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Finger Joint Pain Causes
Injury
One of the common causes of finger joint pain could be an injury. Finger sprains, which occurs when the finger ligaments become stretched, can also be one of the cause due to an injury. Moreover, fractures or dislocated joint injuries may also cause finger joint pain.
Infection
Septic arthritis may cause pain in the finger joints due to inflammation from an infection. This may also result in swollen and inflamed finger joints, which may cause some hinder in daily activities.
Arthritis
Arthritis is also one of the common causes of finger joint pain. With the arthritis of the hand, the finger joints stiffen, swells and deform. There are different types of arthritis, including:
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Osteoarthritis. Also known as degenerative arthritis, it occurs due to wear and tear of the cartilage of the bone. The disease usually affects the wrist, joints at the base of the thumb and joints in the fingers.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease, which causes the joint lining to swell. This results in swelling and stiffening of the joint lining, also known as synovium. This type of arthritis usually affects the small joints of the wrists, hands, and fingers.
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Psoriatic Arthritis. This type of arthritis affects the skin and the joints of the hand. It may be similar to rheumatoid arthritis in some cases.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when there is an inflammation in the wrist, leading to swelling or compressing the median nerve. The nerve runs through the wrist along the palm side of the hand. The condition usually occurs to those with repetitive injury, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
Ganglion Cysts
These are the fluid that develops on the back of the wrist and end of finger joints. These feel soft and firm when touched and, in some cases, may cause finger joint pain.
Bone Metastases
These tumours develop when the cancer cells spread into the bone tissue. Bone metastases are quite rare and generally occur in cancer patients.
Finger Joint Pain Symptoms
Injury
Some common symptoms for injury may include:
- A sprain or strain
- Dislocated finger joint
- Fractured or broken bone
- Numbness
- Limited mobility
Infection
Here are some common symptoms of infection that causes finger joint pain:
- Swelling around wrist or joints
- Inflammation
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Weakness in limbs
Arthritis
Signs and symptoms of arthritis include
- Tender or warm joints
- Stiffness in joints
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Reduced motion
- Loss of strength
- Swelling and inflammation
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Common symptoms for carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Pain in the palm
- Shock-like sensation in fingers
Ganglion Cysts
Common signs and symptoms for ganglion cysts include:
- Loss of mobility
- Tingling sensation
- Pain
- Numbness
Bone Metastases
People who have benign bone tumours usually don’t exhibit much of symptoms. However, the tumour is cancerous, some common symptoms include:
- Bone pain
- Weakened bones
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Swelling and tenderness
Finger Joint Pain Diagnosis
The doctor may perform a physical examination first to understand the cause of the finger joint pain. Once the doctor suspects the conditions mentioned above, they may perform specific tests to diagnose the condition causing the pain in the finger joints.
Finger Joint Pain Treatment
Depending upon the condition, the doctor may recommend the following treatment for the following conditions of finger joint pain:
Injury
The doctor may suggest resting, using ice and immobilizing the affected area to allow it to heal faster. The doctor may also prescribe physical or occupational therapy to regain strength once the injury is healed.
Infection
For septic infections of the finger joints, the doctor may prescribe some antibiotics to treat an infection that is causing the pain and inflammation.
Arthritis
The main goal of treating arthritis is to reduce pain, improve mobility, and slow down the progression of the disease. Keeping this in mind, the doctor may suggest the following treatment for arthritis:
- Topical pain-relieving creams
- Braces and splints to help in the healing progress
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to reduce pain and inflammation
- Physical therapy to improve hand strength
- Joint fusion surgery to realign a joint
- Synovectomy surgery may be performed to remove the inflamed lining of the joint
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If the condition is diagnosed early, the doctor may suggest the following treatments:
- Using a splint to the hold wrist firm in order to promote healing
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to treat pain
- Steroid injections to decrease inflammation and swelling.
The doctor may suggest surgery if the carpal tunnel symptoms don’t go away with the above method. The surgeon cuts the ligament in hand or wrist during the procedure to free the nerve. The ligaments usually grow back, though it may take several months.
Ganglion Cysts
Ganglion cysts usually go away on their own, meaning that the doctor will suggest watchful waiting for this condition. If the symptoms cause much discomfort or restrict the mobility of the hand, the doctor may drain the fluid from the cyst with a syringe.
Bone Metastases
If the bone tumour is detected in the early stages and has not entered the nearby lymph nodes or soft tissues, the doctor may recommend surgery to remove it. During the procedure, the doctor removes the bone tumour and the surrounding muscles. In case of the metastatic condition, the doctor may suggest the following:
- Radiation Therapy: The therapy includes using X-rays and protons to kill the cancer-causing cells in hand. The patient needs to lay down on a table for this therapy. During the process, the large machine moves around the body directing the X-rays and protons to the specific part of the body.
- Chemotherapy: The treatment involves using chemotherapy drugs to destroy the cancer cells present in the affected area. The doctor may use a combination of chemo drugs for this treatment.
Prevention of Finger Joint Pain
There are some ways through which one can prevent finger joint pain, including:
- Wear proper gear while playing sports
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Regularly take breaks between repetitive hand movements
- Apply ice to the injury
- Use pain relievers or topical creams
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