When your hands and fingers hurt, it means that the body is signaling joint diseases or internal pathologies. Often the patient tries to solve the problem himself, unaware of the danger of becoming disabled in a short time. Information about why pain occurs in the joints of the fingers and what to do is useful for those who have felt the first symptoms of the disease and who have close relatives who suffer from joint pathology.
Causes
There are numerous diseases accompanied by pain and inflammation of the hand. This includes:
Gouty arthritis
The disease manifests itself at the age of 20. The thumbs are the first to go through the inflammatory process. There is a paroxysmal course of joint inflammation. The attack usually starts at night. Joint pain is acute. The area of skin above the affected joint becomes purple in color. The finger becomes hot and hard to bend. The inflammation lasts a maximum of 10 days. The attack may disappear suddenly without treatment, but it will soon reappear.
Polyosteoarthrosis
People over 40 are affected: men - less often than women. A characteristic sign of the disease is Heberden's nodes, when the nodes begin to form, swelling and redness of the joints, burning and sharp pain are noticed; in some patients, nodules form asymptomatically. In polyosteoarthrosis, the formation of knots on the joints in the middle of the finger is also observed. Bouchard's nodules are spindle-shaped, almost painless and characterized by slow growth.
Rheumatoid arthritis
The beginning of the disease is manifested by inflammation of the joints of the index and middle fingers. Along with the metacarpophalangeal joints, the wrist joints become inflamed, swollen and painful. Pain in the finger joint is especially painful in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is accompanied by weakness, joint pain and fever.
Psoriatic arthritis
Pathology develops in patients with psoriasis. Pain in the joints and swelling are observed in the pathology. Pathology has another name - sausage-shaped finger. At the same time, all joints and finger joints become inflamed. In rare cases, joint inflammation occurs on both hands, but on different fingers.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
The inflammation affects only the thumb. The pain is due to the load when trying to straighten the elbow to the elbow. Sometimes your finger hurts for no apparent reason.
Rhizarthrosis
A rare pathology. Rhizarthrosis is a chronic form of arthrosis. Localization was noted on the base of the thumb. The disease leads to deformation of the cartilage tissue. The bone of the thumb is deformed, limiting the movement of the inflamed joint.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Pathology is manifested by symptoms:
- The pain is felt on the inside of the thumb.
- My index finger hurts.
- Numbness of the skin of the palm is felt.
- The mobility of the hand decreases.
Without treatment, the nerve loses its ability to function, leading to disability.
Raynaud's disease
The cause of the disease is a decrease in capillary tone. It is manifested by symptoms: numbness, pale skin of the hand, vasodilatation, which results in redness of the fingers. Sometimes there is a bluish color, acute pain and swelling. The pathology is characterized by constant freezing of the hands, which in the last stage of development become bluish or black. Trophic ulcers are often observed.
Injuries
Pain in the hand most often occurs with bruises and sprains. A hand bruise is manifested by the following symptoms: swelling, blueness or redness of the bruised area, severe pain when trying to move the finger, hematoma formation and pathological mobility of the injured finger.
Tendinitis
The disease affects a person who constantly performs monotonous movements (sewing, typing, playing the piano). "Writer's" cramp occurs during the daily stress of typing. Pain syndrome is observed in people suffering from cervical osteochondrosis. Joint pain is especially noticeable at night. Painful sensations are often accompanied by a screeching sound.
Tingling and numbness in the fingers appear in a person who makes small movements with the hands. Repeated overexertion of the hand contributes to trigger finger syndrome. A bent finger is difficult to straighten; if force is applied to straighten it, a click is heard.
Pain due to internal pathologies
Pain in the hand and fingers often occurs for reasons unrelated to joint diseases. People suffering from pathologies are at risk:
Cardiac ischemia . In myocardial infarction, the onset of the attack often coincides with a feeling of pain and tingling in the left arm.Diabetes . The pathology leads to a more sensitive condition of the hands due to poor circulation.
Pain and numbness are often noticed in pregnant women. The following changes lead to swelling and pain in the finger joints during pregnancy: increased amounts of the hormone relaxin, lack of calcium, compression of the median nerve, depression.
Important!Heredity, freezing of the hands, frequent immersion in cold water, reduced immunity contribute to pathological changes in the hands.
Pain in the fingers of the right hand
Several fingers hurt at the same time. Half of the painful manifestations occur on the ring finger and little finger, and a third on the index finger and thumb. If the pain is felt in all the fingers of the right hand, the problem is related to the blood vessels. Pain in the index finger and thumb indicates spine pathologies. If the index finger, ring finger and thumb hurt at the same time, it indicates radial nerve disease. Simultaneous pain in the little finger and ring finger indicates the presence of a foraminal hernia.
The fingers on my left hand hurt
If the pain occurs in all the fingers of the left hand only, the problem is sought in the blood vessels. Thumb, index finger and ring finger hurt - radial or median nerve is affected, index finger and thumb - spine pathology. Pain in the little finger and ring finger occurs with foraminal hernia C5-C6. The joint of the middle finger hurts due to the C4-C5 foraminal hernia.
Which specialist to choose
For whatever reason your hands hurt, a visit to the doctor is mandatory. If you have post-traumatic pain, you should make an appointment with a traumatologist. If the joints are inflamed or swelling appears, a rheumatologist will help. When the cause of the pain is unclear, it is necessary to consult a cardiologist and an endocrinologist.
Diagnostics
Pathologies can be diagnosed using the following hardware tests:
Radiography . The painless procedure allows for the study of bone tissue. The results of the study were recorded on film in 3 projections.CT . The study is performed using X-rays. The results obtained after computer processing are a series of cross-sectional images.Electrospondylography . It reveals the presence of abnormalities in the part of the spine responsible for the functioning of the hands. Pathology is detected at the initial stage of development.MRI . The diagnosis is carried out using electromagnetic radiation. As a result of the study, longitudinal and cross-sectional images are obtained.
Laboratory methods
In order to diagnose joint pathology, studies are carried out:
General urinalysis . It enables the recognition of advanced forms of bone inflammation.General blood analysis . The study determines the presence of leukocytosis and anemia.Biochemical blood test . It determines the increased presence of fibrinogen and sialic acid.Puncture . After puncturing the affected joint, the fluid in it is taken for examination. The study is prescribed for the exact determination of the cause of the development of pathology; conducted in rare cases.Biopsy . A piece of skin tissue is taken for microscopic examination. The method detects lupus erythematosus and scleroderma.
Treatment
Pain in the hands is treated according to the reasons that caused it. For exacerbations of arthritis, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. For the normal supply of food from the blood to the joints, it is necessary to use vasodilating drugs. Anti-inflammatory ointments are used for local therapy. Good results are achieved in the treatment of arthritis with ultrasound, electrophoresis and acupuncture.
For osteoarthritis, centrally acting analgesics are prescribed to relieve the patient of acute pain. In addition to pain relief, such drugs also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Chondroprotectors: chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid in some cases are taken continuously. Laser treatment is successfully used in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Significant relief is achieved by physiotherapeutic procedures: massage, mud therapy.
Taking drugs to normalize purine metabolism in the body is indicated for gout. Analgesics are prescribed for pain relief. Of particular importance is a diet with limited consumption of meat products, fish and alcohol. Rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured, but it is possible to slow down the destructive process of the joint by using anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy and surgical methods. Acupuncture and massage have also proven themselves well.
For the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, it is necessary to create comfortable working conditions, taking into account the correct position of the hand. For painful sensations, make poultices from chamomile decoction.
Surgical methods
If conservative treatment is ineffective, the joint is changed surgically. Indications for surgical intervention are:
- Injuries with separation of the tendon from the point of attachment to the phalanx of the nail.
- Arthritis of the hand.
- Fractures and cracks.
- Deep cuts.
- Malignant neoplasms of the hand.
How to treat according to traditional recipes
Effective folk recipes for combating hand pain:
Recipe no. 1 . Aloe ointment. Take 20 g of crushed fresh aloe leaf, add 5 g of dry mustard. Stir and simmer for 8-10 minutes until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Transfer to a container away from light. The joints of the hands are massaged in the morning and in the evening until there is a visible improvement.Recipe no. 2 . Tincture of bird cherry. Pour over 50 g of cherry peel with 200 ml of vodka. Insist for 10 days without access to light. Lubricate the brushes 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.Recipe no. 3 . Calendula bath. One tablespoon of dried calendula flowers is poured with 200 ml of boiling water. Prepare the decoction for 15 minutes. on low heat. Treatment procedures continue for 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 10 procedures.Recipe no. 4 . It is drunk from dandelion roots. Therefore, 1 tablespoon of dandelion root is poured with 200 ml of boiling water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Drink 1 tablespoon 15 minutes before meals for 14 days.Recipe no. 5 . Three tablespoons of sea salt are heated in the microwave. Wrap in gauze, apply to the wrist and leave for 30 minutes.
Procedures are performed daily for 20 days.
Useful tips
By following the doctor's recommendations, you can significantly help the body to relieve joint diseases. If swelling of the hands occurs, jewelry should be removed. In case of injury, it is necessary to keep the hand still and apply a cold compress. If there is pain from exertion, it should be removed or significantly reduced. Jobs that require repetitive movements need to be changed.
Contact your doctor immediately if the following symptoms occur:
- Post-traumatic pain does not subside, stiffness of movements is noticeable, it is difficult to bend the finger.
- The hand is red and there is heat in the skin area.
- He feels tingling in his hand.
- The phalanges of the fingers hurt.
- Hand or finger goes numb.
Prevention
To prevent arm pain, you should:
- Incorporate arm strengthening exercises into your morning exercise routine.
- If repetitive movements are required, you should take breaks.
- Prolonged stay in a position that requires a fixed position of the hands should be avoided.
- Avoid cold hands.
Pain in the hands occurs for various reasons. Drug treatment, physiotherapy, surgical methods and folk recipes are used to relieve pain. In order to improve the quality of your life, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.