Fingers are the main tool that can perform different work functions.It is not surprising, therefore, that when the joints of the fingers hurt, it is difficult to fulfill their direct duties or deal with homework.Medical help is necessary when the first painful sensations occur, otherwise severe consequences associated with the destruction of the joints in the advanced stages are possible.
What should I do if the joints of your fingers hurt?You need to apply for a rheumatologist for as soon as possible.Only after the specialist has identified the true cause of pain and clarifies the diagnosis that he will be able to choose an effective treatment regimen and prescribe the necessary medicines.
Why the joints of the fingers hurt are the main reasons
There are many causes that can cause joint pain.Factors causing pathological changes in the joints are:
- influence of the external environment (eg long -term hypothermia, physical injuries);
- professional factor related to constant increased joint loads;
- hormonal disorders;
- diseases of the immune and endocrine system;
- hereditary factor;
- Chronic infectious diseases.
Often the joints of the fingers during pregnancy injure and this condition is explained by a lack of calcium, which is the most valuable during this period.Increasing the production of the hormone relaxin (which adversely affects the condition of cartilage tissue), as well as the weakening of the immunity associated with the restructuring of the body of a woman during the period of the fetus, also plays its role.
In addition, experts distinguish a number of diseases that lead to deformity and destruction of the joints and are accompanied by a characteristic feature - pain.These are pathologies like:
- infectious arthritis;
- osteoarthrosis;
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- Psoriatic arthritis;
- rifactrosis;
- gout;
- Streaming ligament.
Let us live more on the symptoms of diseases that cause joints and talk about methods of diagnosis and treatment of such pathologies.
Finger joints hurt - what diseases can be discussed
The reasons why the joints of the fingers are most likely related to one of the following diseases:
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease with an inflammatory nature associated with damage to the small joints of the hands and feet.The inflammatory process is more commonly affecting the parallels - the phalax joints of the middle and index finger.If the fingers swell in the morning and the joints hurt, it may be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.
With exacerbation of the inflammatory process, the skin over the joints swells, blushes, becomes hot to the touch, below it you can feel thick nodes.The pain is so intense that one cannot shake his hand in a fist.Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by symmetrical damage to the joints of both hands.The main sign of the disease is the morning stiffness of the joints, accompanied by an increase in pain.
Usually in the evening the pain syndrome disappears.The danger of the disease is that the diagnosis is usually made in the short stages when cartilage is already destroyed.If your joints hurt and your fingers tingle, try not to delay your doctor's visit, otherwise the neglected inflammatory process will lead to deformation of the fingers and hands and will end with disabilities.
Psoriatic arthritis
This is one of the forms of psoriasis when, in addition to the manifestations of the skin, the distal (nails) joints of the phalanges of the fingers, they participate in the inflammatory process.At the same time, there is a change in their shape, they swell, swell, do not exchange, the skin blushes and inflammation, and the fingers themselves become similar to sausages.
If the joints of the fingers of the right hand (such as an index and a small finger) hurt, then according to the way the joints of the fingers of the left hand, you can confidently make a preliminary diagnosis.With psoriatic arthritis, the inflammatory process will be asymmetrical, that is, the lesion will subjugate the phalanx of the middle and ring finger on the other.
Infectious and septic arthritis
These diseases usually continue with severe joint pain and worsening in the general condition, which is manifested by fever, chills, fever, symptoms of intoxication of the body.
Inflammation of the joint of a viral or bacterial nature is often associated with the lesion of one joint where infectious agents penetrate by damage to the skin.But it is not uncommon for polyarthritis when several joints are infected at once, in which case the inflammatory symptoms become particularly pronounced.
Osteoarthrosis
This disease is not inflammatory and is manifested by deformation of the joints, their gradual thickening and limitation of mobility.If the joint of the finger hurts when bending, the fingers take the form of a spindle with a characteristic thickening in the middle, this indicates the development of osteoarthrosis.
The disease is characteristic of the elderly and is more commonly diagnosed in women after 40 years, which is associated with a change in the hormonal background and the onset of menopause.In addition, professional factors, metabolic disorders, genetic predisposition can become the causes of osteoarthritis.
Gout
This disease is caused by metabolic disorders in which uric acid salts are deposited in the joints.Most often, gout is diagnosed with male representatives aged 40 - 60 years and this is associated with excessive use of fatty, spicy and salty foods, as well as addiction to alcohol.
The lesion mainly suppresses the fingers, but with an atypical course of the disease, the metacarpal phalange joints of the thumb in the hands may also be affected.Gout pain is burning, unbearable in nature.They differ in intensity and are accompanied by swelling and redness of the skin over the area of the affected joints.
Streaming ligament
This pathological condition looks like osteoarthrosis or arthritis.Therefore, a review of X -ray is required to clarify the diagnosis.The main symptoms are: bending and lengthening soreness, sometimes the joint can be kept in a bent and you need to apply a certain effort to extend it.
Therefore, if the joint of the middle finger hurts and the characteristic clicks are heard when expanding it, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.With exacerbation of the inflammatory process, tingling of the fingers, a burning sensation, swelling, a bluish tone of the skin in the lesion occurs.
Rhsatrosis
If the thumb joint hurts on the arm, it may be a sign of this pathology.The disease is usually associated with constant overload of the joint, infection or injury.A characteristic characteristic is the increase in the pain of performing certain actions, such as turning the door handles, rotating the key into the lock, opening the covers.
It is necessary to treat the disease as early as possible, otherwise the joint is deformed and the pain will become constant, pursuing a person even at rest.Over time, the bones are formed at the base of the thumb, which in practice immobilizes the brush and causes damage, since the shortest movement causes intolerable pain.
Carpal channel syndrome
This disease is neurological as it develops as a result of compression of the middle nerve passing through the wrist.This happens due to regular joint loads and brush connections.There are persons in the risk zone because of their profession, forced to constantly work with fingers (stenographers, computer scientists, musicians, artists).The pain is usually localized in the area of the thumb and the index finger, while the accuracy of the movements is disturbed when certain actions are performed.In addition, nerve compression can cause blood circulation and tingling of the fingers.
The appearance of pain in the joints of the hands can lead to the pinching of vertebrates, bursitis, rheumatological pathologies, unhealthy lifestyles and other factors.It is important to pay attention to impaired symptoms in a timely manner and seek qualified help.
Which doctor will help if the joints of your fingers hurt?
At the initial stage, you can arrange a meeting with the therapist who, after gathering a history, will refer you to a narrow specialist (doctor - rheumatologist).It is this specialist who is engaged in joint diseases, he will provide the necessary help and make an accurate diagnosis.
In addition, a surgeon or neurologist may be consulted.Based on the results of the study, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment, taking into account the cause of the joint damage, the severity of the symptoms, the possible contraindications and the individual characteristics of the patient.
Diagnostics
The measures required to make the correct diagnosis are visual examination, laboratory tests of blood, urine and the patient's direction to X -Ray examination.X -ray hands picture usually gives the necessary idea of the nature of the pathology and the degree of damage to the joints.
In order to obtain the most complete information about the nature of the pain and the causes of the inflammatory process, the doctor can direct the patient to ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).These are the most modern and informative research methods that allow you to identify the smallest changes in the worst stages of the disease and help to develop it and severe consequences related to the deformity and destruction of the joints.
Sometimes a special blood test is performed with suspicion of gout for the level of uric acid content.In order to identify pathological changes occurring in bone tissue, the procedure of the contrast discography is used with the help of special coloring.
The highest efficient method of diagnostics today is the electrical spodlography that began to be used several years ago.This procedure allows you to study the spine departments responsible for the functioning of the upper limbs, and to determine any pathological deviations from the norm of the most early stages.
Methods of treatment
After diagnosing, the doctor selects the therapy scheme, depending on what it causes, causes pathological changes in the joints.The principles of treatment, if the joints of the hands are pain, are built on the use of medicines, physiotherapy procedures, therapeutic exercises, adjustment of diet and lifestyle.
In the presence of an inflammatory process, the doctor will prescribe painkillers, hormonal or non -steroidal anti -inflammatory drugs.These can be systemic medicines (oral tablets) or external medicines in the form of ointments, creams, sprays that help to quickly relieve pain.The doctor may prescribe hormonal drugs in the form of injections into the joint cavity with severe pain.Such procedures quickly facilitate the patient's condition and contribute to the transition of the disease to remission.Infectious arthritis prescribes antibacterial agents.
The development of degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system helps to reduce the levels of chondroitin in the cartilage tissue of the joint.Therefore, patients are prescribed medicines - chondroprotectors that allow you to stop the more incurring destruction of the joint and restore the structure of cartilage tissue.
Physiotherapy procedures
An important point of complex treatment is the methods of physiotherapy.These include electrophoresis with Novocaine, UHF, Magnetotherapy, laser treatment, ampulsimyrapy, phonophoresis.The number of sessions and the duration of treatment is determined by the doctor separately.
Therapeutic gymnastics and massage are required to restore joint mobility, improve blood circulation and metabolic processes.During periods of remission of the disease, the patient recommends balnepeutic sessions (natural mud treatment), manual therapy.Treatment with sanatorium-resource with leaving favorable climatic zones has a very good effect.
In addition, the patient is advised to lead a healthy lifestyle, refuse to drink alcohol and smoke and stick to some nutritional restrictions.From the diet it is recommended to completely eliminate the fatty varieties of meat, fish, to abandon dairy and dairy products with a high fat content.Smoothness, sharp, salty, marinated dishes, spices, mayonnaise, citrus fruits, butter sweets, strong tea and coffee are prohibited.You cannot consume products containing acid acid (rhubarb, sorrel, spinach).
The daily menu should have low -fat dairy drinks, herbs, fresh vegetable salads with vegetable oil, lean meat, seafood, low -fat varieties.Fruits, berries, nuts, ginger, figs, natural vegetable oils with high omega - fatty acid (especially flaxseed and olive oil) are useful.An increased drinking regimen is recommended up to 1.5 -2 liters of clean drinking water per day.
Alternative
Today, you can find many innovative drugs intended for the treatment of joint pain on pharmacy shelves.The most appropriate medicine will be selected by a specialist.
Traditional medicine recipes
Folk medicines for pain in the fingers will complement the basic regimen of treatment, bring relief and accelerate recovery.
- With the exacerbation of the inflammatory process, a gauze napkin, moistened in an apple or a table of vinegar, can be applied to the jelly joint.This will help reduce pain syndrome, relieve burning and swelling.You can make baked onion compresses, boiled potatoes or warm with hot sea salt and rub with fir with butter.
- Boven onion ointment.The onion head is baked in the oven, chilled, crushed.The resulting mass is mixed with an equal amount of liquid honey and vegetable oil (1 tsp), add 10 g of beeswax and 20 g of dry grass from the golden mustache.The composition is boiled in a water bath, stirring continuously until the mixture is homogeneous and thickened.The finished ointment is removed from the stove, slightly cooled.In warm shape, rub in inflamed joints, place cotton gloves on top.The procedure is best done at night.
- Ointment of honey and mustard.For the preparation of the ointment, 5 g of mustard with 1 tsp are mixed.Darling, add a large spoonful of olive oil and 20 g of dried Caucasian cold leaves.The mixture is then evaporated in a water bath to a thick, homogeneous condition, cooling and used for daily treatment of inflamed joints.
- Compresses.A special role in the elimination of pain and inflammation belongs to compresses based on natural components.You can cook the potato tubers, crush it, wrap it hot in a gauze napkin and attach it to the affected area.The same therapeutic effect is with plain salt, earlier in a pan.Dry heat helps relieve pain and reduce inflammatory manifestations.It is recommended to use plain chalk as a compress.It should be lubricated, mixed with each acid drink, soak a napkin with gauze and make a compress at night.Stew oatmeal may be used for the same purpose.
- Lilac tincture.The decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs have a good anti -inflammatory effect, help to improve blood circulation and restore the mobility of the affected joints.The tincture is prepared in the spring as soon as the lilac blooms.Collect inflorescences, pour them with alcohol or vodka and insist in a dark place for 3 weeks.The finished tincture is filtered and rubbed into the inflamed joints and then gloves are placed so that the hands remain warm.
There are many folk recipes for the treatment of joint pain.To take advantage of them, be sure to consult a doctor first and get his approval for procedures.