Our hands are always working - they help us take care of ourselves, do homework and work, and do other useful things. The most accurate work can be done with your fingers. All this is possible thanks to the joints. However, when the joints of the fingers hurt, we immediately look for the causes and treatment options. Such pains cannot be ignored and will not work, because they directly affect life.
Why finger pain occurs - the main reasons
These include a number of factors that contribute to the development of the disease:
- damage to the immune system;
- chronic infections;
- Changes in hormonal levels. It only affects pain during pregnancy and after birth;
- metabolic disease;
- heredity. If you have people in your family who suffer from joint disease, this tendency can be inherited;
- negative factors. Among them - often find a hand in cold water.
Attention!Pain syndrome can manifest itself in many athletes with microtrauma. It can also be associated with professional characteristics.
Diseases that cause lesions
Let's list the main diseases that can cause pain in the joints of the fingers.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This pathology can develop in both adults and children. Most women are sensitive to this, making such a diagnosis 2-3 times more often. The joints that suffer from this disease are small joints. A symmetrical grip of both arms is a characteristic feature. Other symptoms that should be seen by a doctor are:
- Swelling of the finger joints.
- The stiffness of finger movements is felt in the morning.
- Distal joints feel and are cold.
- Accumulation of fluid in the joint capsules.
- A neoplasm appears under the skin. These are rheumatoid nodules.
- Fingers are curved and fan-shaped.
This disease can cause complications not only in the condition of the fingers, but also in the internal organs, so the question: "what to do? " is relevant only in this situation. First of all - see a doctor immediately!
Gouty arthritis
The cause of this disease is a violation of purine metabolism, which leads to the deposition of salts. In this situation, it is important to understand why such a process is developing. Men over the age of 40 suffer from this. In addition, the conditions for defeat are: fatty foods, increased alcohol consumption. Less commonly, gouty arthritis is one of the symptoms of leukemia.
Inflammation does not spread to all joints, most often affecting the thumbs. Symptoms are announced:
- night pains;
- The skin on the affected area becomes purple and swollen;
- sore finger is very sensitive, it is impossible to touch it, it does not bend;
- Pain occurs in attacks that occur after prolonged physical exertion.
Psoriatic Arthritis
This is one of the complications of psoriasis. According to statistics, it occurs in 15%. Arthritis affects the distal phalanges, there is a painful sensation of pain. Severe edema develops, the fingers become sausage-like, the skin turns red.
Osteoarthritis
This disease causes dystrophic changes in cartilage. The reasons are different: injuries, metabolic diseases, hereditary factors, hormonal changes, occupational stress.
Attention!This lesion is especially common in the elderly.
In most cases, osteoarthritis is asymptomatic in the early stages. The disease develops slowly and gradually, so often the question of how to relieve the pain does not arise, because the syndrome is mild.
Arthralgia
This is a pain in the joints of the fingers that prevents a person from living a full life. He can't write normally, he can't take even light things, he can't do simple actions. Affected by all fingers, including the little finger. Pain syndrome can cause mechanical damage or inflammation. The first option is trauma, bruising, sprains. The second is a consequence of the development of the disease. In this case, the joint swells and turns red. The answer to the question of what to treat is possible only after the final diagnosis.
Important!Problems with the joints of the hands can be a complication of past diseases, including: rubella, salmonellosis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, ARVI.
Vibration disease
This is an occupational disease that develops in people who work with constantly vibrating hand tools. In this case, the disease can develop in several stages:
- First, there is pain, numbness, "gas bubbles" in the fingers.
- In addition, the pain intensifies, and over time the sensitivity of the skin, including tremors, decreases. There is a violation of vascular tone.
- Trophic complications develop in the final stages. It is fraught with both the loss of individual fingers and the amputation of the hand.
Panaritium
This sound name refers to inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger. Infection cuts, punctures, etc. Occurs when penetrated by. The first obvious symptom is severe throbbing pain. The night gets worse, the skin swells, the pus comes out.
Methods of treating pain in the finger joints
You can learn how to relieve pain and how to be treated by a specialist. But you need to know which doctor is treating you - a rheumatologist or an orthopedist. But if the disease goes unnoticed, you will have to go to the surgeon.
The main task in the early stages of treatment is to reduce the manifestations of the disease. The measures to be taken depend on the nature of the pain. These include:
- If inflammation occurs, antibiotics, hormones, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- If the lesions are dystrophic, the first step is cartilage repair. For this purpose, chondroprotectors and auxiliary measures in the form of massage and physiotherapy are used.
Attention!Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can have a number of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, indigestion, and diarrhea.
Medical treatment of joint pain
First aid for exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis is glucocorticosteroids. Their reception is combined with the use of special ointments that play an anesthetic role. The body should be supported after the aggravation has been eliminated. Cytostatics are used for this purpose.
Here's what you need to know about chondroprotectors
These drugs are supplements that stimulate the regeneration of cartilage tissue.
Chondroprotectors stimulate the formation of the main component of cartilage, prevent the destruction of joint structures, activate the production of intra-articular fluid. They also have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
Attention!In case of serious damage to the joints, only chondroprotectors will not help - an integrated approach is needed.
Gymnastics, manual therapy
Depending on the severity of the condition and only after the acute pain has been eliminated, a number of special exercises are selected. All manipulations are aimed at optimizing joint mobility, ensuring normal blood flow and metabolic processes. In this case, strong loads are not applied - it can lead to complete destruction of tissues. If you feel pain, you do not need to stretch your fingers.
Standard localized methods are used in connection with physiotherapy:
- electrophoresis;
- microwave resonance therapy;
- amplipulse therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser treatment.
The key to successful treatment will be not only strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations and the continuation of all recommended procedures, but also a healthy lifestyle.
Fatty, salty, spicy foods should be excluded from the diet. It is worth giving up alcohol by reducing the frequency of smoking.
Traditional medicine in the treatment of finger joints
Folk ways are also used for this problem. However, these drugs will not cure, but will only temporarily relieve the pain.
Ointments
The ointment can be made from propolis and oil. You should take corn or sunflower. Rate: one part propolis and three parts butter. The ingredients should be melted and mixed thoroughly. After cooling, pour into an opaque glass jar and use two or three times a day.
Hellebore Herb Ointment. To prepare you need:
- Twenty grams of hellebore (plant), chopped.
- twenty grams of honey.
- ten grams of vegetable oil.
- five grams of dry mustard.
Put all ingredients in an enamel bowl and melt in a water bath. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a cool, glass jar, keep cool. Use before bed in affected areas.
Compresses
Treat with fruit vinegar. The immersed material should be applied to the affected areas for ten to fifteen minutes.
Another effective compress is:
- Mix 1 part vodka;
- 1 part valerian tincture;
- Put 2 hot pepper peels in the mixture;
- Keep the tincture in the dark for at least 3 hours.
Use a cotton swab moisturized and applied to the affected areas several times a day.
Garlic juice is used for compresses and for swallowing with warm milk. In spring, you can make a tincture of lilac flowers. It should be crushed for 2 weeks and insist on alcohol or vodka. Then use it to rub painful joints. Hands should be warm until the effect of tincture is felt.
Result
The causes of pain in the finger joints can vary, so the treatment methods are different. It is not worth treating yourself. It is better to consult a doctor for professional help - it will help prevent future complications.