Worried about finger pain and don't know what's wrong? Perhaps this is a consequence of trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, polyosteoarthrosis or rhizarthrosis. There are other causes of arthralgia that can only be identified using instrumental diagnostics.
Contact the clinic and specialists will establish the clinical picture, conduct complex therapy. With the help of drugs, physiotherapy, rehabilitation methods, the inflammation will be removed, the destructive processes will be stopped and the working capacity of the limbs will be restored.
Why finger joints hurt: causes and treatment
Arthralgia often occurs as a harbinger or symptom of an underlying disease. Acute sensations arise as a result of inflammatory arthropathies, degenerative-dystrophic pathologies, mostly of traumatic origin. The pain syndrome causes irritation of the nerve endings, provoked by:
- toxins;
- sodium or potassium urates;
- bone growths;
- allergens;
- autoimmune processes.
The cause of pain in the joints of the fingers can be a neurological disease or a problem that is not directly related to the limbs. Pain radiating to the left limb is a common occurrence in heart attacks. This also happens with problems in the upper cervical region. In the case of an intervertebral hernia, it is given to the shoulder and forearm, hands.
However, there are a number of direct reasons why the phalanges become numb, the small joints of the limbs suffer. Fingers hurt after infections, hypothermia, inflammation of soft tissues and bone structures.
Rheumatoid arthritis
The disease in 7% of cases affects people over 30 years old. It all starts with swelling of the metacarpophalangeal bones of the leading fingers. Then the catarrhal process spreads to the wrist joint, covers all structures. It affects one hand, then spreads to the other. This pathology is characterized by symmetrical damage to the proximal joints with a change in shape. For the company, the bones of the pelvis, ankle and ankle suffer. Arthritis is characterized by a wave of pain. During the day and during the first half of the night they are tolerable, during the second half they intensify and prevent sleep.
Psoriatic arthritis
It accounts for 5% of cases. The disease affects men and women equally after 20 years. For the most part, it develops in people with skin manifestations - psoriatic plaques and characteristic spots on the body. The pathology is characterized by "vertical" inflammation with simultaneous thickening of all joints. At the same time, the phalanx of the finger of the hand hurts, the skin turns red, it becomes like a sausage. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, the process affects both hands, but affects different bones.
gout
With this problem, less than 5% of patients turn to doctors. It affects more men aged 25-55. The inflammation starts from the big toes, gradually rises through the joints, affects the phalanges of the hands. The pain develops suddenly. It pierces the entire limb, does not disappear for a long time. The affected area becomes purple and hot to the touch. In women, the process is easier, lasts 3-10 days. After a while, however, everything repeats itself. The undulating course is a sign of the development of gouty inflammation.
Arthritis
Under the general definition, understand joint abnormalities of a different nature. They appear as a result of past infections, with systemic diseases. Signs of acute inflammation - swelling, redness, temperature, pain in the joints of the fingers. Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal are more often affected. In chronic arthritis, episodic sharp sensations are disturbing. Over time, muscles lose strength and function. Arthritis of the fingers leads to loss of physiological skills and disability.
Polyosteoarthrosis
The finger joint is very painful with degenerative changes in the bones. It all starts with thinning of the cartilage tissue, damage to the interphalangeal ball joints. The reasons are hidden in the compaction and sclerosis of the synovial membrane, endocrine abnormalities. Doctors consider primary polyosteoarthritis as an independent disease provoked by physical overload, hypothermia. Secondary - as a complication after infections and mechanical injuries. In both cases, acute pain worsens, a flexion contracture appears.
Rhizarthrosis or osteoarthritis
This is another cause of finger pain causing arthralgia and causing problems at the junction of the thumb and wrist. The process affects the entire joint. This leads to:
- to reduce depreciation;
- friction and layer-by-layer destruction of bone tissue;
- thickening in the interphalangeal zone;
- the appearance of nodules and stiffness.
- I'm crunching.
Orthopedic surgeon comments:
Symptoms vary depending on the stage. In people who load the thumb long and monotonously, in 30% of cases rhizarthrosis develops as an independent disease. Since the symptoms are 90% consistent with de Quervain's tenosynovitis, the problem is differentiated using an X-ray. The photo clearly shows bony deformities, not soft tissue, as in tendinitis.
triggers finger disease
In the medical literature, trigger finger syndrome is known as stenotic ligamentitis. Symptoms: sharp pain in the finger: swelling, formation of lumps, numbness. The peculiarity is the inflammation of the tendon and the formation of nodes that prevent the bending of the phalanges. In the absence of therapy at stage 3, the finger occupies a fixed position, at stage 4 a secondary deformation occurs, the process becomes irreversible. Among the numerous provoking reasons, anatomical anomalies of the ligamentous-tendonous apparatus are more often mentioned.
Kervain's tenosynovitis
Due to de Quervain's disease, the bones of the fingers hurt in 4% due to inflammation of the muscles. Sharp sensations appear suddenly at the junction with the wrist joint and worsen with flexion. The pathology leads to damage to the synovial membranes of the extensors of the fingers. The problem is eliminated by monotonous movements, due to constant pressure on the hand and palm, causing cicatricial changes in the ligament. It:
- playing keyboard instruments;
- printing;
- conveyor operation.
Raynaud's syndrome
Fingers hurt due to sharp constriction of blood vessels due to systemic diseases - vasculitis, scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, blood diseases, compression of blood vessels and nerve fibers. Vasospastic pathology is accompanied by paroxysmal circulatory disorders under the influence of low temperatures. The clinical syndrome does not manifest itself for years. Over time, attacks occur that cause blanching or reddening of the skin, cyanosis. As a result, symptoms lead to trophic changes in soft tissues.
carpal tunnel syndrome
Finger joints also hurt due to injuries and the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. An unsuccessful fall, a blow provokes damage to the integrity of tissues, blood vessels, leads to the formation of a hematoma or a fracture of the arm. The development of the syndrome is facilitated by the compression of the median nerve under the ligament that holds the tendons. Clinical manifestations: numbness of the palm, reduced motor skills, reduced muscle volume of the greater tubercle. Diseases associated with inflammation of tendon fibers are more common in women.
Finger bones hurt:
- Due to different forms of bursitis.
- Anomalies in childhood - Still's disease, Kawasaki syndrome.
- Systemic diseases - diffuse fasciitis, Lyme, Sjogren's, Crohn's, Bechterev's disease.
- Tumors - myeloid disease, lymphoblastic leukemia.
Diagnosis
It is impossible to find out why the fingers hurt without a differential examination. First, a visual inspection is performed. The rheumatologist or arthrologist pays attention to the symmetry of the lesion, symptoms and other clinical signs. The patient consults a traumatologist and an allergist, after which he is sent for laboratory tests.
Blood biochemistry determines rheumatoid factors, uric acid and sialic acid levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the blood. In infectious and immune pathologies, a reactive protein is detected, which indicates tissue destruction.
Why do the fingers hurt, the cause and treatment help to establish X-ray, ultrasound. The doctor examines problem structures, conducts a symmetrical diagnosis of a healthy hand. It's necessary:
- to assess the degree of damage to structures;
- condition of cartilages and ligaments;
- detection of primary signs of abnormalities, cysts and nodules.
MRI is prescribed when degenerative and neoplastic diseases are suspected. Tomography helps to obtain 3D images of soft tissues in different projections, to identify recent and chronic injuries. Information methods show displacement, joint gap width in arthritis, cartilage thinning in arthrosis, bone displacement, growths. Densitometry is sometimes prescribed to determine bone density.
Due to the fact that the phalanges of the fingers hurt, other research methods will be offered - electrospondylography and electroneuromyography. The first technology reveals the part of the spine responsible for limb movements. The second determines the state of the muscles and peripheral nerves. For throbbing pain in the finger, a specialist may recommend a puncture. The percutaneous aspiration method allows you to collect secretions, while at the same time applying an antibiotic or analgesic to relieve acute symptoms.
Diagnosis
- Ultrasound diagnostics.Non-invasive examination is indicated for inflammation and damage to soft tissues, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules using ultrasound waves.
- Radiography.It is prescribed for injuries: dislocations and fractures of bones, joint diseases: arthrosis and arthritis of the joints.
- Analyzes.General tests of blood and urine, blood biochemistry show signs of inflammation, presence of infection, disorders in bone and cartilage tissue.
- Magnetic resonance.A highly accurate method for diagnosing joints with an informativeness of up to 99%.
Pain in the fingers: causes and treatment
Regardless of the etiology, NSAIDs are prescribed to relieve acute sensations, fever, inflammation. Effective: nimesil, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, teraflex, sodium diflofenac. If the finger joints are very painful, ketorolac and tenoxicam are suitable for treatment. By drip or intramuscular infusion, they eliminate symptoms in 3 days.
Corticosteroid drugs - dexamethasone, prednisolone also relieve the catarrhal process. At the same time, the swelling decreases, the metabolic processes in the cartilage improve, which contributes to the rapid recovery of mobility. Chondroprotectors thicken the structure of bone tissue, prevent deterioration of degenerative processes.
Physiotherapy - ultrasound and electroimpulse therapy, acupuncture improve blood circulation. Therapeutic gymnastics helps the development of muscles, restores joint mobility. Patients are recommended to revise their diet, to make a diet with a predominance of proteins and plant foods and to undergo balneotherapy.
Methods of treatment
- Reception of a traumatologist-orthopedic
- Hand shock wave therapy
- Plasmolifting of the joints
- PRP therapy for wrist
- Blockage of the wrist joint
- Injections in the brush
- Phonophoresis
- electrophoresis
- Ultrasound in hand
- Physiotherapy
- Drug therapy
- Orthotics
- Magnetotherapy