Brushes are considered the most mobile part of the human body. Thanks to the large variation of the range of motion, it is possible to perform the most delicate work with the smallest details. That's why it's important to keep your hands healthy at all times. Today, many people, including the younger generation, suffer from joint pain in the fingers. In some cases, it becomes so strong that a person loses the ability to perform ordinary actions in the true sense of the word.
General Information
The human hand can be divided into three different parts: wrist, wrist and fingers. The metacarpus consists of eight small, irregularly shaped bones. They are all lined up in two rows. The metacarpus is represented by five tubular bones, each with a base, body, and head. The bases are attached to the wrist and the heads form connections with the phalanges of the fingers. The latter, in turn, consists of three phalanges. The exception in this case is the thumb. It has only two phalanges.
Human hands are extremely delicate and at the same time accurate tools. Fingers are a means of coordinated movement. Without them, normal life is impossible. All these actions are due to joint action. However, due to high daily activity, this region is at risk of developing completely different diseases, mechanical damage and injury. Joint pain in the fingers, as a rule, is accompanied by such pathological changes. In this case, treatment depends only on the factor that caused the onset of anxiety.
The main reasons
According to experts, pain in the joints of the fingers can be caused by various reasons. Below are the most common violations:
- Arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Bursitis.
- Mechanical injury and damage.
- Osteomyelitis.
Arthritis
Arthritis refers to acute or chronic inflammation of the joints. Isolated lesions of the fingers are very rare. As a rule, in such patients, the pathological process affects other joints. Arthritis pain in the affected area is marked by intensity. They are formed not only by the movement of the fingers, but also at rest. In addition, there is the appearance of severe edema in the areas affected by arthritis, a change in the normal shade of the skin.
- Rheumatoid arthritis. It is a connective tissue disease of infectious and allergic nature, which is mainly systemic. The impetus for the onset of this disease is a severe cold, often stress and hypothermia. Rheumatoid arthritis begins with pain in the joint of the index finger. Affected areas swell, patients complain of fever, weakness, tremors.
- Psoriatic arthritis. As a rule, this pathology develops in patients with already psoriatic manifestations on the skin. These are reddish dry scaly spots. With the development of the disease, the finger takes on a purple color and a sausage-like shape.
- Gout arthritis. Gout is understood as a fairly common disease characterized by metabolic disorders, ie purines. According to experts, such a disease can occur with an increase in uric acid levels and subsequent deposition of salts directly in the joint tissues. Typically, a gout attack begins with severe discomfort in the joint of the thumb. In the absence of timely treatment, the pathology spreads to other joints. Gout attacks most often occur at night. They are characterized by an increase in temperature and severe pain around the affected area. The disease develops 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 varies from two to about 14 days.
Osteoarthritis
The disease occurs as a result of the gradual destruction of cartilage tissue in the joint surface area. In this pathological condition, painful discomfort initially occurs only after prolonged physical exertion. Then, as the disease progresses, the intensity of the pain increases, and may even appear at night.
Osteoarthritis of the fingers is a very common problem. Even minor damage can trigger its development. During the development of the disease, the fingers may change their usual shape when bent to the side.
Rhizarthrosis. With the development of this disease, the joint under the thumb is affected, which connects the wrist bone to the metacarpal bone. This disease occurs due to overloading of this area. Pain in the thumb joint, visual deformation of the bones are the most common symptoms of this pathology.
Bursitis
Inflammation of the articular sacs of the fingers, accompanied by accumulation of fluid in their cavity, is called bursitis. It 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 can be easily identified visually.
With a long course, bursitis often turns into a chronic stage. In this case, the deposition of salts in the affected area joins the inflammatory process. All this, as a rule, causes pain in the joints of the fingers.
If the cause of the problem is a hand injury, then the pathological microflora is often involved in the inflammatory process. In this case, we are talking about the development of purulent bursitis. Accompanied by fever, headache and weakness throughout the body.
Injury and mechanical injury
Dislocation of bones in the joints is called dislocation. Athletes often deal with this problem. This 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 separate regulation exposes him each time for any wrongdoing. The thumb is characterized by a strong garden apparatus and differs by a certain load limit, elongation occurs after overturning. All this causes the displacement of articular surfaces.
The most common cause of a thumb sticking out is a failed fall on an open palm. It is very easy to determine the presence of this problem, because the externally affected area appears to be deformed. Severe thumb joint pain can interfere with normal activity, work and exercise. The skin in this area, as a rule, acquires a reddish color.
Osteomyelitis
A purulent process that affects the joints and nearby soft tissues is called osteomyelitis. These pathological bacteria penetrate the body and constantly develop due to the production of pus.
Acute osteomyelitis usually begins with a rise in temperature to 40 degrees. The patient's condition deteriorates very quickly, which is due to severe intoxication of the body. In addition, the patient may experience the following symptoms: joint pain in the fingers, tremors, fainting, vomiting.
In the first two days, the pain in the hands gradually increases. Active finger movements are usually not possible. It develops pathologically, which is expressed by the occurrence of edematous events in the muscles of the hand and even in the forearm. The skin in the affected area becomes purple.
Diagnostics
Timely consultation with a specialist, diagnosis, as well as competent treatment - all these factors allow to diagnose the disease and prevent its further development, the development of serious complications. You should not ignore the pain in the joints of the fingers, because even a small pathology can cause complete loss of movement and paralyze the patient. The following diagnostic measures may be required to diagnose the problem:
- Hand radiography.
- Blood tests (clinical / biochemical) and urine tests.
- Determination of the amount of purines.
How should finger joint pain be treated?
Regardless of the true cause of the pathology, therapy should be comprehensive and address three issues at the same time: treatment of the underlying disease, restoration of basic hand function, and pain relief.
Of course, the fight against this or that disease depends on its nature. In each case, the doctor prescribes appropriate treatment. However, the elimination of anxiety in the hands and its functional development are subject to general rules.
Modern medicine offers a variety of medications to alleviate anxiety. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed.
Glucocorticosteroid hormones are used to relieve pain due to autoimmune diseases (eg, rheumatoid arthritis). They have excellent anti-inflammatory effects and provide the desired comfort relatively quickly.
Special ointments with anesthetic components may enhance the effect of the drug.
The result
Finally, it should be noted that you should not ignore the pain in the joints of the fingers. The treatment offered by modern medicine is most effective in combating this problem. The main thing is to seek medical help in a timely manner and undergo the necessary diagnostic tests. Bless you!