouty arthritis:
- Sharp, sudden, throbbing or burning pain in one or more finger joints.
- Any attempt to move or touch a finger increases the unpleasant symptom.
- It is accompanied by severe swelling, which often spreads to the entire hand, a change in skin color (the finger on the hand becomes bluish-purple) and an increase in general temperature (the patient has fever, chills).
- Pain in the finger joints usually occurs at night.
- The attack can last from 2 days to 2 weeks.
As gouty arthritis progresses, new joints become involved and their deformation occurs (destruction of the articular surfaces).Tophi appears on the fingers - tissue deposits of uric acid.
Prognosis: There is no cure for gout, but normal uric acid levels can be maintained with medication and diet.The disease rarely leads to complete disability of the patient (5-8%), but over time it can lead to destruction of the finger joints (secondary osteoarthritis).
Why else can your finger joints hurt?
Other causes of pain can include the following diseases and complaints:
Osteomyelitis
This infectious damage to the bones (periosteum, spongy and compact substance) usually begins acutely - the pain in the joints with osteomyelitis is severe, sharp, jerky, bursting or tearing.When flexed or extended, it increases to the point of becoming unbearable, accompanied by severe swelling, redness and hardening of the joint tissue, fever and general symptoms of intoxication (weakness, sweating).In 30% of cases, osteomyelitis becomes chronic (may recur) and pain in the fingers becomes painful.The process can cause purulent arthritis, malignant changes in bone tissue, and deformation of bones and joints.
Vasospasm
Vasospasm is a severe narrowing of the peripheral vessels that supply blood to the upper limbs, hands, and finger joints.It is characterized by tingling, numbness and pale skin.At the end of the attack (which can be short-term - from 2 minutes or long-term - up to 60 minutes), the fingers begin to ache, "hurt" and the skin on the hands turns red.Over time, this phenomenon (vasospasm) leads to the appearance of trophic ulcers (death of tissue due to nutritional disorders), melting of bones and necrosis of the fingertips.
pregnancy
Pregnancy is not a pathological condition, but is accompanied by sharp and rapid hormonal changes in the body and accelerated metabolism.Pain in the finger joints or pain can be caused by a lack of calcium and vitamin D3, as well as an excess of the hormone that prepares the body for childbirth by relaxing the ligaments.
Diagnostics: methods, research
What should you do if the joint on your fingers hurts?First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the pathologies that cause such a symptom.Most often, the attending physician prescribes a series of tests:
| Method name | What allows you to make a diagnosis? |
|---|---|
Radiography |
With its help, pathological bone changes, joint deformations, crystal deposits and tissue ossification are detected. |
MRI, CT or ultrasound |
These diagnostic methods make it possible to detect pathological changes in the periarticular tissue and joints that are not visible on X-rays |
ECG, ultrasound of internal organs |
Help detect extra-articular manifestations characteristic of certain diseases (pericarditis, pneumonitis). |
Angiography |
The study of blood vessels reveals pathologies that are accompanied by damage to their walls and can cause vascular spasm (rheumatoid arthritis). |
Clinical laboratory tests |
With the help of tests, the cause of the disease is determined, infections and pathogens of the pathological process are identified. |
Therapeutic and diagnostic puncture of joints (procedure for removing fluid from the joint capsule) |
A puncture is performed if blood (hemarthrosis), pus (infectious processes) or large amounts of fluid have accumulated in it, which hinders mobility and threatens its destruction |
Treatment: principles, drugs, features
Some diseases or conditions that cause pain in the finger joints cannot be cured (vasospasm, osteoarthritis, psoriasis, gouty arthritis).Some are cured completely and without consequences (with timely treatment - osteomyelitis, mild and moderate injuries).
General principles of treatment, methods of pain relief
In the treatment of all diseases that cause pain in the finger joints, it is common to prescribe medications that help eliminate severe symptoms.
Usually this is:
- anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs (NSAIDs), which successfully relieve inflammation and pain;
- glucocorticoids, which are prescribed when NSAIDs are ineffective;
- Painkillers if joint pain cannot be relieved by other means.
Once symptoms subside, the patient is prescribed chondroprotectors to slow or prevent cartilage destruction, as well as physical therapy.
Physiotherapy stimulates metabolic processes and accelerates tissue recovery.The most popular physiotherapeutic procedures for joint diseases are:
- electrophoresis with medication;
- magnetic field therapy;
- UHF (Ultra High Frequency Therapy);
- reflexology (acupuncture);
- Massage;
- mud therapy;
- balneotherapy (hydrotherapy);
- Heating procedures (paraffin, ozokerite applications);
- therapeutic exercises (exercises to strengthen the finger joints).
If it is necessary to eliminate pain in the finger joints and its causes, treatment in a sanatorium-resort can give a good result.At the direction of the attending physician, the patient has the opportunity to change the climate once or twice a year, undergo restorative physiotherapeutic treatment and drink mineral water from natural sources.
Features of the treatment of specific pathologies
In addition to general methods and means, there are nuances in the treatment of each pathology:
| pathology | Features of treatment |
|---|---|
Injuries |
Treatment of an injury is gradual.First, the victim receives first aid (fixing bandage, ice compress for 24 hours). If necessary, a puncture is performed, tissue integrity is restored (if damage is severe) and immobilized with a plaster. On days 3-5 they begin to warm up, stimulating healing. |
Polyosteoarthrosis |
At the beginning of the disease, taking chondroprotectors and physiotherapy are effective. Later, only an operation will help (the problem is solved with prosthetics). |
Rheumatoid arthritis |
Prescribe basic anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, antibacterial, anti-allergic drugs and drugs that affect the activity of the immune system. |
Psoriatic arthritis |
|
Gouty arthritis |
The underlying disease (gout) is treated by prescribing drugs that regulate the formation of uric acid and accelerate its excretion, that is, drugs that dissolve salt deposits in the tissue. A mandatory component of treatment is a strict diet during an attack (table No. 6), a less strict diet throughout life. |
Osteomyelitis |
Surgical evacuation of purulent cavities in the bone tissue and the opening of ulcers are carried out. Antibiotics and antibacterial drugs are used for treatment. |
Vasospasm |
How to treat vasospasm?In case of pathology, vasodilators and antispasmodics (relaxation of the muscles of the vascular walls), as well as blood thinners are prescribed. Eliminate triggering factors (e.g. smoking) or treat the underlying disease that caused vasospasm (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis). |
Folk remedies (treatment of pathologies, pain relief)
Pain in the finger joints can also be treated with folk remedies:
- Infusion of eucalyptus leaves.Take 40 g of eucalyptus leaves, pour a liter of boiling water and leave under the lid for 60 minutes.When ready, strain, pour into a dark glass container and store in the refrigerator.Take daily for 2 weeks – 50 ml 3 times, 30 minutes before meals.
- Treatment of pain in the finger joints with infusion of black currant leaves.Add 10 g of raw material to 0.5 liters of boiling water and let it brew under the lid for 20 minutes.Drink a glass 2 to 3 times a day.The course duration is 2-3 months.
- Warming ointment for arthritis.Take 50 g of camphor and mustard powder, dilute them one by one in 100 ml of alcohol and add whipped egg whites.Massage into brushes overnight.The treatment of finger joints lasts 21 days, after a while the course can be repeated.
- Oil rubbing.Dilute fir essential oil with vegetable oil (1:1) and rub into finger joints before going to bed until completely absorbed.You need to "warm them up" first: boil the washed potato peels in water, when the broth has cooled (until it is pleasantly warm), dip your brushes in it and hold them in it for 15-25 minutes, then rinse with clean water.Treatment continues for 3 weeks or until symptoms of the disease disappear.
Prevention
How to prevent pathologies that cause pain in the finger joints?To do this you need:
- get rid of bad habits (stop smoking and alcohol);
- include in the diet foods that have a positive effect on joints and cartilage tissue (with sufficient calcium, phosphorus, other minerals and vitamins, protein);
- undergo regular examinations to eliminate chronic foci of infection (e.g. tonsillitis);
- Do not overload your hands (alternate stress with rest) and do not cool your hands too much.
It is very important to strengthen the immune system (swimming, yoga, walking) and finger joints through therapeutic exercises.