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 on his own, unaware of the danger of becoming disabled in a short time. Information on why pain in the joints of the fingers occurs and what to do is useful for those who have felt the first symptoms of the disease and who have close relatives suffering from joint pathology.
Causes
There are numerous diseases accompanied by pain and inflammation of the hand. These include:
Gouty arthritis
The disease manifests itself beyond the age of 20. The thumbs are the first to undergo the inflammatory process. There is a paroxysmal course of inflammation of the joints. The attack most often begins at night. Joint pain is acute. The area of skin over the affected joint turns purple. The finger becomes hot and difficult to bend. The inflammation lasts a maximum of 10 days. The attack may disappear suddenly, without treatment, but will soon return.
Polyosteoarthritis
People over the age of 40 are affected: men - less often than women. A hallmark of the disease is Heberden's nodules, when the nodules begin to form, swelling and redness of the joints, burning and sharp pain are noted; in some patients the nodules form asymptomatically. With polyosteoarthritis, the formation of nodules on the joints of the middle of the finger is also observed. Bouchard's nodules are fusiform, almost painless and characterized by slow growth.
Rheumatoid arthritis
The onset 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. The pain in the finger joint is especially painful in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is accompanied by weakness, joint pain, and fever.
Psoriatic arthritis
The pathology develops in patients with psoriasis. Joint pain and swelling are noted in the pathology. The pathology has another name: "sausage-shaped" finger. At the same time, all joints and joints of the fingers become inflamed. In rare cases, the joints of both hands become inflamed, but on different fingers.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
The inflammation affects only the thumb. The pain is caused by loads when trying to straighten the elbow towards the elbow. Sometimes the finger hurts for no apparent reason.
Rhizarthrosis
Rare pathology. Rhizarthrosis is a chronic form of osteoarthritis. The location is noted at the base of the thumb. The disease leads to deformation of cartilaginous tissue. The thumb bone becomes deformed, limiting movement of the inflamed joint.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
The pathology manifests itself with symptoms:
- The pain is felt on the inside of the thumb.
- My index finger hurts.
- There is a feeling of numbness on the skin of the palm.
- Hand motility decreases.
Without treatment, the nerve loses its ability to function, which leads to disability.
Raynaud's disease
The cause of the disease is a decrease in capillary tone. Manifested by symptoms: numbness, paleness of the skin of the hand, vasodilation, resulting in redness of the fingers. Sometimes there is a bluish color, sharp 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
Hand pain most often occurs with bruises and sprains. A bruise on the hand is manifested by the following symptoms: swelling, bluish or red color of the bruise site, severe pain when trying to move a finger, formation of a hematoma and pathological mobility of the injured finger.
Tendinitis
The disease affects a person who constantly performs monotonous movements (sewing, typing, playing the piano). "Writing" cramp occurs during the daily stress of typing. Painful syndrome is observed in people suffering from cervical osteochondrosis. Wrist pain is especially noticeable at night. Painful sensations are often accompanied by a crunching sound.
Tingling and numbness of the fingers appear in a person who makes small movements with his 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 will be heard.
Pain due to internal pathologies
Pain in the hand and fingers is often felt for reasons not related to joint diseases. People suffering from pathologies are at risk:
- Cardiac ischemia. In myocardial infarction, the onset of the attack often coincides with a sensation of pain and tingling in the left hand.
- Diabetes. The pathology leads to a more sensitive state of the hands due to poor circulation.
Pain and numbness are often observed in pregnant women. During pregnancy the following changes cause swelling and pain in the joints of the fingers: increased amount of the hormone relaxin, calcium deficiency, compression of the median nerve, depression.
Important!Heredity, frostbite of the hands, frequent immersion in cold water, decreased immunity contribute to pathological changes in the hands.
Pain in the fingers of the right hand
Several fingers hurt at once. Half of the painful manifestations occur on the ring finger and little finger, and a third on the index finger and thumb. If you feel pain in all the fingers of your right hand, the problem is related to the blood vessels. Pain in the index finger and thumb indicates pathologies of the spine. If the index finger, ring and thumb hurt at the same time, this indicates radial nerve disease. Simultaneous pain in the little finger and ring finger indicates the presence of a foraminal hernia.
My fingers on my left hand hurt
If the pain occurs only in all the fingers of the left hand, the problem must be sought in the blood vessels. The thumb, index finger and ring finger hurt - the radial or middle nerve is affected, the index finger and thumb - spinal pathology. Pain in the little finger and ring finger occurs with a foraminal hernia of C5-C6. The middle finger joint hurts due to a foraminal hernia of C4-C5.
Which specialist to choose
Whatever the reason your hands hurt, a visit to the doctor is mandatory. If you are suffering from post-traumatic pain, you should make an appointment with a trauma surgeon. If the joints are inflamed or swelling appears, a rheumatologist will help. When the cause of the pain is unclear, you should consult a cardiologist and an endocrinologist.
Diagnostics
Pathologies can be diagnosed using the following hardware tests:
- X-ray. The painless procedure allows you to study bone tissue. The results of the study are recorded on film in 3 projections.
- CT. The study is carried out using X-rays. The results obtained after computer processing are a series of images with cross sections.
- Electrospondylography. It detects the presence of abnormalities in the part of the spine responsible for the functioning of the arms. Pathology is detected at the early stage of development.
- magnetic resonance imaging. Diagnosis is carried out using electromagnetic radiation. As a result of the study, images of longitudinal and transverse sections are obtained.
Laboratory methods
To diagnose joint pathology, studies are carried out:
- General urinalysis. It allows you to identify advanced forms of bone inflammation.
- General blood tests. The study determines the presence of leukocytosis and anemia.
- Biochemical blood test. It determines the increased presence of fibrinogen and sialic acids.
- Drilling. After puncturing the affected joint, the fluid in it is taken for examination. The study is prescribed to accurately determine the cause of the development of the pathology; carried out in rare cases.
- Biopsy. A piece of skin tissue is taken for microscopic examination. Using the method, lupus erythematosus and scleroderma are detected.
Treatment
Hand pain is treated based on the reasons that caused it. For exacerbations of arthritis, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. For the normal supply of nutrients from the blood to the joints, the use of vasodilator drugs is necessary. For local therapy, anti-inflammatory ointments are used. Good results are achieved by treating arthritis with ultrasound, electrophoresis and acupuncture.
For osteoarthritis, centrally acting analgesics are prescribed to relieve the patient from acute pain. In addition to pain relief, such drugs have an anti-inflammatory effect. Chondroprotectors: chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid in some cases are taken constantly. Laser treatment has been used successfully in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Significant relief is achieved using physiotherapeutic procedures: massage, mud therapy.
For gout, taking medications to normalize the metabolism of purines in the body is indicated. Analgesics are prescribed to relieve pain. 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 using anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy and surgical methods. Acupuncture and massage have also proven effective.
To treat carpal tunnel syndrome it is necessary to create comfortable working conditions, taking into account the correct position of the hand. For painful sensations, make compresses with chamomile decoction.
Surgical methods
If conservative treatment is ineffective, the joint is surgically replaced. Indications for surgery are:
- Lesions 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 tumors of the hand.
How to treat according to traditional recipes
Effective folk recipes to combat hand pain:
- Recipe no. 1. Aloe ointment. Take 20 g of chopped fresh aloe leaves, add 5 g of dry mustard. Mix and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes until a smooth mass is obtained. Transfer to a container protected from light. The joints of the hands are lubricated in the morning and evening until visible improvement is noticed.
- Recipe no. 2. Bird cherry tincture. 50 g of cherry bark is poured with 200 ml of vodka. Insist 10 days without access to light. Lubricate the brushes 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.
- Recipe no. 3. Marigold bath. A spoonful of dried calendula flowers is poured into 200 ml of boiling water. Prepare the decoction for 15 minutes. over low heat. Treatment procedures continue for 20 minutes. The course of treatment is 10 procedures.
- Recipe no. 4. Drink from dandelion roots. Then, 1 tablespoon of dandelion roots is poured into 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 a gauze bandage, apply to the joint and leave for 30 minutes.
The procedures are performed daily for 20 days.
Useful tips
Following the recommendations of doctors, you can significantly help the body alleviate joint diseases. If swelling occurs in the hands, jewelry should be removed. In case of injury you need to keep your hand still and apply a cold compress. If there is pain on exertion, it should be eliminated or significantly reduced. Need to change jobs that require repetitive movements.
You should consult a doctor immediately if the following symptoms occur:
- The post-traumatic pain does not decrease, stiffness of movements is noted and it is difficult to bend the finger.
- The hand is red and there is heat in the skin area.
- There is a tingling sensation in the hand.
- The phalanges of the fingers hurt.
- The hand or finger becomes numb.
Prevention
To prevent hand pain, you should:
- Include exercises to strengthen your hand muscles in your morning exercise routine.
- If repetitive movements are necessary, you should take breaks.
- Prolonged standing in a position requiring a fixed position of the hands should be avoided.
- Avoid overcooling your hands.
Hand pain is caused by various reasons. To relieve pain, drug treatments, physiotherapy, surgical methods and folk recipes are used. To improve your quality of life, it is important to follow your doctor's recommendations.