Currently, people of different age groups suffer from various diseases of the cardiovascular system, nervous system, rheumatological and bone.Anyone, at any age, can get sick.But the most common diseases are those of the musculoskeletal system.These diseases can occur in both the elderly and young people.Small joints are most often affected, these joints include the formations of the hands and feet.For what reasons do the joints of bone structures hurt, what causes pain in the joints of the fingers and how to treat it?
Reasons
When pain occurs in the hand, until a certain time we do not pay attention to it;during this time, progression and development of the disease occurs.What diseases can cause pain in the finger joints?The most common bone joint diseases that can cause a painful crisis:
- Polyarthrosis of bone joints.
- Arthritis (rheumatoid or psoriatic).
- Exacerbation of gout.
- Tenosynovitis
- Rhysarthrosis.
- Injury to a limb.
- Disruption of microcirculation.
- Pathology of nerve endings or the spine.
- Untimely treatment of chronic diseases.
Why do my finger joints hurt?Pain in the finger joints in various pathologies has different causes.Let's consider in detail the characteristics of pain in various pathologies.
Osteoarthritis
In the case of polyarthritis, pain in the finger joints can appear both in people under 45 and in those over 55.With this pathology, a peculiarity is that when the joints are damaged, Heberden's lymph nodes appear.They are located on the back of the palm, which is also characteristic of the fact that they are formed in the same way (on the right and left hands at the same time in similar places).
Nodules may appear on the phalanges of the fingers (most often the index and middle fingers are affected).It is at the time of the formation of such a nodule that the patient may experience an unpleasant burning sensation, pain, swelling and redness may occur.First of all, you have to treat the original cause.
Rheumatoid arthritis
With rheumatoid arthritis, finger joints hurt in 6 to 7 percent of cases.The disease can occur in people of different age groups, women are more often affected and is formed against the background of emotional stress, after a cold, infection or hypothermia.The disease begins with inflammatory changes, then the affected joint swells slightly, the pain worsens when bending the phalanges of the right and left hands.The lesion is generally symmetrical and other joints, even large ones, may be affected.
The pathology has an inflammatory character of pain (it intensifies at night and in the morning, and during the day and in the evening the painful attack subsides slightly).In addition to these symptoms, the patient feels weak, has a fever, and may have chills.Treatment should be aimed at treating the underlying disease.
Psoriasis
In 5% of cases, pain may occur due to psoriatic arthritis.This concerns people aged 20 to 50 who have skin lesions (psoriatic plaques).The peculiarity of the inflammatory process is that the disease is characterized by axial inflammation (all joints of the affected finger are painful).The skin of such a joint is burgundy in color.
Inflammation can affect the joints of the bones of the right or left hand, but very rarely both at the same time, which indicates its asymmetry.
Drop
Gout is responsible for pain in less than 4% of cases.It occurs most often in men, most often with damage to the big toe, and then affects other joints.Occurs in the age group of 20 to 50 years.On the hands, the disease develops from damage to the thumb (rarely the little finger), then spreads to other joints, the pain worsens at night, which disrupts sleep habits and quality, the thumb acquires a red tint and becomes hot to the touch.
The duration of an acute attack can reach up to 12 days, then the pain subsides.The paroxysmal course of pain syndrome is a characteristic feature of this disease.
Injuries
Injuries and dislocations of limbs play an important role when fingers hurt.When the cartilage tissue is damaged, its gradual regeneration occurs, but there will no longer be complete and identical cartilage;in any case it will be defective to one degree or another.At first, no symptoms may appear, but gradually the cartilage tissue wears out and no longer fully performs its functions, which leads to pain (pain occurs earlier when the little finger is affected).
Other diseases
De Carvin tenosynovitis causes pain in 2 to 3% of cases and involves an inflammatory process in the muscle tissue of the thumb.Typically, the pain occurs at the base of the joint;it is spontaneous or caused by overload, intensifying with flexion and extension (the pain does not occur in the area from the index to the little finger).
With rhizarthrosis, the thumb of the hand hurts, pathology of its joint occurs, it manifests itself most often in conjunction with polyarthrosis, less often independently.It is caused by a constant heavy load.It is difficult to diagnose the disease from De Carvin's tenosynovitis.But with this pathology, a distinctive feature is the deformation of the finger bones, clearly visible on the x-ray of the hand.
Treatment
Timely and, above all, correctly prescribed treatment will help avoid pain later in life.Prevention of rheumatological diseases is an important point to maintain the same standard of living.But what to do and how to treat the disease if it occurs or worsens?
Therapeutic methods should have a comprehensive effect, solve several problems and promote the restoration of damaged tissues.
First of all, it is necessary to correctly diagnose the cause of the disease, and then determine which method of treatment (medical or surgical).
Drug treatment
The most common group of medications that can reduce or completely stop pain are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).In addition to their analgesic effect, they have anti-inflammatory properties.
The medicinal substance can be applied independently, taking into account the available instructions.
For arthritis, when the joints of the hands hurt, glucocorticosteroid drugs (GCS) are prescribed;this group has an anti-inflammatory effect that immediately stops the pain attack.To enhance the healing and regenerating effect, various oils and creams are used;they will also help relieve pain in a short time.
Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment and prevention are widespread.The most popular methods are:
- Phonophoresis.
- Ultra high frequency (UHF) therapy.
- Ultraviolet and infrared irradiation.
- Perform gymnastic exercises.
- Therapeutic and restorative massage.
- Moderate physical activity.
Surgical treatment
This method is radical and is used already in late and advanced stages of the disease.Surgery is performed using prostheses, replacing joint surfaces or restoring blood circulation.