Why do the joints of the fingers hurt: causes and treatment

6 October 2020

It's hard to imagine a person's life without little helpers and workers - fingers. They carefully hold a cup of coffee, write tirelessly, do all the small, hard work. Due to this high performance, the fingers are susceptible to a number of diseases. In order not to bring pathological processes to irreversible consequences, it is necessary to know why the joints of the hands hurt, how they can be cured.

What is finger joint pain

The human musculoskeletal system contains more than 300 joints. The fingers of the hands contain the smallest and most mobile. Joint joints at the ends of the hands have a thin synovial membrane and a small joint surface, so they are often prone to various diseases. Each finger of the hand consists of three joints (proximal phalangeal, middle phalangeal, distal interphalangeal) and three bones (proximal, middle, distal phalanx).

Pain can be caused by inflammation of the joints. Against a background of hypothermia of the hands, pain may occur, accompanied by cyanosis of the skin, which then turns into redness. As a result of injury or compression of the wrist joint, paroxysmal pain occurs. Strong, cutting sensations, accompanied by a sensation of an electric current passing through the fingers, may indicate cervical osteochondrosis.

The duration of symptoms depends on the cause of the disease. The longer the pain syndromes of the hands take to ignore, the more their motor activity is disturbed. If the first signs of the development of diseases of the fingers are not treated, irreversible deformation of the joints may be allowed, in which a person is disabled.

Most dangerous complications:

necrosis of bone tissue;
(a purulent-necrotic process that develops in the bone);
(complete absorption of parts of bone tissue);
generalized sepsis (purulent infection.

Why do fingers hurt

As a rule, pain in the joints of the upper extremities is a symptom of the development of diseases of the hands. Often these symptoms indicate manifestations of diseases of other organs. Pain in the phalanges is a sign of cervical osteochondrosis, ischemic heart disease and peripheral nerve pathologies. If the joints of the fingers hurt, it is important to quickly determine the cause in order to identify possible risk factors for human health.

Folding

The following conditions can cause joint pain when flexing the phalanges:

causes of pain in the joints of the fingers

Pinching of the spinal nerves. It occurs when nerve roots extending from the spinal cord contract hernias, cartilage, tumors, spasmodic muscles, tendons, or other vertebrae.
Osteoarthritis. Degeneration of the articular cartilage and the development of osteophytes on the bones occur, resulting in reduced mobility.
Tunnel syndrome. There is a pinching of the median nerve, which passes to the palm through the carpal tunnel, which protects the nerve fibers from compression. Subsequently, this can lead to tendovaginitis - an inflammatory disease of the tendons and tendon sheaths;
Stenosing ligamentitis. It is characterized by a blockage of the phalanges in the extended or bent position. More often, the thumb joint on the hand hurts. Pathology refers to diseases of the tendon-ligament system.
Rhizarthrosis. Deformation of the cartilage plates in the thumb joint occurs after injury or excessive stress.
Vibration sickness. An occupational disease that occurs when working with a vibrating instrument.

The joints of the fingers are swollen and painful

Elderly and young patients face the problem of puffiness. Sometimes the fingers swell due to water retention in the body, but if they also hurt, this may indicate pathological changes in the bone joints.

The reasons for this condition may be as follows:

open wounds, abrasions, cuts;
fractures, dislocations, injuries;
insect bites;
neuropathy of the radial nerve;
pathology of the heart and / or kidneys;
fibromyalgia (muscle and joint pain);
polycythemia (an abnormal increase in the number of red blood cells in the blood);
bursitis (inflammation of the joint capsule);
(inflammation of bone tissue);
Chronic arthritis of various origins (rheumatoid, gouty, septic, neglected, purulent and others).

In the morning

Any disease of the joints of the fingers is manifested by pain in the morning. In order to avoid the progression of the pathology, it is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and undergo an appropriate examination. Most often the fingers hurt in the morning with arthritis of various origins. The disease may not be infectious in nature, but manifest itself due to disorders of the immune system.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the joint cartilages of the index fingers are more likely to hurt, on which small seals are visible. With this pathology, symmetrical joint damage of both hands can also develop. Infectious arthritis affects several fingers at once and develops under the influence of viruses or bacteria. In addition to the pain, there is an increase in body temperature in the morning, intoxication of the whole body. The phalanges hurt in the morning and suffer from psoriatic arthritis, gout and osteoarthritis.

The latter disease, in addition to morning pains, is characterized by stiffness and stiffness. Most often, osteoarthritis is observed in middle-aged women, since its development is associated with fluctuations in estrogen levels. Gout can be identified by an intolerable paroxysmal pain in the morning or evening, accompanied by redness and swelling of the joint.

Sharp pain

Stenosing ligamentitis of the wrist is accompanied by a burning pain in all fingers except the little finger. Burning and numbness is felt not only at the ends of the hand, but also along the entire length of the palm. Symptoms worsen at night and improve during the day. Osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is also accompanied by sharp pain in the joints of the limbs, but numbness appears only in the little finger.

Panaritium (purulent inflammation of the tissues of the hand) can also cause such a symptom. The disease occurs as a result of an infectious infection. The pain is sharp, shaken and gradually intensifies, especially at night. The phalanges swell, turn red, touching them is very painful, and the body temperature often rises. Panaritium requires prompt medical attention, otherwise a person cannot avoid serious complications.

In Raynaud's syndrome, at first there is a cold and a spasm in the vessels, then, due to impaired blood flow, a person feels a sharp pain in the fingers, which swell and turnto blue. In the third stage of the disease, when blood flow improves, this symptomatology disappears. A painful attack lasts from a few minutes to half an hour. Raynaud's disease is a consequence of atherosclerosis of the extremities, so it should be treated first.

During pregnancy

Why do finger joints hurt during pregnancy and after childbirth? Gynecologists know this for sure.

When the extremities swell while carrying a child, it indicates the following pathologies:

presence of joint diseases;
increased levels of relaxin, a hormone responsible for softening ligaments;
entrapment of the median nerve;
lack of calcium in the body;
Fibromyalgia due to depression.

The painful sensations may pass quickly and sometimes get worse each day. This often occurs at 35 weeks gestation, which is associated with rapid weight gain, which causes compression of the nerve trunks that connect the hand to the arm.

The problem is that a woman is haunted not only by joint pain, but also by other symptoms:

burning, itchy palms;
sharp, sudden pain in the forearm;
numbness in upper limbs.

After exercise

The appearance of painful symptoms in the hands after any physical activity is a clear sign of vascular disease. Painful sensations are accompanied by numbness in the joints, cramps and rapid fatigue of the hands. The skin becomes pale and cold, the hairline becomes thinner, the nail plates thicken. Pathology over time acquires a chronic form, as a result of which it becomes impossible to feel the pulse on the radial artery, the lumen of the vessels narrows, the blood flow of the extremities is disturbed. The pains become constant and reappear even with light exertion.

As a person ages, the cartilage thins, becomes brittle, and a cracking sound is heard while moving. If pain in the hands appears after physical exertion, this symptomatology may indicate the development of polyosteoarthritis. The disease is characterized by destructive changes in the joints, which hurt when the fingers are used or before the weather changes. It is difficult for a person to straighten and bend the brush. The pain syndrome disappears when manual labor is excluded.

Diagnostics

Early diagnosis will help eliminate symptoms of joint disease and heal completely. Only an experienced specialist (neuropathologist, surgeon, traumatologist) can accurately determine the cause of this symptomatology. The diagnosis is made on the basis of the test results and the patient's history. When collecting information, the nature of the complaints, the time of the onset of the first pains, the presence of joint pathologies in the next of kin are discovered. The family predisposition to the development of arthritis and osteoarthritis plays an important role.

Research needed for pain complaints in extremity joints:

;
;
computed tomography;
(computer diagnostics of the spine);
;
contrasting discography;
blood and synovial fluid tests;
puncture (injection of medicine into the lump cavity);
skin biopsy.

Processing

Therapeutic tactics are determined by the type of pathology, the severity of symptoms, the dynamics of the inflammatory process and the peculiarities of the clinical course of the disease. When prescribing drug therapy, the patient's hypersensitivity to the active components of drugs is taken into account. Complex treatment involves the appointment of chondroprotectors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), glucocorticosteroids.

In addition to medication, local massages and specially designed gymnastic exercises are prescribed. Excellent therapeutic effect can be achieved with the help of acupuncture and other types of physiotherapy procedures.

Diet table number 10 must receive the main rules including:

reduce salt consumption;
once a week, fasting days for vegetables and dairy products;
a diet without tomatoes, sorrel, spicy foods, fatty meats.

In case of joint pain, doctors recommend a spa treatment. For each patient, doctors select an individual rehabilitation program that will be most effective in each specific case. The sanatorium teaches healthy lifestyles, arranges therapeutic exercises, physiotherapy and massage. As a rule, after such treatment, the patient for a long time forgets about relapses of the disease.

Drugs

When prescribing drugs, two goals are pursued: the relief of the inflammatory process and the elimination of pain. Basically, doctors use cyclooxygenase inhibitors (NSAIDs), and if the cause of the disease is autoimmune pathology, steroids are prescribed. In an acute infectious process, antibiotics can be used.

Topical medications (creams, ointments, gels) are prescribed for rapid symptom relief. In case of dystrophic lesions of the articular surfaces, it is recommended to use chondroprotectors.

Massage

Medication alone is not enough for arthritis or osteoarthritis of the fingers. Specialists in the period of remission of the disease suggest taking courses in therapeutic massage, the number of sessions of which the doctor will individually determine. The procedure begins by kneading each section of the hand. If the patient does not feel severe pain, the effect on the affected joints begins from the first session.

The preparatory phase of the massage consists of warming the arm from the elbow to the fingers with spiral movements. The patient is in a sitting position, the hand is resting on the table, the bent elbow rests on the support, and a roller is placed under the hand. After the warm-up, the specialist kneads each finger separately with stroking movements without affecting the joints. For the best effect, 2-3 approaches are carried out.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy helps speed recovery, relieve symptoms and prevent complications.

Patients who experience severe pain in the fingers are advised to pay attention to the following techniques:

Electrophoresis. Treatment involves deep injections of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs under the skin. The procedure takes place under the influence of a constant electric current. The course of treatment is 10 procedures of 25 minutes each.
Ultrasound therapy. During the session, tissue micromassage is performed using ultrasonic vibrations with a frequency of 800 to 900 kHz. Ultrasound activates metabolic processes, removes excess uric acid, increases local immunity. The exposure time is 1 to 5 minutes per area. The session lasts 12 to 15 minutes. The course of treatment is 10-12 procedures.
Microwave (microwave therapy). Treatment is based on the use of electromagnetic oscillations with a wave of up to 1 M. The impact is aimed at restoring biological processes and functional systems of cellular structures. The exposure time is 8 to 12 minutes. The number of sessions - from 2 to 12.
Thermal procedures. Includes exposure of affected joints to heat. Steam baths are used with the addition of essential oils, salts or herbs. The duration of the course is 12-20 procedures, 15-20 minutes each.
Barotherapy. Pressure chamber therapy at low or high pressure helps saturate the body with oxygen, resulting in faster recovery of muscles, tissues and joints. The duration of the procedure is 60 minutes. The full course consists of 22-25 sessions.

Folk remedies

Alternative treatment will help prevent destruction of joint cartilage in the fingers.

Prevention

In order not to suffer from inflammatory processes in the joints of the fingers and not to treat osteoarthritis and arthritis for a long time, it is necessary to adhere to simple preventive measures:

keep your hands warm;
excludes alcohol, cigarettes;
include more fruits and vegetables in the daily menu;
does not tolerate colds on the legs;
removes the habit of "clicking" fingers;
replace tea and coffee with herbal decoctions;
controls body weight.