The brushes are considered to be the most mobile part of the human body. Thanks to the large change in the range of motion, it becomes possible to perform the finest work with the smallest details. This is why it is important to keep your hands healthy at all times. Today many people, including the younger generation, complain of joint pain in their fingers. In some cases, it becomes so strong that a person literally loses the ability to make the usual movements.
general information
The human hand can be divided into three distinct sections: the wrist, the wrist, and the fingers. The metacarpus is made up of eight tiny, irregularly shaped bones. They are all arranged in two rows. The metacarpus is represented by five tubular bones, each of which has a base, body and head. The bases connect to the wrist, and the heads form joints with the phalanges of the fingers. The latter, in turn, consist of three phalanges. The exception in this case is the thumb. It has only two phalanges.
Human hands are considered to be extremely delicate and at the same time precise instruments. The fingers are precisely the means that allow coordinated movements. Without them, normal life is not possible. All these movements are due to joint mobility. However, due to the high daily activity, this area is at great risk of developing completely different ailments, mechanical damage and injury. Joint pain in the fingers, as a rule, accompanies this kind of pathological changes. Treatment in this case depends solely on the factor that provoked the onset of discomfort.
Main reasons
According to experts, pain in the joints of the fingers can be caused by a wide variety of reasons. Below are the most common violations:
- Arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Bursitis.
- Mechanical damage and injury.
- Osteomyelitis.
Arthritis
Arthritis refers to acute or chronic joint inflammation. Isolated lesions of the fingers are very rare. As a rule, in such patients, the pathological process also affects other joints. Arthritic pain in the affected area is marked by intensity. They arise not only with the movement of the fingers, but also at rest. In addition, in the areas affected by arthritis, there is the appearance of severe edema, a change in the usual shade of the skin.
- Rheumatoid arthritis. This is a disease of the connective tissue of an infectious and allergic nature, which is predominantly systemic in nature. The impetus for the onset of this ailment is severe colds, frequent stress and hypothermia. Rheumatoid arthritis begins with pain in the joint of the index finger. The affected areas swell, patients complain of fever, feeling of weakness, chills.
- Psoriatic arthritis. As a rule, this kind of pathology develops in those patients who already have psoriatic manifestations on the skin. These are dry scaly patches with a reddish tint. With the development of the disease, the finger acquires a purple hue and sausage-like shape.
- Gouty arthritis. Gout is understood as a fairly common disease characterized by metabolic disorders, namely purines. According to experts, such an ailment can be triggered by an increase in the level of uric acid and the subsequent deposition of its salts directly in the joint tissues. Typically, a gouty attack begins with severe discomfort in the joint of the big toe. In the absence of timely treatment, the pathology spreads to other joints. Gout attacks most often occur at night. They are characterized by a rise in temperature around the affected area and severe pain. The disease progresses very quickly. After a while, the patient may find joint pain in the fingers of both hands. Typically, the duration of a typical attack of the disease ranges from two to about 14 days.
Osteoarthritis
This disease is formed as a result of the sequential destruction of cartilage tissue in the area of the articular surface. In the case of this pathology, painful discomfort initially occurs only after prolonged physical exertion. Then, with the progression of the disease, the intensity of the pain increases, it can appear even at night.
Finger arthrosis is a fairly common problem. Even insignificant damage can become an impetus for its development. In the process of the development of the disease, the fingers can change their usual shape, while bending to the side.
Rhizarthrosis. With the development of this disease, the joint located at the base of the thumb is affected, which also connects the wrist bone to the metacarpal bone. This ailment occurs due to the overload of this area. Pain in the thumb joint, visual deformity of the bones are the most common symptoms of this pathology.
Bursitis
Inflammation of the so-called joint bags of the fingers, accompanied by the accumulation of fluid in their cavity, is called bursitis. This pathology is characterized by painful sensations in the affected area, the appearance of edema, redness. The main symptom of bursitis is the formation of a round swelling in the joint area, which is characterized by a soft consistency. It is easily identifiable visually.
With a prolonged course, bursitis often turns into a chronic stage. In this kind of situation, the deposition of salts in the affected area joins the inflammatory process. All this, as a rule, provokes pain in the joints in the fingers.
If the cause of the problem is a hand injury, then pathological microflora often joins the inflammatory process. In this case, we are talking about the development of purulent bursitis. It is accompanied by an increase in temperature, headache and weakness throughout the body.
Injury and mechanical damage
Displacement of the bones in the joints is called dislocation. Most often athletes have to deal with this problem. It is accompanied by the following symptoms: severe swelling of the affected area, joint deformity and severe pain syndrome.
The most common injury is a dislocated thumb. Such a detached arrangement exposes him every time for any wrong movement. The thumb is characterized by a powerful ligamentous apparatus, however, and it is distinguished by a certain load threshold, after exceeding which stretching occurs. All this entails a displacement of the articular surfaces.
The most common cause of a thumb dislocation is an unfortunate fall onto an open palm. It is very easy to determine the presence of this problem, since the externally affected area looks deformed. Severe thumb joint pain can interfere with normal activities, work, and sports. The skin in this part, as a rule, acquires a reddish tint.
Osteomyelitis
A purulent process affecting the joints and nearby soft tissues is called osteomyelitis. This pathology develops due to the penetration of bacteria into the body, constantly producing pus.
Acute osteomyelitis usually begins with a temperature rise of up to 40 degrees. The patient's condition deteriorates very quickly, which is caused by serious intoxication of the body. In addition, the patient may experience the following symptoms: joint pain in the fingers, chills, loss of consciousness, vomiting.
During the first two days, pain in the hands gradually increases. Active finger movements are usually impossible. Pathology is rapidly progressing, which is expressed in the occurrence of edematous phenomena in the muscles of the hand and even the forearm. The skin in the affected area becomes purple.
Diagnostics
Timely seeking advice from a specialist, diagnosis, as well as competent treatment - all these factors make it possible to determine the disease and prevent its further progression, the development of serious complications. You should not ignore the pain in the joints of the fingers, since even a minor pathology can lead to a complete loss of movement and make the patient disabled. The following diagnostic measures may be required to identify the problem:
- X-ray of the hand.
- Blood tests (clinical / biochemical) and urine tests.
- Determination of the amount of purines.
What should be the treatment for finger joint pain?
Regardless of the true cause of the pathology, therapy should be comprehensive and simultaneously solve three problems: treatment of the main disease, restoration of the primary function of the hand, and relief of pain.
Of course, the fight against this or that ailment depends on its nature. In each case, the doctor prescribes the appropriate treatment. However, the relief of discomfort in the hand and its functional development are subject to general rules.
To relieve discomfort, modern medicine offers a variety of drugs. Most often, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
To eliminate pain due to autoimmune ailments (for example, rheumatoid arthritis), glucocorticosteroid hormones are used. They have excellent anti-inflammatory effects and provide the desired relief relatively quickly.
Special ointments containing anesthetic components can somewhat enhance the effect of drugs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted that you should not ignore the pain of the joints of the fingers. The treatment offered by modern medicine is most often effective in combating this problem. The main thing is to seek medical help in a timely manner and undergo the necessary diagnostic examination. Be healthy!