pain in hands and fingers

When your hands and fingers hurt, it means the body is sending signals about joint disease or internal pathology. Sufferers often try to solve problems on their own without realizing the dangers of becoming disabled in a short period of time. Information about why pain occurs in finger joints and what to do is useful for those who have felt the first symptoms of the disease and who have close relatives with joint pathology.

reason

There are many diseases associated with hand pain and inflammation. These include:

gouty arthritis

The disease begins in people over 20 years of age. The thumb is the first to undergo the inflammatory process. There is paroxysmal inflammation of the joints. The attacks usually begin at night. The joint pain is severe. The area of skin over the affected joint turns purple. Fingers become hot and difficult to bend. Inflammation lasts up to 10 days. Attacks may disappear suddenly without treatment, only to return quickly.

Polyarthrosis

People over 40 are affected: fewer men than women. A notable symptom of the disease is Hebden's nodules, which cause swelling, redness, burning, and severe pain in the joint when the nodules begin to form; in some patients, the nodules form without symptoms. In polyarthrosis, nodule formation on the middle joints of the fingers is also observed. Bouchard's nodules are spindle-shaped, almost painless, and grow slowly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Symptoms include inflammation of the index finger and middle finger joints. The wrist joints become inflamed, swollen, and painful along with the metacarpophalangeal joints. Pain in the finger joints is especially painful in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is accompanied by weakness, joint pain, and fever.Rheumatoid arthritis can cause pain and swelling in the finger joints.

psoriatic arthritis

Pathological changes occur in patients with psoriasis. Pathologically, joint pain and swelling are noted. This pathology also has a name - "sausage finger". At the same time, all joints and joints of the fingers become inflamed. In rare cases, joints in both hands may become inflamed, but not on different fingers.

Querven's tenosynovitis

The inflammation affects only the thumb. The pain is caused by loading when trying to extend the elbow toward the elbow. Sometimes your fingers hurt for no reason.

root-knot disease

Rare pathology. Root arthrosis is a chronic form of joint disease. Positioning is marked at the base of the thumb. The disease causes cartilage tissue to become deformed. The bones of the thumb become deformed, limiting the movement of the inflamed joint.

carpal tunnel syndrome

Pathology manifests itself in the following symptoms:
  • Pain on the inside of the thumb.
  • My index finger hurts.
  • There is a numb feeling on the skin of the palms.
  • Decreased hand mobility.
If left untreated, the nerves lose function, leading to disability.

Raynaud's disease

The cause of the disease is a decrease in capillary tone. Manifestations include: numbness and paleness of the skin on the hands, vasodilation, and redness of the fingers. Sometimes bluish color, severe pain, and swelling may occur. Its pathological hallmark is persistent freezing of the hands, which turns blue or black in the final stages of development. Trophic ulcers are frequently observed.

Injuried

Hand pain is most common from bruises and sprains. Bruises on the hand are characterized by the following symptoms: swelling, bluish or redness of the bruised area, severe pain when trying to move the finger, formation of hematoma and pathological movement of the injured finger.A sprain is painful when you press or move your finger.

Tendinitis

This disorder affects people who frequently perform monotonous movements (sewing, typing, playing the piano). "Writing" cramps occur during the daily stress of typing. This pain syndrome is common in patients with cervical osteochondrosis. Wrist pain is especially noticeable at night. The painful sensation is often accompanied by a crunching-like sound.When you make small movements with your hands, you may experience tingling and numbness in your fingers. Repeated excessive force on the hand can lead to trigger finger syndrome. Bent fingers are difficult to straighten; if you use force to straighten them, you will hear a clicking sound.

pain caused by internal lesions

Often, pain in the hands and fingers occurs for reasons unrelated to joint disease. People with the disease are at risk for:
  • cardiac ischemia. During a myocardial infarction, you usually experience pain and tingling in your left hand.
  • diabetes. This pathology causes the hands to become more sensitive due to poor circulation.
Pain and numbness are often observed in pregnant women. The following changes can cause swelling and pain in finger joints during pregnancy: increased levels of the hormone relaxin, calcium deficiency, median nerve compression, and depression.
important!Heredity, frozen hands, frequent immersion in cold water, and weakened immunity can all lead to hand lesions.

right finger pain

Pain in several fingers at the same time. Half of the pain manifestations occur on the ring and little fingers, and one-third occur on the index finger and thumb. If you feel pain in all the fingers of your right hand, the problem is related to blood vessels. Pain in the index finger and thumb indicates pathology in the spine. If the index finger, ring finger and thumb are painful at the same time, it indicates radial nerve disease. Pain in both the little finger and ring finger indicates a foraminal hernia.

My left finger is injured

If you only experience pain in all the fingers of your left hand, you should look for the problem in the blood vessels. Injuries to the thumb, index finger and ring finger - the radial or median nerve is affected, the index finger and thumb - spinal lesions. Pain in little and ring fingers with C5-C6 foraminal hernia. Pain in the middle finger joint due to C4-C5 foraminal hernia.

Which expert to choose

No matter what the reason is for your hand injury, it’s important to see a doctor. If you have post-traumatic pain, you should make an appointment with a traumatologist. If a joint becomes inflamed or swollen, a rheumatologist can help. When the cause of pain is unknown, a cardiologist and endocrinologist should be consulted.

diagnosis

The following hardware tests can be used to diagnose the pathology:
  • radiography. The painless procedure makes it possible to study bone tissue. The results of the study were recorded on film using 3 projections.
  • CT. The research was conducted using X-rays. The result obtained after computer processing is a series of images with cross sections.
  • spinal electrogram. Testing for abnormalities in the part of the spine responsible for arm function. Pathology is detected during the initial stages of development.
  • MRI. Diagnosis using electromagnetic radiation. As a result of the study, images of longitudinal and transverse sections were obtained.
X-rays can help diagnose finger joint pain

laboratory methods

To diagnose joint pathology, the following studies are performed:
  • General urinalysis. Makes it possible to identify advanced forms of bone inflammation.
  • General blood analysis. The study identified the presence of leukocytosis and anemia.
  • blood biochemistry test. The presence of increased fibrinogen and sialic acid was determined.
  • prick. After the affected joint is pierced, the fluid inside is removed and examined. The study aims to accurately determine the cause of the development of the pathology; it is performed in rare cases.
  • Biopsy. A piece of skin tissue is taken for microscopic examination. Lupus and scleroderma can be detected using this method.

treat

Treatment is based on the cause of hand pain. For exacerbations of arthritis, use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For the normal supply of nutrients from the blood to the joints, vasodilator drugs are required. Anti-inflammatory ointments can be used for topical treatment. Ultrasound, electrophoresis, and acupuncture have been used to treat arthritis with good results.For osteoarthritis, central analgesics are needed to relieve the patient's acute pain. In addition to relieving pain, these medications also have anti-inflammatory properties. Chondroprotectants: Chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid (in some cases) need to be taken continuously. Laser therapy has been successfully used to treat osteoarthritis. Symptoms can be significantly relieved using physical therapy procedures: massage, mud therapy.For gout, medications can be taken to normalize purine metabolism in the body. Analgesics are prescribed to relieve pain. Of particular importance is a diet that limits the consumption of meat products, fish and alcohol. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but the joint destruction process can be slowed with the use of anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and surgery. Acupuncture and massage have also been shown to be effective.
To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, comfortable working conditions should be created, taking into account the correct position of the hand. For painful sensations, apply chamomile decoction to the compress.

Surgical methods

If conservative treatment fails, surgery may be needed to replace the joint. Indications for surgical intervention are:
  • An injury in which the tendon separates from its attachment to the phalanx.
  • Arthritis of the hands.
  • Breaks and cracks.
  • Deep wounds.
  • Malignant tumors of the hand.
If your finger joints are injured, use various folk remedies

How to treat according to traditional recipes

Effective folk remedies to combat hand pain:
  • Recipe No. 1. Aloe vera ointment. Crush 20 grams of fresh aloe vera leaves and add 5 grams of dry mustard. Mix and cook for 8-10 minutes until you get a homogeneous mass. Transfer to a light-proof container. Lubricate hand joints morning and night until noticeable improvement occurs.
  • Recipe No. 2. Bird Cherry Tincture. Pour 50 g of bird cherry bark into 200 ml of vodka. Do this for 10 days without exposure to light. Lubricate brushes 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
  • Recipe No. 3. Take a bath with marigolds. Pour 1 tablespoon of dried marigolds into 200 ml of boiling water. Fry the soup for 15 minutes. Over low heat. The treatment session lasts 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 10 times.
  • Recipe No. 4. Drink dandelion root. So, pour 1 tablespoon of dandelion root into 200 ml of boiling water. Cook for 20 minutes. Drink 1 tablespoon 15 minutes before meals for 14 days.
  • Recipe No. 5. Warm three tablespoons of sea salt in the microwave. Wrap a gauze bandage over the joint and leave it for 30 minutes.
The procedure was performed once a day for 20 days.

Useful tips

By following your doctor's recommendations, you can significantly help your body relieve joint disease. If the hands are swollen, jewelry should be removed. If you are injured, you must keep your hand still and apply a cold compress. If pain occurs when exerting force, it should be eliminated or significantly reduced. Jobs requiring repetitive motions need to be replaced.If the following symptoms occur, seek medical attention immediately:
  • Post-traumatic pain does not subside, movement is stiff, and it is difficult to bend the fingers.
  • The hands become red and the skin feels burning.
  • There is a tingling sensation in the hands.
  • Pain in the phalanges of the fingers.
  • The hands or fingers become numb.
Quitting smoking can prevent finger joint pain

prevention

To prevent hand pain, you should:
  • Add hand muscle-strengthening exercises to your morning workout.
  • If you need to repeat the movement, you should take a break.
  • Staying in positions that require a fixed hand position for long periods of time should be avoided.
  • Avoid getting your hands too cold.
Hand pain is caused by a variety of reasons. To relieve pain, medication, physical therapy, surgery and folk remedies can be used. To improve your quality of life, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.