Know The Causes of Arthritis Pain In Fingers Along With Natural Remedies
As a person ages, arthritis is the common condition he/she comes across as such arthritis pain in fingers is common. But, what is it that’s making it worse and what are the early signs that one can look for so that the cartilage isn’t further damaged and leads to a situation wherein a person can’t carry on daily chores.
Have a detailed look at what is arthritis in fingers and how to figure it out in addition to preventing it.
What Is Arthritis Pain In Fingers?
As said by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons arthritis is inflammation in one or more joints that makes movements painful and difficult and as such arthritis pain in fingers is nothing but the pain caused due to arthritis of fingers and in the surrounding regions of fingers such as hand, wrist and so on.
When fingers are affected due to arthritis it becomes extremely difficult to carry on our daily chores. Further worse without treatment, fingers arthritis can lead to permanent damage of fingers, disfiguring them, and leading to completely hard conditions where one cannot even move fingers.
Different Types Of Finger Arthritis
Three different types of arthritis which lead to finger arthritis consist of;
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
Other types of arthritis too can lead to this condition however, the majority of people suffer from this due to the aforementioned arthritis types.
Arthritis Symptoms In Fingers
Symptoms of finger arthritis include;
- Pain in the finger joints
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Loss of movement
- Development of nodules
- Pain and weakness of the thumb
- Redness
Patients suffering from osteoarthritis develop nodules or lumps in the area of the knuckles of the fingers and are termed as Heberden's nodes or Bouchard's nodes. Often these knuckles become large, stiff, and swollen leading to pain.
Patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis also have the above-mentioned symptoms in common, but can even have more multifarious malformations of the hands. The fingers could start to alter from normal position and move away from the thumb.
What Causes Arthritis Pains In Fingers?
We can’t catch hold of any particular reason or arthritis type for the onset of finger arthritis except injury to bones and joints. As said above fingers are one part of the body where many joints, bones, and muscles are present and due to this, it is very common for one type of arthritis or the other to affect the fingers leading to this condition. Tissue tears and other disturbances that weaken the joint can be the direct reason for arthritis pain in fingers. The other factors include the presence of one or other type of arthritis that can directly lead to pain in the fingers.
Due to finger arthritis, the joints or junctions in fingers become painful and difficult to move. The reason: these junctions are made of special surfaces and consist of fluids that allow smooth movement both within the bone and the adjoining bones and when these fluids are affected due to arthritis the movement becomes harder leading to pain.
How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Fingers?
The treatment for this condition focuses on managing the symptoms so that surgery isn’t needed.
Treatment options consist of;
- Using anti-inflammatory medicines to manage finger pain and decrease swelling and inflammation around the joints and muscles.
- Joint supplements are of 2 types: Chondroitin and glucosamine. These are safe for usage and strengthen the cartilage.
- Cortisone injections are highly powerful anti-inflammatory medications and are useful in high inflammation conditions.
- Hand therapy, this is highly useful in bringing back the motion and preventing the joints’ stiffening.
- Ice and heat treatments are useful for relieving pain and stiffness.
- Splints are useful in relaxing and resting joints.
- In the worst cases, if all the above treatments fail, surgery is performed. Common surgeries include finger joint fusion and finger joint replacement surgeries.
Natural Remedies For Arthritis Pain In Fingers
- Keeping weight in control
- Tai chi
- Yoga
- Cold and hot therapy
- Massage
- Having Vitamin D
- Consumption of omega 3 fatty acids
The other last but not the least natural remedy is to not overuse the fingers if you sense pain and inflammation It is always best to seek advice from the doctor if you are suffering from any pain and inflammation. Arthritis pain in finger joints in women has become common due to repetitive and regular use of fingers so check for alternatives to do daily chores.