Almost all people notice vague sensations in the phalanges of the fingers. This is mostly noticeable after a hard day at work or in the middle of the night, the hands begin to go numb.
Most people prefer not to notice these manifestations, but they do so to no avail. In such a situation, it is very important to quickly determine the causes of the appearance of these symptoms, this will allow you to start treatment earlier. Since advanced diseases of the joints of the fingers of the hands cause quite large health problems.
The reasons
It is worth taking a closer look at why joint pains appear in the fingers. Experts have identified two categories of joint pain:
- Inflammatory. . . They manifest as stiffness of movements, which lasts a long time, in the morning. To alleviate the pain a little, it is necessary to perform motor gymnastics. In addition to stiffness, they note: redness, swelling, and fingers are poorly reduced.
- Mechanical. . . They appear along with all the signs of common inflammation. But for the most part they are very minor and many may not notice their manifestations. For a more accurate determination of why the pains in the phalanges of the fingers appeared, you need to dig a little deeper into the study of diseases.
Disease Summary
Finger joints can hurt in the presence of the following pathologies:
- Rheumatoid arthritis. . . This disease manifests itself chronically, affects small joints, but in a very neglected state it can reach large ones, as well as internal organs. They swell when they turn red hot. Just clenching a fist is not as easy as it used to be, as the discomfort is very strong. It often affects both hands at the same time. The peculiarity of this disease is that the fingers hurt in the morning and before the morning.
- Psoriasic arthritis. . . This type of arthritis manifests itself exclusively on the skin of the fingers. Edema appears, so the fingers change shape and become sausage-like, red in color with a slight blue tint.
- Infectious arthritis. . . This disease may not have obvious symptoms. If sharp painful sensations appear that last from an hour to several days, it means that the disease is already actively developing. The affected joint is warm and you may also have a fever and chills.
- Gout. . . Most often, this disease affects people who have passed the 50-year mark. The disease develops due to poor excretion of uric acid from the body, it accumulates in the joints.
- Osteoarthritis. . . This disease begins to change the shape of the joints, they become thicker and restricts movement. Older women are more likely to develop this disease. The reasons for the development of osteoarthritis: heredity, increased stress and many other factors. Symptoms of the disease are usually easily noticed: painful sensations, spindle-shaped deformation of the fingers.
- Stenosing ligamentitis. . . To identify the cause of the disease, it is necessary to undergo X-rays. Symptoms are typical: painful hand movement, tight palm curvature. Also, when bending, clicks are usually heard.
- Rheumatism. . . This disease often causes severe pain, redness, and swelling. A rash may also appear and the temperature may begin to rise. Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor.
- Tunnel syndromecauses pain in the joints of the index finger. In modern times, this disease manifests itself in people who work at a computer for a long time.
Risk factor's
Diseases of the joints of the fingers, as well as any other disease, can, if not prevent, predict. To do this, it is worth finding out why such diseases can develop:
- It can occur due to hormonal changes.
- All kinds of pathologies of the immune system.
- In the presence of various infections in the body.
- If there is a metabolic disorder.
- With prolonged exposure to cold hands.
- Various microtrauma.
Do not delay visiting a specialist, because a neglected disease is more difficult to cure. Necessary treatment can be determined by a surgeon and a rheumatologist, based on the results of the examination.
Symptoms
It is also worth noting several symptoms of especially serious diseases:
- Nodular formations appear in the joint area.
- The squeaking of the fingers is heard.
- When pressed, pain is felt.
- They are accompanied by sharp pains.
- Redness of the skin.
- Weakening of fine motor skills.
- Temperature rise
- Joint deformation.
- Stamps appear on the curve of the finger.
In order to know the method of treatment and carry out prevention, it is necessary to find the reason why the pain in the joints appears.
How to diagnose?
To begin the treatment of joint pain in the fingers, you need to correctly determine what disease they have appeared. To determine what type of disease is prevalent in a person who feels pain in the joints when bending the arms, doctors recommend that he undergo the following procedures:
- Take X-rays.
- Get a CT scan.
- Pass various blood and urine tests.
- Get an MRI.
- It is necessary to check the content of purines in the blood.
If there is pain in the joints when bending the fingers, you should not trust that the problem itself will be solved. Without going to the doctor in time, a person begins the disease, which is fraught with very serious consequences. Very often, the mobility of the fingers is reduced, and in the future a problem such as the absolute inflexibility of the finger may appear. These consequences sometimes lead a person to a disability.
Treatment
Treatment for a symptom like finger joint pain is required to cure the disease that caused it. If inflammation is the cause of the pain, the doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics, harmony, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
If a dystrophic injury is established, it is necessary to restore the damaged joint with the help of medications, massage and physical therapy.
Treatment with medication
In addition, the doctor prescribes drug treatment. With inflammation, medications are prescribed primarily to relieve pain and inflammation. Today, there are quite a few drug options, so the doctor will choose the most suitable drugs.
If very severe pains have begun, then hormonal drugs are used, the reception of which can only be prescribed by the attending physician. They can be injected into the joint cavity. Also, with osteoarthritis, drugs are used that nourish the joint and stop the destruction.
When remission occurs, massage, mud treatments, and gymnastics are recommended. Doctors advise visiting various mud springs and sanatoriums. Doctors advise, as a rule, to abandon physical activity and to develop a diet that must be followed.
Home remedies
There are also alternative treatments. Some people prefer to use home remedies, both for treatment and to maintain health. Such methods will not cause harm, but can be used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. They can be supplemented with medications prescribed by a doctor and relieve pain.
Popular home remedies for this type of pathology are as follows:
- Crush a bay leaf and juniper needles, mix with butter and massage daily with the resulting porridge.
- Mix chalk and kefir, use the resulting mixture overnight in the form of a compress.
- You can drink birch sap, it perfectly heals and fills the whole body with vitamins.
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon) mixed with 10 drops of garlic juice and drink in the morning before meals.
There are many options to complement the prescribed treatment, you can consult your doctor.
Gymnastics
Experts strongly recommend doing finger exercises to develop your joints. Its implementation does not require a lot of time and effort. Some exercises can relieve pain and numbness in the hands.
It is important for a person to understand that his health is in their hands. If the joint pains have started, there is no need to waste time. It is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible and fully entrust him with your health.
Special gymnastics is able to keep the joints in good condition. The exercises are very easy and require a lot of effort and time. If you take a few minutes a day now, you may well be in good health in old age.
The joints are a very important part of the whole body, since their poor condition can lead to the limitation of human movement. We must constantly think about the health of the joints, as in the situation of the teeth, it is easier to prevent a disease than to cure it.
It is important to understand that if a person feels at least slight pain in the finger joints, he should immediately consult a doctor.
It is worth entrusting the doctor with its treatment, because each disease has its own irreversible consequences. Thanks to timely medical assistance, you can not only get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but also prevent serious complications.