For what?The causes of pain in the finger joints can be completely different, but the resulting problem is the same. This is incredible discomfort, which is quite capable of poisoning life, because it is with our hands that we perform many movements during the day.
What to do?There are different ways to minimize pain. It is very difficult to completely eradicate the problem, but it is also possible. The main thing is to make a correct diagnosis with the help of specialists and select a treatment regimen. But it is even more important not to neglect preventive measures.
The main causes of pain in the finger joints
Hand injuries
The pain caused by a bruised finger is quite mild and goes away fairly quickly. True, not without consequences: hemorrhages, bruising, hyperemia or swelling can occur in the area of the bruise. But the finger will function normally, with minor disturbances. A hematoma on the finger of the palm is characterized by pain of moderate intensity and subsequent peeling of the skin (black blood accumulates in the cavity).
Subungual hematomas are much more difficult to bear: they are accompanied by severe shooting pain and twitching, particularly felt when lowering the arm. After a bruise, the nail plate may peel off completely or partially.
Severe, explosive pain can be caused by a broken finger. Such injuries are accompanied by sharp pain, which then weakens somewhat, but does not disappear. The finger stops functioning normally, swells, turns into a continuous bruise, sometimes becomes pathologically immobile, deforms (at the joints and not only) and emits cracking sounds. If you try to move the painful finger joint, it bounces back and resists.
Frostbite on the hands is accompanied by slight tingling during the first hours, which then increases and becomes burning. The finger turns bluish and swells. With severe frostbite, the distal parts lose sensitivity, the fingers turn pale and remain cold, and pain is felt between the injured and healthy areas.
Infectious infections
The cause of the rapid increase in pain in the finger joint may be panaritium. An abscess forms, the finger swells, turns blue and hyperemia is observed. The nature of the pain is throbbing and trembling. This bothers the patient at night, especially if a felon has developed under the nail or deep in the limb (tendon, bone, joint felon). Superficial forms of this disease (subcutaneous and cutaneous, peri- and subungual) do not particularly affect general well-being, but deep panaritium can lead to fever and general intoxication.
Chinga is a more exotic cause of pain in the finger joint. It affects people who cut up and process commercial marine animal carcasses. A small wound, crack or abrasion on the skin is enough for the infection to penetrate inside and affect the entire finger. The disease begins with a slight dull pain at the site of injury, but after a day or two discomfort appears and in the joint, most often proximal, the pain intensifies, the joint begins to hurt andpalpitates, the finger swells, turns pale or becomes bluish.
Arthritis of the joints
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common cause of symmetrical pain in the finger joints of the upper extremities. The intensity of symptoms varies: in the first degree - only slight arthralgia and stiffness of movements (which, however, quickly disappear), in the second - long periods of stiffness, redness of the affected joints, limitation of their mobility, painconstant ( both at rest and in movement), and with the third it becomes impossible to move the diseased joint, stiffness and swelling do not disappear, hyperemia and pain are constant and very noticeable.
It is usually women who wonder about the causes and methods of treating pain in the joints of the fingers: the beautiful half of humanity most often suffers from gouty arthritis. It can affect one or more finger joints at once, causing sudden, severe 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 decreased during the day and during movement, as well as swelling of the fingers, blue or purple skin. The interphalangeal joints of the fingers are most often affected. The finger gradually becomes deformed in several places.
Post-traumatic arthritis only affects one joint. In cases of arthritis caused by allergic and infectious causes (for example, diseases of a viral and bacterial nature), several joints of the fingers may be affected at once. Occupational peripheral arthritis only affects the most stressed joints.
In any case, pain in the joints of the fingers, the cause of which is arthritis in one form or another, is annoying mainly at night and disappears during the day, leaving only local swelling, difficulty movingand some stiffness in the morning. Long-term advanced arthritis causes deformity of the fingers.
Joint degeneration due to disease
At the initial stage of osteoarthritis of the hands, pain in the fingers is characterized by short duration, periodicity and uncertainty. In the morning, joint movements are restricted. As osteoarthritis progresses, the pain becomes stronger and longer, accompanying every movement of the fingers, sometimes their character is burning. Household chores and small operations are increasingly difficult to perform with the affected hand. Lateral deformations occur and Bouchard and Heberden nodes become visible.
Tendon and ligament pathologies
Pain in the palm and base of the finger is usually caused by stenosing ligamentitis. Initially, the pain is felt only with a few movements of small amplitude and with pressure, but gradually begins to appear at rest. Movements are constrained, joints click. The further the disease develops, the more noticeable the recoil after such clicks and flexion contracture.
If the cause of pain in the finger joints is de Quervain's disease, then initially the discomfort is noticeable only when bending and abducting this finger, but subsequently any movement causes pressing painand painful (and sometimes you don't even need to move anything, the joint also hurts when resting). The pain syndrome often radiates to the distal phalanx, in some cases to the forearm on the side where the first finger grows.
Angiotrophoneuroses
In case of vasospasm, Raynaud's syndrome occurs. Because of this, the fingers become cold and paroxysmically numb. The second phase of the attack is accompanied by aching pain with a bursting and burning effect. The attack does not last long. After that, the distal parts of the hands become red and hot. The causes of this condition, which causes pain in the finger joints, are very diverse. It can be:
- rheumatoid arthritis;
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- scleroderma;
- Sharp syndrome;
- antisynthetase syndrome;
- thromboangiitis obliterans of the hands;
- occupational diseases, pathologies of metabolic and endocrine systems.
If the patient is not diagnosed with any of these diseases, the cause of pain in the finger joints is Raynaud's disease with its characteristic set of symptoms. Women are more sensitive to it.
Hematologic, neurological, and endocrine diseases can lead to erythromelalgia, but they can also occur alone. The disease is expressed in the form of hyperemia and swelling of the fingers, burning, paroxysmal and paroxysmal pain, sometimes in both hands at once 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 raising or cooling the affected arm (when the limb is heated and lowered, the pain worsens).
Nervous diseases
If you feel burning or shooting pain in your finger joint, the cause is likely neurological. Especially if, in addition to pain, the sensitivity of the hand is impaired and vegetative-trophic disorders are observed.
This may, for example, be a neuropathy of the median nerve. With this disease, the palmar side of the first to third fingers hurts and they cannot be bent. It is not possible to move the first finger forward, and there are also serious problems with clenching the palm into a fist.
Attacks of pain in the finger joints at night and the disappearance of pain when shaking or lowering the hands may indicate carpal tunnel syndrome. With this type of median nerve neuropathy, the pain is also localized to the side of the palm.
If neuropathy has developed on the radial nerve, then, on the contrary, the back of the hand and the index finger (sometimes also the second and third) hurt, provided that the wrist or forearm istouch. The back of the hand may become numb and the pain may radiate to the forearm, even if it itself 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 in the fourth and fifth fingers) are of a radiating nature and the main source of discomfort is in the jointof the elbow. My elbow and hand hurt particularly badly in the morning.
Tumors
In addition to malignant neoplasia of the hands (which people suffer from quite rarely), benign tumors can also cause pain in the joints of the fingers: chondroma or osteoid chondroma. The pain in the first case is mild and not localized, but osteoid osteomas, on the contrary, lead to sharp pain strictly in the affected area.
Other reasons
Writer's cramp, which accompanies a number of neurological and mental disorders (including occupational neurosis), also causes pain in the finger joints in men and women and requires treatment. Writing, typing on a computer keyboard or typewriter becomes painful. Shooting, aching pain is accompanied by sudden weakness, tremor in the hand and local cramps. Pain in the finger joints can also be caused by other pathologies:
- leukemia (Waldenström macroglobulinemia);
- neoplasms in the adrenal glands (aldosteroma);
- complications of diabetes (diabetic neuropathy);
- vascular lesions (distal digital embolism in case of occlusion of the subclavian artery);
- hereditary diseases (Fabry disease);
- usually childhood illnesses, for example neuroarthritic diathesis.
Diagnosis and treatment of pain in the finger joints
Correct diagnosis will allow you to determine the true causes of pain in the finger joints, whether it is an inflammatory process or another pathological process. If the pain is very severe and it is difficult to straighten and bend your fingers, be sure to consult a doctor. Your doctor will likely send you for a test, which usually involves:
- laboratory analyzes of blood, urine, rheumatic analyses;
- x-ray;
- MRI,
- CT scan of fingers.
Treatment tactics are aimed not only at relieving the patient from pain in the finger joints, but also at eliminating its causes. For example, for inflammation, anti-inflammatory drugs (hormonal or non-steroidal) are prescribed, and for infection, antibiotics are prescribed.
The main goal of treatment in cases of dystrophic joint damage is the restoration of cartilage tissue, for which massage, physiotherapy and chondroprotectors are used. To restore joint mobility, special exercises are prescribed.
Physiotherapy has been shown to be the most effective way to treat small joints, especially the fingers. These are electrosleep, MRI and electrophoresis with novocaine, as well as a number of other procedures. During remission, it is advisable to undergo treatment in a sanatorium or resort using radon or hydrogen sulfide sources.
As for diet, for pain in the finger joints, whatever their causes, it is recommended:
- 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 flaxseed oil (the fatty acids contained in them help to normalize fat metabolism).
It is also very useful to add nuts, ginger, fruits (currants and pomegranates), radishes and lettuce to your diet. But it is advisable to limit mayonnaise, sweet and starchy, spicy and smoked foods, as well as fatty dairy products.
Preventing pain in the finger joints
Eliminate the causes of finger joint pain in men and women so that treatment is not necessary:
- do not overcool your hands;
- limit your alcohol consumption and if you smoke, give up the habit;
- maintain a balance of vegetables and fruits in your diet and less canned, spicy and fried foods;
- treat all runny noses and ARVI, without hoping that the disease will go away on its own;
- 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 pain in the finger joints and what causes them. If you work on the computer a lot, this is a must. Clench all your fingers into a fist, raise your thumb as if to indicate your approval, and rotate it first clockwise, then counterclockwise. There are many other exercises for your finger joints.
Exercises for pain in the finger joints
Make a fist
Spread your palm, fingers straight, so that the tension is felt in all the joints and muscles. This simple gesture should not be accompanied by pain.
Do a simple stretch: clench your palm into a fist for half a minute to a minute so that your thumb rests on top of the rest, then unclench and extend all of your fingers, spreading them apart. Do this at least four times for each hand.
Stretch your fingers
To make your finger joints more mobile and relieve pain when bending them (regardless of the cause of the pain), repeat a simple exercise.
The palm is placed 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 hand and return to the starting position. Repeat four times with each hand.
Use this exercise to relieve pain and improve joint mobility.
Draw the claws
Another exercise for finger joint mobility.
Turn your palm with the inside facing you and bend your fingers so that their ends are at the base of the knuckles and the hand resembles a clawed paw. Hold for half a minute or a minute, repeat four or more times for each hand.
Train your grip
Regardless of the reasons that cause pain in the finger joints, a person needs to hold objects in one way or another, operate door handles, etc. , so it is advisable to train your fingers.
Squeeze the softball as hard as possible for a few minutes. Let go. Repeat 10 to 15 times with each hand, two to three times a week (but with an interval of at least two days between sessions). The exercise is contraindicated for injuries to the thumb joints.
pinch
This exercise trains the finger muscles to make it easier to open various packages and doors with keys and refuel the car. Pinch the soft ball with your thumb and any other finger, holding it for half a minute or a minute. For each hand you need to repeat the pinch 10-15 times. Like the previous exercise, pinching is performed two to three times a week with a mandatory interval of 48 hours between sessions and only if the thumb joints are not injured.
Raise your finger
This exercise helps make your joints more mobile and your fingers flexible.
The palm is placed on a smooth surface with the back facing up. You have to lift each finger one by one and put it back, but you can immediately use all fingers at the same time. You need to do this 10 to 12 times with each hand.
Retract your thumb
This exercise trains the thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects (e. g. cans and bottles).
Wrap your palm and thumb with a rubber band and place them on a table or any flat surface with the back facing up. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to the side, hold it there for half a minute or a minute then relax, and so on 10 to 15 times with each hand. The exercise is performed two to three times a week, but not more than once every 48 hours.
This exercise trains the thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects (e. g. cans and bottles).
Wrap your palm and thumb with a rubber band and place them on a table or any flat surface with the back facing up. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to the side, hold it there for half a minute or a minute then relax, and so on 10 to 15 times with each hand. The exercise is performed two to three times a week, but not more than once every 48 hours.
Bend your thumb
Thumb mobility must also be developed.
Raise your palm in front of you, facing down. Alternatively, move your thumb to the side and bend it toward your palm to touch the base of your little finger. After holding it for half a minute or a minute, relax. Repeat these steps four times for each hand.
Touch with thumb
Stiffness and pain in the joints of the fingers are caused by various reasons, but, in all cases, it is useful to train the thumbs so that daily operations such as writing by hand, holding a spoon, brushing the handsteeth, etc. do not pose any problems. .
Place your palm in front of you, straightening your wrist, and touch your thumb to all the others so that it forms the letter O. After holding it for half a minute or a minute, relax your palm. Minimum four repetitions for each arm.
Stretch your thumb
Thumbs need stretching.
Raise your hand in front of you, turn your palm toward you and bend your thumb toward your index finger for half a minute to a minute, then relax it. Do this four times with each hand. Then, from the same position, stretch your thumb across your palm so that the lower joint tenses and hold for half a minute to a minute. There are also four repetitions.
The most common causes of pain in the finger joints when bending are not only injuries and infections, but also overexertion. If your finger joint is sick, you need to act urgently: first of all, consult a specialist doctor - a surgeon, neurologist or traumatologist. To relieve pain, make your joints more mobile and your muscles strong, exercise your fingers and palm regularly.