Finger joints most often start to hurt after the age of 40-45 (in 1 out of 10 people, this is due to age-related changes in the body).After 60 years, pain often occurs against the background of polyosteoarthrosis (damage, destruction of articular cartilage of various joints).
Deformation and destruction of the joints of the hands is diagnosed in 10% of elderly people.
Also, pain in the joints of the fingers is a characteristic symptom of the following diseases:
- rheumatoid arthritis (80% of cases begin with inflammation of the finger joints);
- psoriatic arthritis (fingers suffer first in 70%);
- gout (arthritis affecting the fingers occurs in 10-15% of patients with gout);
- osteomyelitis is an infectious inflammation of bones (accounts for 6.5% of all diseases of the musculoskeletal system).
Most arthritis in which the joints of the fingers are the first to be affected are systemic diseases (that is, they affect different systems of the body, not just the joints).They are diagnosed equally often in people of all ages, including young people;it is 3-5 times less in men.
Another cause of pain is the result of mechanical injuries, blows to the hands or bruises (often the prevalence among athletes is up to 40% of all traumatic injuries).
Some diseases that cause pain in the joints of the fingers cannot be completely treated;over time, they cause disability (rheumatoid, psoriatic arthritis, polyosteoarthritis).And, for example, with timely treatment, osteomyelitis can be eliminated forever, but the process quickly becomes chronic and can lead to the loss of a limb (in 30% of cases).
If you suspect a systemic disease (arthritis, polyosteoarthrosis), you should consult a rheumatologist or arthrologist.Treatment of osteomyelitis is carried out by an orthopedic traumatologist, a surgeon, injuries - an orthopedic traumatologist.
Why pain occurs in the joints of the fingers: causes and symptoms
Why do my knuckles hurt?In addition to the factors that accelerate or push the process, there are many reasons.Common predisposing factors for all diseases and injuries can be considered:
- Profession (this category includes people who are forced to work with hands and fingers, musicians, seamstresses, programmers).
- Stress (injuries and microtraumas caused by long hours of sports training and exercises).
- Hormonal changes, disorders (pregnancy, estrogen deficiency in elderly women).
- Heredity (close relatives are more susceptible to systemic diseases).
- Immune system deficiency or diseases.
- Metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes).
- Chronic infections (tuberculosis).
- Hypothermia (hypothermia).
- Some long-term negative factors (among them - taking drugs, poisoning with toxic substances in a dangerous enterprise, smoking, alcoholism, etc.).
The following article describes the pathologies and conditions that cause pain in the joints of the fingers.
Injuries
It is difficult to confuse pain after an injury with something else:
- all symptoms occur immediately after a blow, bruise, compression or other injury;
- severe pain is accompanied by swelling, bruising at the site of impact, impaired joint mobility;
- with moderate and severe damage, the symptoms do not decrease for a long time, but become more obvious - pain, stiffness, swelling;
- The discomfort increases when trying to bend or straighten the fingers.
Severe injuries of the fingers of the upper limb are combined with:
- rupture of muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, bleeding into the capsule (hemarthrosis) and soft tissues (hematomas);
- fractures and cracks of bones;
- nerve damage (loss of sensation in fingers and skin).
Prognosis: minor injuries heal without scarring in 90-95% of cases.Severe and moderate injuries can leave behind various complications - from numbness of the fingers to traumatic arthritis in 70%.
Polyosteoarthrosis
Polyosteoarthrosis is a chronic pathology, as a result of which the joints of the fingers are gradually deformed and destroyed (there is a form of the disease that affects the joints of the thumbs - rhizarthrosis).
At first, aching pain appears after hard work (sewing, embroidering, practicing a musical instrument for many hours).As the disease progresses:
- pain in the joints of the fingers is constant and does not go away with rest;
- pain is accompanied by clicking and throbbing (during movements);
- hardness appears (small at first).
During periods of exacerbation, the main symptoms include swelling, swelling, increased local temperature, sometimes redness in the joint area.
Over time, fingers are deformed:
- Heberden's nodes (bony protrusions, pea-sized lumps) develop in the joints closer to the nails.
- Bouchard nodes (overgrowth of joint surfaces, bony spurs) are formed in the middle joints.
The joints of the fingers lose their original shape (they become knotty), over time they lose their ability to move due to ossification of soft tissues (ankylosis).
Prognosis: the pathology is incurable, but it can be stopped for a long time in the early stages (until the deformation appears).Later, it becomes a cause of disability (tissues grow together, become ossified, the mobility of the fingers can only be restored surgically).
Rheumatoid arthritis
Chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, which occurs with the participation of other organs and systems (heart, lungs, vessel walls, outer linings of the skin) in the pathological process.
Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by:
- gradual increase and intensification of symptoms (initially the exacerbation is replaced by rather long periods of asymptomatic development, but over time they become shorter and shorter);
- morning stiffness reminiscent of tight gloves (disappears within 30-60 minutes);
- sharp, sharp, dull pain in the joints of the fingers (on both hands), aggravated intolerably by bending;
- redness, swelling, swelling, joint stiffness.
The pain syndrome usually occurs at night or in the morning and decreases slightly in the afternoon.
When acute symptoms subside (during remission), the pain is less pronounced, aches and intensifies when moving and working in cold water.The joints in the fingers hurt when bending and stretching, remain painful when touched and slightly swollen.
Gradually, the disease leads to the formation of stable deformation and dysfunction of the fingers - they turn outward or upward, bend (the middle, index and ring fingers are most affected, very rarely - the little and thumb), other joints are involved in the process (wrist, ankle, knee, shoulder).
Prognosis: the pathology is incurable, progresses rapidly and leads to loss of working capacity, disability - 40% of cases in the first 5 years of development.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is one form of severe systemic disease (psoriasis).
The most characteristic signs of damage to the joints of the fingers:
- sudden, acute onset of arthritis;
- damage to the interphalangeal and distal (closer to the nail) joints;
- extensive swelling, reddening of the skin, constant, even, severe pain combined with limited mobility (at this moment, the shape of the fingers resembles a radish or sausage, it is impossible to bend or straighten the joints of the fingers due to pain and swelling);
- increase in general temperature.
In the long term, this leads to the destruction of the nail plates (collapsing and losing their shape), deformation of the fingers (they "turn" outward or upward), and loss of function.
Prognosis: psoriatic arthritis is incurable, severe, rapidly progressive and disabling in 90-95% of patients.
Gouty arthritis
Gouty arthritis occurs against the background of metabolic disorders, which leads to the accumulation of excess uric acid in the body.It gets into the tissues of the joints, causing inflammation.
Typical symptoms of gouty arthritis:
- Sharp, sudden, throbbing or burning pain in one or more joints of the fingers.
- Any attempt to move or touch a finger increases the unpleasant symptom.
- It is often accompanied by severe swelling that spreads to the entire hand, skin discoloration (the finger on the hand becomes bluish-purple) and an increase in general temperature (the patient has fever, chills).
- Pain in the joints of the fingers usually occurs at night.
- The attack can last from 2 days to 2 weeks.
Progressive gouty arthritis leads to involvement of new joints in the process and their deformation (destruction of articular surfaces).Tophi appear on the fingers - tissue deposits of uric acid.
Prognosis: There is no cure for gout, but normal uric acid levels can be maintained with medication and diet.The disease rarely causes complete disability of the patient (5-8%), but over time it can destroy the joints of the fingers (secondary arthrosis).
Why else can finger joints hurt?
Other causes of pain may include the following diseases and conditions:
Osteomyelitis
This infectious lesion of the bones (periosteum, spongy and compact substance) usually begins acutely - with osteomyelitis, the pain in the joints is strong, sharp, jerking, bursting or tearing.It becomes unbearable when bending or stretching, accompanied by severe swelling, redness and hardening of the tissues over the joint, fever and general signs of intoxication (weakness, sweating).In 30% of cases, osteomyelitis is chronic (can be repeated), the pain in the fingers becomes painful.The process can cause purulent arthritis, malignancy of bone tissue, deformation of bones and joints.
Vasospasm
Vasospasm is a sharp narrowing of the peripheral vessels that supply blood to the upper limbs, hands and finger joints.It is characterized by a tingling sensation, numbness and pale skin.At the end of the attack (it can be short-term - from 2 minutes or long-term - up to 60 minutes), the fingers begin to hurt, "hurt" and the skin of the hands turns red.Over time, this phenomenon (vasospasm) leads to the appearance of trophic ulcers (tissue death due to nutritional disorders), melting of bones and necrosis of the fingertips.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy is not a pathological condition, it is accompanied by sharp and rapid hormonal changes in the body and accelerated metabolism.Pain in the joints of the fingers, or rather pains, can be caused by a lack of calcium and vitamin D3, as well as an excess of the hormone that relaxes the ligaments and prepares the body for childbirth.
Diagnostics: methods, research
What to do if the joint in your fingers hurts?First of all, it is necessary to identify the pathologies that cause such a symptom.Often, the attending physician prescribes a series of tests:
| Method name | What makes it possible to make a diagnosis |
|---|---|
Radiography |
With its help, pathological changes in bones, deformation of joints, deposition of crystals, ossification of tissues are detected. |
MRI, CT or ultrasound |
These diagnostic methods allow identifying any pathological changes in periarticular tissues and joints that are not visible on X-ray. |
ECG, ultrasound of internal organs |
Help identify extraarticular manifestations (pericarditis, pneumonitis) characteristic of certain diseases. |
Angiography |
The study of blood vessels is informative for pathologies that occur with damage to their walls and can cause vasospasm (rheumatoid arthritis). |
Clinical laboratory tests |
Using tests, the cause of the disease is determined, infections and pathogens of the pathological process are identified. |
Therapeutic and diagnostic puncture of joints (procedure to remove fluid from the joint capsule) |
A puncture is performed if blood (hemarthrosis), pus (infectious processes) or a large amount of fluid that impedes mobility and threatens its destruction has accumulated in it. |
Treatment: principles, drugs, properties
Some diseases or conditions that cause pain in the joints of the fingers cannot be treated (vasospasm, osteoarthritis, psoriatic, gouty arthritis).Some are completely and ineffectively treated (with timely treatment - osteomyelitis, mild and moderate injuries).
General principles of treatment, pain relief methods
What is common in the treatment of all diseases that cause pain in the joints of the fingers is the prescription of drugs that help get rid of severe symptoms.
Usually this is:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that successfully relieve inflammation and pain;
- Glucocorticoids prescribed when NSAIDs are ineffective;
- painkillers when joint pain cannot be relieved by other means.
After the symptoms subside, the patient is prescribed: chondroprotectors and physical therapy to slow down or prevent cartilage destruction.
Physiotherapy stimulates metabolic processes and accelerates tissue recovery.The most popular physiotherapeutic procedures for joint diseases:
- electrophoresis with drugs;
- magnetic therapy;
- UHF (ultra high frequency therapy);
- reflexology (acupuncture);
- massage;
- mud treatment;
- balneotherapy (hydrotherapy);
- warming procedures (paraffin, ozokerite applications);
- therapeutic exercises (exercises to strengthen finger joints).
If it is necessary to eliminate pain in the joints of the fingers and their causes, treatment in a sanatorium-resort setting can give a good result.With the direction of the attending physician, the patient has the opportunity to change the climate 1 or 2 times a year, take a course of restorative physiotherapeutic procedures, and drink mineral water from natural sources.
Features of treatment of specific pathologies
In addition to general methods and means, there are nuances in the treatment of each pathology:
| Pathology | Features of treatment |
|---|---|
Injuries |
The treatment of the injury is carried out gradually.First, the victim is given first aid (fixation bandage, ice compress for 24 hours). If necessary, a puncture is made, tissue integrity is restored (in case of severe damage) and immobilized with plaster. On the 3rd-5th day, they begin to warm up, stimulating healing. |
Polyosteoarthrosis |
At the beginning of the disease, taking chondroprotectors and physical therapy are effective. Later, only surgery helps (prosthesis solves the problem). |
Rheumatoid arthritis |
Prescribe the main anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, antibacterial, antiallergic drugs, drugs affecting the activity of the immune system. |
Psoriatic arthritis |
|
Gouty arthritis |
The main disease (gout) is treated by prescribing drugs that regulate the formation of uric acid and accelerate its excretion, drugs that dissolve tissue salt deposits. A mandatory part of treatment is a strict diet during an attack (table No. 6), a less strict diet throughout life. |
Osteomyelitis |
Surgical washing of purulent spaces in bone tissue and opening of ulcers are performed. Antibiotics and antibacterial preparations are used for treatment. |
Vasospasm |
How to treat vasospasm?In pathological cases, vasodilators and antispasmodics (relaxing the muscles of the vessel walls), blood thinners are prescribed. Eliminate precipitating factors (eg, smoking) or treat the underlying disease causing vasospasm (eg, rheumatoid arthritis). |
Folk remedies (treatment of pathologies, pain relief)
Pain in the joints of the fingers can also be treated with folk remedies:
- Infusion of eucalyptus leaves.Take 40 g of eucalyptus leaves, pour one liter of boiling water, let it stand under the lid for 60 minutes.Once ready, strain, pour into a dark glass container and store in the refrigerator.Take every day for 2 weeks - 50 ml 3 times 30 minutes before meals.
- Treatment of pain in the joints of the fingers with the infusion of blackcurrant leaves.Pour 10 g of raw materials into 0.5 liters of boiling water, infuse for 20 minutes under the lid.Drink a glass 2-3 times a day.The duration of the course is 2-3 months.
- Warming ointment for arthritis.Take 50 g of camphor and mustard powder, dilute them one by one in 100 ml of alcohol, add beaten egg white.Apply to brushes overnight.Treatment of finger joints lasts 21 days, after some time the course can be repeated.
- Apply oil.Dilute fir essential oil with vegetable oil (1:1), rub it on the knuckles of your fingers until it is completely absorbed before going to bed.First, you need to "heat" them: boil the washed potato peels in water, when the broth cools down (until it is pleasantly warm), dip your brushes and keep them for 15-25 minutes, then wash them with clean water.Treatment lasts for 3 weeks or until the symptoms of the disease disappear.
Prevention
How to prevent pathologies that cause pain in the joints of the fingers?To do this you need:
- get rid of bad habits (smoking and alcohol);
- include foods useful for joints and cartilage tissue in the diet (with sufficient amounts of calcium, phosphorus, other minerals and vitamins, protein);
- undergo regular examinations to get rid of chronic infection foci (for example, tonsillitis);
- do not overload (alternate loading with rest) and do not overcool your hands.
It is very important to strengthen the immune system with therapeutic exercises (swimming, yoga, walking) and finger joints.