Why?The causes of pain in the joints of the fingers can be completely different, but the resulting problem is the same. This is an incredible inconvenience, which is quite capable of poisoning life, because we make many movements with our hands during the day.
What to do?There are different ways to minimize pain. It is very difficult to eliminate the problem completely, but it is also possible. The most important thing is to establish the correct diagnosis with the help of specialists and choose the treatment regimen. However, it is even more important not to neglect preventive measures.
The main causes of pain in the joints of the fingers
Hand injuries
The pain from a bruised finger is fairly mild and goes away fairly quickly. True, not without consequences: bleeding, bruising, hyperemia or swelling may occur in the area of the bruise. But the finger will work as usual with minor disturbances. A hematoma on the finger from the palm is characterized by pain of moderate intensity and subsequent peeling of the skin (dark blood accumulates in the cavity).
Subungual hematomas are much more difficult to bear: they are accompanied by strong throbbing and jerking pain, which is felt especially when lowering the arm. After bruising, the nail plate is completely or partially detached.
A broken finger can cause intense, explosive pain. Such injuries are accompanied by sharp pain, which weakens a little, but does not disappear. The finger does not work normally, it swells, turns into one continuous bruise, sometimes becomes abnormally immobile, deformed (in the joints and not only) and makes creaking sounds. If you try to move the painful finger joint, it springs back and resists.
The freezing of the hands is accompanied by a slight tingling pain for the first few hours, which then increases and becomes burning. The finger turns blue and swells. In case of severe frostbite, the distal parts lose their sensitivity, the fingers become pale and cold, pain is felt between the damaged and healthy areas.
Contagious infections
Panaritium can be the cause of rapidly increasing pain in the finger joint. An abscess forms, the finger swells, turns blue, and hyperemia is observed. The nature of the pain is throbbing and jerking. It bothers the patient at night, especially if a culprit (tendon, bone, joint culprit) has developed under the nail or deep in the limb. Superficial forms of the disease (subcutaneous and skin, peri- and subungual) do not particularly affect the general well-being, but deep panaritium can lead to fever and general intoxication.
A more exotic cause of finger joint pain is chinga. It affects people who cut up and process the carcasses of marine animals for commercial purposes. A small wound, crack or abrasion on the skin is enough for the infection to penetrate the skin and affect the entire finger. The disease begins with a mild dull pain at the site of the injury, but after a day or two, an unpleasant feeling appears, and the pain in the joint, most often in the proximal one, intensifies, the joint starts to hurt and throbbing, the finger swells and turns pale. or turns bluish.
Arthritis of the joints
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common cause of symmetrical pain in the joints of the fingers of the upper limbs. The intensity of the symptoms varies: in the first degree - only mild joint pain and movement stiffness (which, however, quickly passes), in the second - long-lasting stiffness, redness of the affected joints, limited mobility, constant pain. both at rest and in motion), and with the third it becomes impossible to move the diseased joint, stiffness and swelling do not go away, hyperemia and pain are constant and very noticeable.
In general, women are curious about the causes and methods of treatment of joint pain in the fingers: a decent half of humanity most often suffers from gouty arthritis. It can affect one or more finger joints at the same time, causing severe sudden pain, swelling, hyperemia, increased body temperature and immobilization of the affected finger.
The usual symptoms of the disease are increased pain at night and at rest, but which eases during the day and during movement, as well as swelling of the fingers, blue or purple skin. Most often, the interphalangeal joints of the fingers are affected. The finger is gradually deformed in several places.
Post-traumatic arthritis affects only one joint. In the case of arthritis caused by allergic and infectious causes (such as viral and bacterial diseases), several finger joints may be affected at the same time. Occupational peripheral arthritis affects only those joints that are most stressed.
In any case, the pain in the joints of the fingers, which is one form or another of arthritis, is mainly bothersome at night and disappears during the day, leaving only local swelling, difficulty in movement, and some stiffness in the morning. Long-term advanced arthritis leads to deformation of the fingers.
Joint degeneration due to disease
In the initial stage of arthrosis of the hand, pain in the fingers is characterized by short duration, periodicity and uncertainty. Joint movements are limited in the morning. As arthrosis progresses, the pain becomes stronger and longer, accompanies every movement of the fingers, and sometimes has a burning character. Household work and minor operations become increasingly difficult to perform with the affected hand. Lateral deformations occur and Bouchard and Heberden nodes become noticeable.
Pathologies of tendons and ligaments
Pain in the palm and the base of the finger is usually caused by stenotic tendinitis. Initially, the pain is felt only with small-amplitude movements and pressure, but gradually it also appears in a state of rest. Movements are limited, joints click. The further the disease progresses, the more noticeable the recoil after such clicks and flexion contracture.
If the cause of joint pain in the fingers is de Quervain's disease, the discomfort is initially only noticeable when bending and abducting the finger, but after that every movement causes a pressing, aching pain (and sometimes you don't have to move at all, the joint hurts even at rest). The pain syndrome often radiates to the distal phalanx, in some cases to the forearm on the side where the first finger grows.
Angiotrophoneuroses
When vasospasm occurs, Raynaud's syndrome occurs. This causes the fingers to feel cold and paroxysmally numb. The second phase of the attack is accompanied by aching pain, which has a cracking and burning effect. The attack doesn't last long. Afterwards, the remote parts of the hands become red and hot. The causes of this condition, which causes pain in the joints of the fingers, are very diverse. May:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- scleroderma;
- Sharp's syndrome;
- anti-synthetase syndrome;
- thromboangiitis obliterans of the hands;
- occupational diseases, metabolic and endocrine system pathologies.
If the patient is not diagnosed with these diseases, then the cause of joint pain in the fingers is Raynaud's disease, its characteristic symptom complex. Women are more susceptible to it.
Hematological, neurological and endocrine diseases can lead to erythromelalgia, but it can also occur on its own. The disease is expressed in the form of hyperemia and swelling of the fingers, burning pain, paroxysmal and paroxysmal, sometimes in both hands at the same time or first in one and then in the second. The attack of pain is so strong that it is simply impossible to move your fingers. You can relieve the pain by elevating or cooling the affected arm (if the limb is warmed up and lowered, the pain will increase).
Nervous diseases
If you feel a burning or shooting pain in your finger joint, the cause is probably neurological. Especially if, in addition to the pain, the sensitivity of the hand is also impaired, and vegetative-trophic disorders are observed.
This can be, for example, neuropathy of the median nerve. With this disease, the palm side of the first to third fingers hurts and cannot be bent. The first finger cannot be moved forward, and there are serious problems with making a fist.
Nighttime pain in the joints of the fingers and the disappearance of pain when shaking or lowering the hand may indicate carpal tunnel syndrome. In the case of this type of neuropathy of the median nerve, the pain is also localized on the side of the palm.
If neuropathy has developed in the radial nerve, then, on the contrary, the back of the hand and the first finger (sometimes the second and third as well) hurts, provided that the wrist or forearm is affected. The back of the hand may become numb and the pain may radiate to the forearm, even if it is healthy.
If the cause of pain in the joints of the fingers is neuropathy of the ulnar nerve, then these pains (in the hand and the fourth and fifth fingers) are radiating, and the main source of discomfort is in the elbow joint. The elbow and hand hurt especially badly in the morning.
Tumors
In addition to malignant tumors of the hands (which people suffer from quite rarely), benign tumors can also cause pain in the finger joints: chondroma or osteoid chondroma. In the first case, the pain is mild and not localized, but osteoid osteomas, on the contrary, cause sharp pain in the affected area.
Other reasons
Writing spasm, which accompanies many neurological and mental disorders (especially occupational neurosis), causes pain in the joints of the fingers in both men and women and requires treatment. Writing and typing on a computer keyboard or typewriter becomes painful. The excruciating, aching pain is accompanied by sharp weakness, hand tremors and local spasms. Finger joint pain can also be caused by other pathologies:
- leukemia (Waldenström macroglobulinemia);
- tumors in the adrenal glands (aldosteroma);
- complications of diabetes (diabetic neuropathy);
- vascular changes (distal digital embolism in case of occlusion of the subclavian artery);
- inherited diseases (Fabry disease);
- typically childhood diseases such as neuroarthritic diathesis.
Diagnosis and treatment of pain in the joints of the fingers
The correct diagnosis makes it possible to determine the true causes of pain in the joints of the fingers, whether it is an inflammatory or other pathological process. If the pain is very severe and it is difficult to straighten and bend your fingers, be sure to seek medical help. Your doctor will likely send you for tests, which usually include:
- laboratory blood, urine, rheumatism tests;
- radiography;
- MRI,
- computed tomography of the fingers.
Treatment tactics are aimed not only at alleviating joint pain in the fingers, but also at eliminating the causes. For example, in case of inflammation, anti-inflammatory drugs (hormonal or non-steroidal) are prescribed, and in case of infection, antibiotics are prescribed.
The main goal of therapy in the case of dystrophic joint damage is to restore the cartilage tissue, for which massage, physiotherapy and chondroprotectors are used. Special exercises are prescribed to restore joint mobility.
Physiotherapy has proven to be the most effective way to treat small joints, including the fingers. These are electrosleep, MRI and electrophoresis with novocaine, as well as many other procedures. During remission, it is advisable to treat in a sanatorium or resort using a radon or hydrogen sulfide source.
As for the diet, for pain in the joints of the fingers, whatever the cause, we recommend the following:
- eat more seafood and fish to get phosphorus, calcium and iron;
- take apple cider vinegar to remove toxins from the body;
- consume fish oil and linseed oil (the fatty acids in them help normalize fat metabolism).
Adding nuts, ginger, fruits (currants and pomegranates), radishes and lettuce to your diet is also very useful. But it is advisable to limit mayonnaise, sweet and starchy, spicy and smoked foods, as well as fatty dairy products.
Prevention of pain in the joints of the fingers
Eliminate the causes of finger joint pain in men and women so that treatment is not needed:
- do not overcool your hands;
- limit your alcohol consumption and if you smoke, stop the habit;
- maintain a balance of vegetables and fruits in the diet and less canned, spicy and fried food;
- treat all runny noses and ARVI without hoping that the disease will go away by itself;
- Make sure your weight is normal;
- stop snapping your fingers.
Do a simple exercise to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome so you don't have to think about how to treat finger joint pain and what's causing it. If you work a lot on the computer, this is a must. Put all your fingers into a fist, raise your thumb as if to approve, and rotate first clockwise and then counter-clockwise. There are many other exercises for the finger joints.
Exercises against pain in the joints of the fingers
Make a fist
Spread your palms, stretching your fingers so that the tension is felt in all joints and muscles. This simple operation should not be accompanied by pain.
Do a simple stretch: clench your fists for half to a minute with your thumbs resting on top of each other, then open and stretch all your fingers, spreading them apart. Do this at least four times on each hand.
Stretch out your fingers
To increase the mobility of the finger joints and relieve the pain of bending (whatever the cause of the pain), repeat a simple exercise.
Place the palm on a flat surface, with the back facing up. The fingers should be straightened without straining the joints and held there for 30-60 seconds. Then relax your hands and return to the starting position. Repeat four times with each hand.
Use this exercise to relieve pain and improve joint mobility.
Draw claws
Another exercise for the mobility of the finger joints.
Turn your palm with the inner side towards you and bend your fingers so that their tips are at the base of the joints and the hand looks like a clawed paw. Hold for half a minute or a minute, repeating four or more times on each hand.
Eat the stickiness
Regardless of the causes of pain in the joints of the fingers, a person must somehow hold objects, operate door handles, etc. , so it is advisable to train the fingers.
Squeeze the soft ball as hard as you can for a few minutes. Let it go. Repeat 10-15 times with each hand, two or three times a week (but at least two days between sessions). The exercise is contraindicated in case of injuries to the joints of the thumb.
pinch
This exercise trains the muscles of the fingers to make it easier to open various packages, doors with a key and refuel the car. Pinch the soft ball with your thumb and any other finger, hold for half a minute or a minute. Each hand should be pinched 10-15 times. As in the previous exercise, pinching is done two to three times a week, with a mandatory 48-hour break between workouts, and only if the joints of the thumb are not damaged.
Raise your finger
This exercise helps to make your joints more mobile and your fingers more flexible.
Place the palm on a flat surface, with the back facing up. You have to lift and put back each finger individually, but you can immediately use all of your fingers at once. You should do this 10-12 times with each hand.
Pull your thumb back
This exercise trains the thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects (such as boxes and bottles).
Wrap your palms and thumbs with an elastic band and place them on a table or any flat surface with their backs facing up. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to the side, hold there for half a minute or a minute, then relax, and so on 10-15 times with each hand. The exercise is performed two or three times a week, but no more than once every 48 hours.
This exercise trains the thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects (such as boxes and bottles).
Wrap your palms and thumbs with an elastic band and place them on a table or any flat surface with their backs facing up. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to the side, hold there for half a minute or a minute, then relax, and so on 10-15 times with each hand. The exercise is performed two or three times a week, but no more than once every 48 hours.
Bend your thumb
The mobility of the thumb should also be developed.
Raise your palms in front of you, turn the back side down. Alternatively, move your thumb to the side and bend it toward your palm to touch the base of your little finger. After holding for half a minute or a minute, relax. Repeat these steps four times for each hand.
Touch it with your thumb
Stiffness and pain in the joints of the fingers are caused by various reasons, but in any case, it is useful to train the thumb so that everyday actions such as writing, holding a spoon, brushing teeth, etc. .
Place your palms in front of you with your wrists straight and your thumbs touching all the others in an O shape. After holding for half a minute or a minute, relax your palms. A minimum of four repetitions on each arm.
Extend your thumb
Thumbs should be extended.
Raise your hand in front of you, palm facing you, bend your thumb towards your index finger for half a minute to a minute, then relax. Do this four times with each hand. Then, from the same position, stretch your thumb over your palm so that the lower joint is tense and hold for half a minute to a minute. There are also four repetitions.
The most common causes of pain in the joints of the fingers when bending are not only injuries and infections, but also overload. If your finger joint is sick, you need to take urgent action: first consult a specialist - a surgeon, neurologist or traumatologist. To relieve pain, move your joints, strengthen your muscles, and regularly exercise your fingers and palms.