Pain in the finger joints when bending is most often caused by age-related changes, as well as irreversible processes in the body that cause negative manifestations and the development of an uncomfortable condition for the patient. Such a pathology requires mandatory medical intervention, which includes all methods based on the causes of pain symptoms in the upper extremities.
Causes of pain
Fingers should be treated if the factors that caused such a problem are identified. As a rule, doctors divide pain in the joints of the hand into 2 groups (mechanical and inflammatory).
Mechanical pain is accompanied by a local inflammatory process, which is slightly expressed, which "erases" the picture of the disease. Quite often, patients do not pay attention to such symptoms, unlike inflammatory pain. In this case, there is stiffness of movement in the morning, which can last more than 1 hour. The pain is slightly reduced during physical activity.
We list the diseases that can cause such symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis
With the development of rheumatoid arthritis, small joints are affected, but it is very likely that internal organs and large joints are involved in the pathological process. Rheumatic pain is accompanied by swelling and redness of the middle and index metacarpal phalanx.
With this disease, the fingers are very painful when they bend, and a similar symptom is observed in the second hand. A characteristic symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is pain that occurs immediately after waking up, while the pain decreases at night.
Psoriatic ARTHRITIS
This disease mainly affects the skin and the pain occurs mainly in the distal phalanges. With psoriatic arthritis, there is severe swelling of the fingers, which acquire a blue color. In addition, with this disease it is quite difficult to straighten the thumbs.
Infectious arthritis
With infectious arthritis, there may be no systemic disorders at all, but it is characterized by the appearance of an acute attack of pain when bending a finger, which can last from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days. Sometimes there are chills and hyperthermia.
Arthritis
This disease is the most common, but in most cases, patients find out completely unexpectedly the real reason why the finger joints hurt when they bend, after clarifying the diagnosis. Most often the disease occurs in people over 50 years old.
The main reason for the development of gout is the violation of the metabolism of uric acid, which is quite difficult to remove from the body, depositing in cartilage and joints, creating a serious obstacle to their normal functioning. The characteristic signs of gout include burning, severe pain.
Osteoarthritis
Among the most common causes for the development of osteoarthritis are hereditary factors, as well as disorders of metabolic processes in the body, activities related to increased physical activity, etc. In most cases, osteoarthritis occurs in mature women, which is due to hormonal changes.
A characteristic symptom of the disease, in addition to excruciating pain in the joints of the hand, is the appearance of swelling and subcutaneous nodules, which cause deformation of the fingers and thickening of their middle part.
Stenotic conjunctivitis
This pathological process can be similar in symptoms to arthritis and arthritis, so an X-ray is required to clarify the diagnosis. The clinical manifestations are quite characteristic: it is painful for the patient to straighten and bend the hands, and in some cases the clenched palm may block. Additionally, finger extension comes with click features.
Restructuring
If pain occurs in the joint of the thumb, then, most likely, such a condition may indicate radixarthrosis, which manifests itself as drunkenness, previous infections and various types of injuries.
During the initial examination of the patient, the location of the pain is determined, which intensifies under certain loads (turning a key, turning a door handle, opening a screw cap, etc. ). At the initial stage of the development of the disease, the finger on the hand hurts when bending only after physical exertion, but the progression of the arthrosis leads to the fact that the pain begins to bother the patient even at rest. Gradually, joint deformation occurs with limitation of motor activity.
In addition to all the above diseases, the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is most often diagnosed in young patients, can lead to unpleasant sensations in the area of the thumb or index finger. This is due to prolonged sitting at computers, during which the ulnar nerve is compressed, which in turn leads to the development of pain in the fingers.
Symptoms of pathology
The serious signs of the presence of diseases that can lead to a number of negative consequences are:
- nodular neoplasms in the area of the tendon.
- creaking of fingers when moving.
- pain when palpating the hands.
- sharp, piercing pain and reduced fine motor skills.
- condensation in the flexors of the fingers and hyperemia of the inflamed area.
- inability to squeeze the little fingers.
- local and local increase in body temperature.
- increased night pain in hands.
- special care should be taken if the finger suddenly swells and becomes deformed.
If the patient discovers such manifestations, an urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary, who will carry out diagnostic measures and prescribe complex treatment to relieve the symptoms of pain and the inflammatory process.
Diagnostic methods
Patients who experience pain in the hands, especially after sleeping, should undergo a course of treatment, but only after clarifying the reasons for the development of the pathological condition.
In this case, the diagnosis includes the following methods:
X-ray
The most informative way to determine tumor-like neoplasms, various injuries and inflammatory processes in the joints of the fingers and hands is X-ray examination.
Despite the high efficiency of radiography, it has a significant drawback - the inability to assess the state of soft tissues
Ultrasound
Using ultrasound, the presence of an inflammatory process in the tissues is determined and the consequences of joint injury are identified. This procedure is most effective for arthritis, gout, tendinitis, bursitis and arthritis. In cases where the middle finger is numb and painful, an ultrasound examination of the blood vessels may be performed to determine the disturbance of blood flow to the upper extremities.
The CT scan
To obtain a more accurate picture of the pathology of bone tissue and joints, it is recommended to perform a CT scan, which takes 5-7 minutes and is well tolerated by patients. The difference between computed tomography and X-ray is that the received information is displayed directly on the monitor screen, which allows you to receive more reliable information.
Electrospindylography
An extremely effective and universal examination method is electrospindylography, which has been used in medicine relatively recently. This test can detect early damage to the area of the spine that is responsible for the functionality of the upper limbs, including the fingers.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging is rightfully considered an informative and accurate study, therefore it is often used in the diagnosis of various diseases, including joints. The pathological process is determined using electromagnetic waves, which form a tissue image, the localization and degree of development of the inflammatory process.
In addition, blood tests (clinical and biochemical), urine tests for the presence of blood and protein, as well as joint puncture for persistent finger pain are prescribed.
Great! It is necessary to take into account that the fingers can hurt for various reasons, however, only a qualified specialist should correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe individual treatment for the pain.
Treatment
If pain symptoms appear, the main therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the causes of the development of the pathological process.
Complex treatment includes both drug therapy and treatment with folk remedies.
Pharmaceutical treatment
To alleviate the pathological process, the doctor prescribes the patient a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which, in addition to reducing inflammation, relieve pain symptoms and reduce tissue swelling.
For osteoarthritis, long-term use of chondroprotectants is recommended to nourish the cartilage and prevent its further destruction. These drugs help prevent the recurrence of the disease.
In cases where there is unbearable pain in the fingers and the inflammatory process is at an advanced stage, glucocorticosteroids are prescribed. They quickly relieve the symptoms of inflammation and regulate metabolic processes in the body, thus accelerating tissue regeneration.
If the main cause of painful symptoms in the area of the fingers is a bacterial infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics and antibacterial agents, based on the severity of the symptoms and the sensitivity of the body to a group of such drugs.
Great! You should not self-medicate, as this can cause allergic reactions and side effects. At the beginning of the treatment, it is necessary to restore the damaged joints. And only at the stage of relaxation is it recommended to resort to auxiliary methods (physiotherapy, hand massage, gymnastics, etc. ).
Physiotherapy
Pain in the joints of the hands indicates a violation of the functionality of the body as a whole and, in particular, the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes. That is why, first of all, it is necessary to limit physical activity and reduce physical pressure on the joint.
Physiotherapy measures include resonance therapy, electrohypnosis and electrophoresis with the addition of novocaine. In addition, during the period of recession, therapeutic exercises, the use of mud, hydrogen sulfide and radon baths, as well as massage, including manual massage, have a positive effect.
Diet
Proper nutrition is of little importance in preventing the occurrence of pain, since the body must receive a sufficient amount of trace elements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins, mainly through food.
Products that can reduce pain in finger joints when bending:
- Fish oil and flaxseed. These products contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve the condition of the vascular system and participate in the normalization of fat metabolism.
- Apple cider vinegar, as it enhances the removal of salts and participates in the alkalizing process of the blood.
- Radishes, lettuce and nuts.
- Egg yolk, juice and pomegranate fruit.
- Black currant and fig.
- Ginger and cauliflower.
- Low-calorie cheeses and olive oil.
It is necessary to limit (and in some cases completely exclude from the diet) high-fat dairy products, sweets and high-calorie foods. Smoked meats, alcoholic beverages, coffee, strong tea, as well as products containing oxalic acid.
Folk remedies
At the initial stage of the disease, pain can be treated using traditional medicine, for example, using a compress of kefir and chalk, diluted to a yeast state. Oatmeal, pre-boiled and slightly cooled, has a similar effect.
You can prepare a hand massage cream of equal amount of crushed bay leaves and juniper pine by adding softened butter to this powder. After mixing the ingredients well, the ointment can be used for its intended purpose.
In case of exacerbation of pain symptoms, it is recommended to mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 5 drops of garlic juice and then drink the prepared mixture in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast. The procedure should be repeated for 3-4 days.
Sudden, severe pain in the finger interferes with the performance of daily tasks, causing unbearable suffering to the patient. Such manifestations should not be neglected, as they may indicate a number of serious diseases that can cause pain symptoms.
Only early diagnosis and timely intervention by an experienced doctor make it possible to determine the etiology of the disease, based on which the doctor decides how and with what to treat in order to achieve the most positive result. With early intervention, the prognosis for full recovery is favorable.