Causes of finger joint pain and how to eliminate it

Why?The causes of finger joint pain can be completely different, but the resulting problems are the same. This is incredibly uncomfortable and can very well be life-threatening because of the many movements we perform with our hands during the day.what to do?There are many ways to relieve pain. It is very difficult to completely eradicate this problem, but it is possible. The main thing is to make a correct diagnosis and choose a treatment option with the help of a specialist. However, it is more important not to neglect preventive measures.

Main causes of finger joint pain

hand injury

The pain from a finger scrape is fairly mild and goes away quickly. True, it's not without consequences: bleeding, bruising, congestion, or swelling may occur in the bruised area. But the fingers will work as usual, with only minor disturbances. Digital hematoma on the palm of the hand is characterized by moderate-intensity pain and subsequent peeling of the skin (dark blood accumulates in the cavity).Subungual hematomas are more unbearable: they are accompanied by severe throbbing and throbbing pain, especially when lowering the arm. After bruising, the nail plate may completely or partially peel off.hand injuryA broken finger may cause severe, explosive pain. This injury is accompanied by severe pain that then subsides but does not go away. The finger ceases to function normally, swells, turns into a continuous bruise, sometimes becomes pathologically immobile, deforms (not only the joints), and makes a crunching sound. If you try to move a painful finger joint, it will bounce and create resistance.Frostbite on the hands will cause a slight stinging sensation for the first few hours, and then the pain will worsen and turn into a burning sensation. Fingers turn blue and swell. In severe frostbite, the distal parts lose sensitivity, the fingers become pale and cold, and pain is felt between the injured area and the healthy area.

contagious infection

The cause of rapidly worsening finger joint pain may be panaritium. Abscesses form, the fingers become swollen, blue, and congestion is observed. The pain is throbbing and twitching in nature. It troubles the patient at night, especially if the fetus has developed under the nails or deep in the limbs (tendons, bones, joints). Superficial forms of the disease (subcutaneous and cutaneous, periungual and subungual) do not particularly affect general health, but deep panaritium can cause fever and systemic intoxication.Infection causes joint infectionOne of the more exotic causes of finger joint pain is chinga. It affects people who cut and process commercial marine animal carcasses. A small cut, crack, or abrasion in the skin is enough for the infection to penetrate inside and affect the entire finger. The disease begins with a mild, dull pain at the injured site, but after a day or two, the joints (most commonly the proximal joints) become uncomfortable and the pain worsens. The joints begin to ache and pulse, and the fingers become swollen, pale, or turn blue in color. .

joint arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common cause of symmetrical pain in the finger joints of the upper extremities. Symptoms vary in intensity: Level 1 - only mild joint pain and stiffness in movement (but soon disappears), Level 2 - prolonged stiffness, redness, limited movement, persistent pain (at rest) in the affected jointsand during exercise), while in the third case, the affected joint cannot move at all, stiffness and swelling do not go away, and congestion and pain are persistent and very noticeable.Often, women want to know the causes and methods of treating pain in finger joints: half of humanity most often suffers from gouty arthritis. It can affect one or more finger joints at once, causing sudden, severe pain, swelling, congestion, increased body temperature, and the inability to move the affected fingers.Common symptoms of the disease are pain that is worse at night and at rest but lessens during the day and with movement, as well as swollen fingers and a bluish or purple discoloration of the skin. The interphalangeal joints of the fingers are most commonly affected. Several places on the fingers gradually deformed.Post-traumatic arthritis affects only one joint. With arthritis caused by allergic and infectious causes, such as viral and bacterial diseases, multiple finger joints may be affected at the same time. Occupational peripheral arthritis affects only those joints that bear the greatest load.In any case, pain in the finger joints (the cause of which is some form of arthritis) is mostly bothersome at night and disappears during the day, leaving only localized swelling, difficulty moving and some stiffness in the morning. Long-term advanced arthritis can cause deformation of the fingers.

joint degeneration caused by disease

In the early stages of hand joint disease, finger pain is characterized by short duration, periodicity, and uncertainty. In the morning, joint movement is restricted. As the joint progresses, the pain becomes more intense and longer lasting, accompanying every movement of the fingers, and their character is sometimes searing. It becomes increasingly difficult to perform household chores and minor surgeries with the affected hand. Lateral deformations occur and Bouchard and Heberden nodes become apparent.joint degeneration caused by disease

Tendon and ligament disorders

Pain in the palms of the hands and at the base of the fingers is often caused by stenosing ligament inflammation. Initially, the pain is only felt with some small pressure movements, but gradually begins to occur at rest. Movement is restricted and joints click. The more advanced the disease, the more pronounced this clicking and kickback after a flexion contracture becomes.If the cause of finger joint pain is Queven's disease, then initially there will be noticeable discomfort only when bending and abducting that finger, but then it will cause compressive pain with any movement (sometimes even without moving anything), the joint is inIt also hurts when resting). The pain syndrome usually radiates to the distal phalanx and in some cases to the forearm on the side where the first finger grows.

vascular neuropathy

Raynaud's syndrome occurs when vasospasm occurs. As a result, the fingers become cold and experience periods of numbness. The second stage of the attack is accompanied by soreness, with popping and burning sensations. The attack didn't last long. Afterwards, the far end of the hand will turn red and feel hot. There are various causes of this condition that causes pain in the finger joints. possible:
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis;
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus;
  • scleroderma;
  • Sharpe syndrome;
  • antisynthetase syndrome;
  • Thromboangitis obliterans of the hands;
  • Occupational diseases, metabolic and endocrine system pathology.
If the patient has not been diagnosed with any of these conditions, the cause of finger joint pain is Raynaud's disease and its characteristic symptoms. Women are more susceptible to its effects.Hematologic, neurological, and endocrine disorders can cause erythromelalgia but can also occur independently. The disease manifests as congestion, swelling, and burning pain in the fingers, which occurs in paroxysmal and intermittent episodes, sometimes on both hands at the same time or first on one hand and then on the other. The pain came, so severe that I couldn't even move my fingers. You can relieve pain by raising or cooling the affected arm (pain is worse when the limb is warmed and lowered).

neurological disease

If you feel a burning or tingling sensation in your finger joints, the cause may be neurological. Especially if, in addition to pain, the sensitivity of the hands is also impaired and phytotrophic disorders are observed.For example, this could be median nerve neuropathy. With this disease, there is pain on the volar side of the first to third fingers and the inability to bend them. The index finger cannot move forward and there are serious problems with the hand being closed into a fist.Nerve disease leading to joint diseaseNighttime onset of finger joint pain that disappears when you shake or put your hands down may indicate carpal tunnel syndrome. With this type of median nerve neuropathy, the pain is also localized on the palm side.In the case of neuropathy of the radial nerve, conversely, if the wrist or forearm is affected, the back of the hand and the first finger (and sometimes the second and third fingers as well) can be injured. The back of the hand may become numb, and the pain may spread to the forearm, even if the forearm itself is healthy.If the cause of finger joint pain is neuropathy of the ulnar nerve, then the pain (in the hand and fourth and fifth fingers) will be radiating in nature, with the main source of discomfort located in the elbow joint. My elbows and hands are particularly sore when I wake up in the morning.

tumor

In addition to malignant tumors of the hands, which rarely occur in people, benign tumors can also cause pain in the finger joints: enchondroma or osteoid enchondroma. The pain in the first case is mild and not localized, but with osteoid it is the opposite and causes severe pain in the affected area.

other reasons

Writer's cramp, which accompanies many neurological and psychiatric disorders (especially occupational neurosis), can also cause pain in the finger joints of both men and women and requires treatment. Writing and typing on a computer keyboard or typewriter become painful. Persistent pain is accompanied by acute weakness, tremors, and local spasms in the hand. Finger joint pain can also be caused by other conditions:
  • Leukemia (Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia);
  • Adrenal gland tumors (aldosteronoma);
  • complications of diabetes (diabetic neuropathy);
  • Vascular disease (distal finger embolism in case of subclavian artery occlusion);
  • Genetic disease (Fabry disease);
  • Often childhood disorders such as neuroarthritic diathesis.
Signs of Hand Arthropathy

Diagnosis and treatment of finger joint pain

A correct diagnosis will allow you to determine the real cause of pain in the finger joints, whether it is inflammation or another pathological process. If the pain is severe and you have difficulty straightening and bending your fingers, be sure to seek medical help. Your doctor may send you for tests, which usually include:
  • Blood, urine, rheumatology laboratory tests;
  • radiography;
  • MRI,
  • Computed tomography scan of fingers.
Treatment strategies are designed not only to relieve the patient's finger joint pain, but also to eliminate its root cause. For example, for inflammation, anti-inflammatory drugs (hormonal or non-steroidal) are prescribed, and for infection, antibiotics are prescribed.
The main goal of treatment for dystrophic joint injuries is to restore cartilage tissue, which may include massage, physical therapy, and chondroprotective agents. To restore joint mobility, special exercises are required.
Physical therapy has been shown to be the most effective method of treating small joints, including the fingers. These are electrosleep, MRI, and novocaine electrophoresis, among many other procedures. During remission, treatment with a radon or hydrogen sulfide source is recommended in a nursing home or resort.How to Diagnose ArthropathyAs for diet, for finger joint pain, regardless of its cause, it is recommended:
  • Eat more seafood and fish to get phosphorus, calcium and iron.
  • Take apple cider vinegar to remove toxins from your body;
  • Consume fish oil and flaxseed oil (the fatty acids they contain help normalize fat metabolism).
It is also useful to add nuts, ginger, fruits (gooseberries and pomegranates), radishes and lettuce to the diet. However, it is recommended to limit the intake of mayonnaise, sweet and starchy, spicy and smoked foods, and high-fat dairy products.

Prevent finger joint pain

Eliminate the causes of finger joint pain in men and women, eliminating the need for treatment:
  • Don't let your hands get too cold;
  • Limit alcohol consumption and, if you smoke, quit the habit;
  • Keep a balance of vegetables and fruits in your diet and eat less canned, spicy and fried foods;
  • Treat all runny noses and ARVI without hoping the disease will go away on its own;
  • Make sure your weight is normal;
  • Stop snapping your fingers.
You can prevent carpal tunnel syndrome by doing one simple exercise so you don't have to think about how to treat finger joint pain and its causes. This is a must if you work on the computer a lot. Make a fist with all your fingers, raise your thumb in agreement, and rotate it first clockwise and then counterclockwise. There are many other exercises that target the finger joints.

Exercises for finger joint pain

make a fist

Open your palms and stretch your fingers, allowing tension to be felt in all joints and muscles. This simple movement should not be accompanied by pain.Do a simple stretch: Form your hands into fists for half a minute to a minute, resting your thumbs on the remaining fingers, then release and stretch all your fingers, spreading them apart. Perform this at least four times on each hand.

stretch your fingers

To make your finger joints more flexible and reduce pain when bending (no matter what the cause of the pain), repeat a simple exercise. Place your palms on a flat surface, back side up. Fingers should be straight, without straining the joints, and held 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 paws

Another exercise to develop finger joint mobility.Turn your palm so the inside of your hand is facing you, bend your fingers so that your fingertips are at the base of your joints and your hand looks like a clawed paw. Hold for half a minute or a minute and repeat four or more times with each hand.Hand and finger exercises

Train your grip strength

Whatever the cause of finger joint pain, a person needs to hold objects in a certain way, operate doorknobs, etc. , so training the fingers is recommended.Squeeze the soft ball as hard as you can for a few minutes. let go. Repeat 10-15 times for each hand, two or three times a week (but leave at least two days between each session). This exercise is contraindicated if the thumb joint is injured.

pinch

This exercise trains your finger muscles to make it easier to use a key to open various packages and doors and to put gas in your car. Hold the soft ball with your thumb and any other fingers and hold it there for half a minute or a minute. Each hand needs to be pinched repeatedly 10-15 times. As with the previous exercise, pinching is done two to three times a week, with 48 hours between each session, and only if the thumb joint is not injured.

raise your finger

This exercise helps make your joints more flexible and your fingers more mobile.Place your palm on a smooth surface, back side up. You need to lift each finger one by one and put it back down, but you can use them all at once. You need to do this 10-12 times with each hand.

retract thumb

This exercise trains your thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects such as cans and bottles.Wrap the elastic band around your palm and thumb and place it, back side up, on a table or any flat surface. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to one side, hold it for half a minute or one minute, then relax, and repeat this, 10-15 times with each hand. Exercise two or three times a week, but no more than once every 48 hours.Exercises for arthritic fingersThis exercise trains your thumb muscles to make it easier to grasp and lift objects such as cans and bottles.Wrap the elastic band around your palm and thumb and place it, back side up, on a table or any flat surface. Using the resistance of the rubber band, move your thumb to one side, hold it for half a minute or one minute, then relax, and repeat this, 10-15 times with each hand. Exercise two or three times a week, but no more than once every 48 hours.

bend your thumb

Thumb dexterity also needs to be developed.Raise your palms in front of you, with your back facing down. Alternatively, move your thumb to the side and curl it into your palm to touch the base of your little finger. Hold for half a minute or a minute and then relax. Repeat these steps four times with each hand.

touch with thumb

Stiffness and pain in finger joints can be caused by many reasons, but no matter what, it is useful to train the thumb so that daily tasks such as writing, holding a spoon, brushing teeth, etc. do not cause problems.Place your palms in front of you, straighten your wrists, and touch your thumbs to form the letter "O. "After holding for half a minute or one minute, relax your palms. Repeat at least four times for each arm.

stretch your thumb

The thumb needs to be stretched.Lift your hands in front of you, turn your palms toward you, and curl your thumb toward your index finger for half a minute to a minute, then relax. Repeat four times with each hand. Then, in the same position, extend your thumb onto your palm, tense the lower joint, and hold for half a minute to a minute. Four more repetitions.The most common cause of finger joint pain when bending is not only injury and infection, but also overexertion. If your finger joints are diseased, you need to act urgently: First, consult a professional doctor - a surgeon, neurologist or traumatologist. To relieve pain, make your joints more flexible, and your muscles stronger, exercise your fingers and palms regularly.