Hands are very important for a person. You can do different things with your fingers. But when joint problems begin, certain difficulties arise. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to perform a normal movement, let alone the most delicate work with small details. Of course, it affects the quality of life, so it is important to monitor your health. But what to do if the joints of your fingers already hurt? The causes and treatment of this pathology will depend on many factors. The age of the patient plays an important role. Of course, after the age of 40, people are more sensitive to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children can complain of joint pain. What causes this? Let's figure it out.
Finger joints hurt: causes
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that such a symptom is directly related to injuries and certain diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenotic ligamentitis.
- Arthrosis.
- Gout.
- Bursitis.
- Osteomyelitis.
Of course, these are not all the reasons that can cause pain in the finger joint. The most common ones are presented above. So, let's get to know them in more detail.
Arthritis
Does your finger joint hurt? What to do in this situation? Of course, you should consult a doctor first. The fact is that this symptom can be caused by either a simple injury or a rather serious disease that requires special treatment. The sooner you start, the easier it is to get a positive result.
Most people of retirement age begin to experience joint pain. They usually develop arthritis. The inflammatory process can occur in an acute or chronic form. It is worth noting that arthritis affects not only the finger joints, but also others. A person suffering from this disease feels very sharp pain. They don't even stop at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. But in the second, the disease appears less often. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are most often diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. To date, this species has not been fully studied. But its consequences are quite severe. Some children not only have difficulty moving their fingers, they can even be disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by a malfunction of the immune system. Children under 16 are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis has a different nature. It is caused by infectious and allergic diseases. The danger of this type is that the acute form becomes chronic without treatment. Such a person will be limited in movement and will suffer from constant pain.
In no case should the treatment be carried out independently, because it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the causes that cause the disease. The first thing to do is visit a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe the treatment.
If the joints of the fingers hurt, the measures used by doctors are:
- If a patient is diagnosed with an infectious disease, how can it be treated? In most cases, antibiotics are used.
- To eliminate inflammation, the patient is prescribed drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop destructive processes.
- Gymnastic exercises are prescribed, including in the pool.
- Diet.
Arthrosis
If you are wondering why the joints in your fingers hurt, there may be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease like arthrosis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens consistently. At first, a person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity and for quite a long time. But after a certain time, their character becomes more intense. Pain occurs even at night. This indicates that the disease is beginning to progress.
For people with chronic arthrosis and severe pain in the thumb joint, doctors diagnose it as "rhizarthrosis". The disease has three stages of development. This can happen for several reasons. They can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, dysplasia of the articular joint is diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also appears due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If the treatment is not started in time, it threatens not only the destruction of the cartilage, but also the articular ligaments, and all nearby bone structures are affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis is, of course, pain. But this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may feel a characteristic crisis when moving a finger, mobility and numbness decrease. All this complements the swelling and redness of the skin. If your finger joint is swollen and painful, it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is easier to treat rhizarthrosis in the first stage than in the last one. It's rare, but surgery may still be necessary.
A disease like arthrosis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a small injury can cause it. With arthrosis, the joints are changed a lot, which affects the shape of the fingers.
Bursitis
If an inflammatory process appears in the periarticular bursa, it means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. This is accompanied by fluid accumulation. Inflammation occurs after severe decay or abrasion. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbe - pyogenic. People with this pathology have pain in the joints of fingers and toes. In addition, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid collects in the shoulder, knee, elbow and hip joints.
In medicine, two forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. It starts from the first. At the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which increases significantly with joint movement. A very elastic swelling appears. It comes in different diameters. When the disease starts to progress, the pain does not stop at night, even if the hand remains motionless. Redness of the skin, swelling of the limb and hypothermia are also observed during bursitis.
If not treated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. A person's finger joints hurt much less. You should not refuse treatment, because chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. Also, the inflammatory process causes the formation of calcium deposits in the diseased joint area. In order to alleviate the patient's condition as much as possible, it is necessary to wrap the limb well with elastic bandages. This will protect you from accidental movement that causes severe pain. After that, you should consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will choose anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
Gout
If the joints of the fingers of your right or left hand hurt, the cause of these unpleasant sensations may be gout. This disease is considered the most common. It is most common in elderly people. The reason for its formation is a violation of uric acid metabolism (sodium crystals accumulate in the tissues). Most people think that gout can only occur on the feet around the big toe. However, this is not the case. In some people, such formations can also occur in the fingers of the upper limbs.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, severe redness, pain, peeling of the skin. Even microtrauma, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. can be a provocation factor. The disease manifests itself quite quickly. Within a few hours, you will see all the symptoms described above. Patients often have a high fever that causes chills or fever. In the acute form of gout, the joints of the fingers are very painful. Even a small touch can significantly increase the unpleasant feeling.
With this disease, it is important to strictly follow the diet. It is selected individually by the doctor for each patient. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and juices per day. The patient is prescribed anti-gout drugs to remove uric acid from the blood. However, you should not rely on quick results, as their use can last for years. They are prescribed only by doctors. Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs can also be added to them.
Stenotic ligamentitis
If a child has pain in the joints of the fingers, this may be caused by a pathology called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligamentous-tendon apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but also several can be blocked in a bent position. It manifests itself in children from the first year of life. However, they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also get stenosing ligamentitis. Often these are people of retirement age.
The causes of this disease in children are due to unbalanced development. That is, annular ligaments grow more slowly than tendons. Due to this imbalance occurs. It causes the ligaments to press on the tendons. Because of this, an easily palpable compression occurs. When bending a finger, the child may feel a characteristic click in a certain joint.
The cause of stenotic ligamentitis in adults is an inflammatory process, its focus is on the tendons. This causes pain in the joints of the fingers. What else can cause the development of this disease:
- Overload.
- Heredity.
- Incorrect structure of tendons and annular ligaments.
- Some diseases (diabetes, atherosclerosis, etc. ).
Symptoms of stenotic ligamentitis:
- clicks when bending;
- pain when pressed;
- compression formation;
- limitation in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. In the second, a seal is already formed. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer straighten his fingers independently. This can only be done surgically. However, this type of treatment is used in very complex cases. It is better to start the development of ligaments and tendons at the initial stage of the disease by carrying out a special physical therapy complex.
Injuries
Do your finger joints hurt? The reason may be the diseases described above or dislocation. The latter is provoked by displacement of bones. Athletes often face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not immune to dislocation. This type of injury has certain symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area, and joint deformity.
Of course, any finger can be sprained. But the big one is most susceptible to it. The fact is that if he does something wrong, he is the one left defenseless. Although the ligament apparatus of this finger is quite strong, it is easy to get a stretch without calculating the load. This pathology can also develop if you accidentally get it on your hands. A person immediately experiences severe pain, after which (about an hour) the limb may swell and become red.
If the joint of your thumb hurts, of course you will not be able to continue your usual lifestyle. How to treat a sprain or sprain? If possible, you should see a doctor. A photograph is taken during the appointment to rule out a fracture or dislocation. It is advisable to apply something cold in the first minutes. After that, warm compresses are recommended. Analgesics are taken to reduce pain. Ointments with analgesic effect are also very useful.
Osteomyelitis
This disease is accompanied by a purulent process that can affect not only the joints, but the whole body. It even penetrates the bone marrow. The seriousness of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is contagious. It spreads to all nearby tissues. Over time, the lesion increases and grows larger. Necrosis occurs due to poor blood circulation.
Children most often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease occurs due to microorganisms entering the bone tissue with blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, doctors diagnose "traumatic osteomyelitis. "
Symptoms:
- the joints of the fingers are very painful;
- there is pain and twisting;
- the temperature rises;
- the damaged area swells and turns red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus starts coming out of the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can be combined with medication. The latter is necessary to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, folk remedies are considered ineffective.
My finger joints hurt. Treatment
Treatment of this pathology is necessary only in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Pain relief.
- Restoration of functions.
As mentioned above, treatment should be selected individually in each case. Of course, when choosing certain methods, doctors take into account the cause of severe pain, symptoms and degree of inflammation. There are both drug and surgical treatments.
But if a person does not have the opportunity to go to the hospital, then you can simply try to reduce the pain syndrome. Painkillers are suitable for these purposes. However, it should be remembered that they do not eliminate the underlying cause, so a relapse will inevitably occur after the drug's effect wears off. If the pain is very severe, the ointment will help increase the effect of the tablets.
Traditional methods
What to do if the joints of the fingers hurt? In this case, folk remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.It is used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will do. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed. The ointment is applied to the skin of the affected area.
- Caucasian spider.This type of plant is used to prepare an ointment that perfectly relieves pain. To prepare it, you need to take the same amount of honey as hellebore. Add a few drops of unrefined vegetable oil and a pinch of dry mustard to these ingredients. All this is mixed until smooth, then heated in a water bath. Apply to the affected area before going to bed.
- Raw potatoes.The vegetable is grated, slightly heated, put on a bandage or gauze and applied to the finger.
- Elecampane roots.It is used as a tincture. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist for 14 days in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. If you use it daily, if you rub it on the joints, it perfectly removes inflammation.
The result
Based on the above information, we can conclude that if the joints of the fingers hurt, it should not be ignored in any case. The fact is that such a symptom can be the first sign of a serious disease. If you start treatment on time, the result will be positive in 99% of cases. Today, medicine offers quite effective methods, you just need to see a doctor and undergo an examination.