What to do if your finger joints hurt?

The thumb is the shortest of the human fingers. Unlike other fingers, which consist of three phalanges, it consists of only two. Because of the other possibilities of movement, the thumb plays a special role in allowing pressure to be applied against the other fingers, which is the basis of the hand's grasping function.

Causes of pain in the joints of the fingers

There are a large number of diseases and conditions that can lead to pain in the joints of the hands. This:

• Arthritis is an inflammatory process that affects the joint itself and nearby tissues. How to suspect: swelling, redness and local hyperthermia, limited mobility, persistent pain at rest, crunching.
• Injury. Pain is a consequence of mechanical damage. May be accompanied by ligament rupture, severe swelling, redness or cyanosis, and bone fracture.
• Osteomyelitis. Infectious joint damage is accompanied by headache, fever, and general poor health.
• Gout. Develops when uric acid crystals accumulate. With this pathology, the joints become swollen, painful and lose mobility, and a burning sensation is possible. The disease is caused by improper functioning of the kidneys.
• Bursitis. With this pathology, the joint capsules become inflamed. The fingers swell, do not bend, the pain is almost unbearable.
• Rheumatoid arthritis. With this disease, the connective tissue is first affected, and symmetrically on both hands. The pain gets worse at night.
• Psoriasis. Aching sensations affect all fingers, and if left untreated, visible deformation occurs.
• Osteoarthritis (destruction of cartilage tissue). Pathology can be suspected by the following signs: pain in the joint on the finger when bending, crunching, increased pain with exertion, limited mobility.
• Stenosing ligamentitis. Swelling, cyanosis, inability to bend fingers, burning and numbness, occurring mainly in the morning, are the main signs of pathology.
• Polyosteoarthrosis. They develop mainly in older people. It is characterized by limited mobility of the fingers, stiffness of movement and severe pain.

Some other pathologies can also lead to pain in the joints of the hands. These are neuropathy, vascular disorders, tunnel syndrome (pain in the joint of the index finger in people who spend a long time at the computer) and some others.

Important!

Polyosteoarthrosis and arthritis can lead to disability, and osteomyelitis causes limb loss in 30% of cases. You can prevent the development of serious complications by promptly consulting a doctor.

Pain and numbness in the fingers may indicate serious illness

Photo: coalcreekpt.com

Many people complain of numbness in their fingers and pain that wakes them up at night and interferes with full-time work. However, not everyone goes to the doctor when the disease has not yet progressed so far, and irreversible changes can be avoided. We talk with orthopedist-traumatologist at the Medical Center for Diagnostics and Treatment, Simonas SAREIKA, about which symptoms should cause concern and in which cases surgical intervention is necessary.

– What hand and wrist diseases do patients most often present with?

– These are mainly diseases caused by pinched nerves - carpal and ulnar tunnel syndromes, as well as diseases caused by inflammation of the tendons - the so-called “snapping” finger and tenosyvitis of the radius. Joint diseases, pain in the hand, and disorders of the subcutaneous structure are common.

The most common and well-known tunnel syndrome is carpal tunnel syndrome (from English - “carpal tunnel syndrome”), i.e. compression of the median nerve under the transverse carpal ligament, which occurs between the three bony walls and the tight ligament that hold the tendons of the muscles that flex the fingers and hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome and diseases caused by inflammation of the tendons are more often diagnosed in women over 50 years of age or in young people burdened with heavy physical work. They cannot sleep at night due to numbness and pain in their fingers. During the holidays, these symptoms most often subside. Wrist pain sometimes appears after an injury, gradually intensifies and begins to interfere with everyday life. Cubital tunnel syndrome affects both men and women over 30 years of age. Dupuytren's contracture (palmar fibromatosis) - painless scar degeneration and shortening of the palmar tendons - is inherited, more often observed in smoking, physically working men over 60 years of age.

– How do the symptoms of these diseases differ?

– With carpal tunnel syndrome, the fingers go numb at night, pain appears in fingers 1-4, and they are stiff in the morning. At the initial stage, the numbness goes away after waking up, but as the disease progresses, it remains, and objects begin to fall out of the hands, and it becomes difficult for the patient to fasten buttons, although at night there may be no pain at all.

Elbow joint syndrome most often manifests itself only in numbness of the fingers, less often in pain at night. 4-5 fingers are damaged. As the disease progresses, the muscles of the palm weaken and strength disappears.

The main cause of stenosing tenosynovitis (“snapping” finger) is pain in the hand. The palm begins to hurt when you move your fingers. The pain spreads to the forearm. As the disease progresses, it becomes more difficult to straighten the finger, it “gets stuck”, and a characteristic sound appears - a click, which gave the popular name to this disease. Sometimes the finger does not straighten at all, then you have to return it to its place with the other hand. Snapping finger syndrome is caused by a nodule in the extensor tendon. Most often, patients have damaged fingers 1, 3, and 4.

Dupuytren's contracture is manifested by the inability to straighten the fingers and nodular thickening of the skin on the palms. At first it may be painful, then changes occur in the fingers - it is impossible to straighten them.

Wrist hygroma (hernia) is a small, rounded protrusion under the skin. Occurs as a result of a sharp turn with a load or after heavy physical exertion. Because of this formation, patients most often turn to a hand surgeon. A “bump” seems to grow on the hand, this really scares people.

Diseases of the joints of the hand and wrist are very complex, which is why a thorough examination is necessary.

– What is the cause of this or that disease?

– The most common cause is excessive physical activity or injury, as a result of which the tendons become inflamed, enlarged, begin to injure other tissues, and pinch nerves. After an injury, joints begin to wear out faster. Hormonal changes and, oddly enough, everyday habits also have an impact, for example, while sleeping, take a position with strongly bent arms, while working, constantly resting your elbows on the table, and for drivers, on the edge of the car door. The causes of some diseases are not completely clear.

– What symptoms should lead a person to see a doctor?

– You should always contact a specialist if your fingers gradually or suddenly become numb - this is a sign of a pinched nerve, also if a tumor has appeared and begins to grow. When a person does not consult a doctor due to diseases manifested by numbness of the fingers, night pain, the nerve is damaged more and more - the fingers lose sensitivity, the muscles of the hand begin to atrophy, the hands weaken, it becomes difficult to grasp small objects, the hands are afraid of the cold. In this case, even after surgery, hand function may not be fully restored. If the finger gets stuck and the disease progresses, even after surgery, movement may remain limited.

Very often, it is difficult for patients to name clear symptoms, so conditions in which the nerve is pinched may remain undiagnosed for a long time. By applying on time, the patient can receive qualified help. A very informative diagnostic test in these cases is electroneuromyography, which helps to determine the extent and amount of damaged tissue.

– What are the tactics for treating these diseases?

– At the initial stage, these diseases are treated conservatively. If this does not help, the doctor decides whether surgery is required. It is important that the patient comes in on time. Operations carried out in a timely manner are simple and very effective. When the disease is advanced, the effectiveness of operations is not so high.

Conservative treatment of carpal and ulnar tunnel syndromes boils down to reducing physical stress on the arm, prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, B vitamins that improve blood flow and nerve nutrition, vasodilator drugs, and splinting. Electroneuromyography helps diagnose these diseases and determine treatment tactics.

I most often begin treatment for trigger finger with hormonal blockade with Kenalog. When treating tenosynovitis, a splint and hormonal blockade are prescribed. The neoplasm - in the case of hernias of the wrist, finger joints, tendons - is punctured. Changes in the wrist joints are treated with splints, anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapeutic procedures, and injections into the joint.

– When is surgery necessary?

– Always with Dupuytren’s contracture, in other cases – if conservative treatment methods do not help, and the symptoms persist or progress.

The operations are reimbursed by the Health Insurance Fund, so the patient does not have to wait in line and goes to any clinic that can perform such an operation, for example, to our Center. After all operations, the patient is discharged home on the same or the next day. The main thing is not to hesitate at the first symptoms in order to prevent serious illnesses.

For any questions, please contact your personal manager Beata Putrameneta by phone 2 (Russia, Viber, WhatsApp) or by email. by mail, as well as by the general number of the department for receiving foreign patients: +370 5 247 63 69

Diagnosis of finger joint pain

To identify the causes of the disease, the following types of research are used:

• Magnetic resonance imaging. MRI of the hand joint is the most effective and accurate way to identify the location of an inflammatory or post-traumatic process;
• X-ray;
• CT scan;
• Ultrasound;
• electrospondylography;
• puncture (extraction of liquid contents of the joint capsule).

Important!

Only a doctor can prescribe a specific test, having previously studied the characteristics of the symptoms.

Tingling and pain in the hands

Tingling and pain in the arms can be caused by compressive neuropathy. When compression of the nerve is advanced, pain is tormented, and damage to the nerve can cause paralysis of the arm, loss of ability to work, and disability.

A neurosurgeon tells the story Medicīnas centrs ARS Dr. med. Janis Slesins

Why do my hands go numb and hurt?

Loss of sensation, tingling and pain in the hands can be caused by various reasons, so a thorough examination is required first. The most common cause is compressive neuropathy, or compression of a nerve. There are more than 20 types of neuropathy. The two most common diseases are carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome.

Why is it called carpal tunnel syndrome?

The name of the disease, compression neuropathy, speaks about the essence of the disease – a compressed nerve. This usually occurs in the narrowest places along the nerve's path, which is why it is called canal (tunnel) disease. The nerve is compressed in the carpal tunnel - in the wrist or in the cubital tunnel - in a narrow tunnel in the middle of the elbow. Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common than cubital tunnel syndrome

What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?

The most common cause of nerve compression is heavy, monotonous manual work. This condition is more common in people who overuse their hands and fingers every day by performing the same movements, working with their arms raised, or having their arms in a tense position. In addition, this disease more often occurs in people with metabolic or hormonal disorders, in patients with diabetes, with weakened thyroid function, and with rheumatoid arthritis.

Who is more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome?

Historically, carpal tunnel syndrome was called milkmaid's disease because it most often affected women who milked cows by hand their entire lives. Modern work has become easier, heavy manual labor has been replaced by technology, computers and modern devices, but the prevalence of this disease has not changed. Carpal tunnel syndrome in the modern world is a typical problem for computer specialists ; this disease can often be found in warehouse and office workers, as well as in those who work a lot of time at a computer or on an assembly line, as well as in teachers, hairdressers, dentists, electricians, gardeners, rural workers, and those who do a lot of handicrafts, etc. However, people who do not overload their hands with daily work are not immune from the disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs 4 times more often in women than in men.

What are the first symptoms?

It all starts with tingling in the fingers, palms hurt, especially at night. The tingling and pain progresses and soon the fingers are swollen and numb in the morning. Impaired mobility in the hand gradually develops. Untreated for a long time, a nerve pinched in the wrist radically worsens the quality of life - sensory disturbances in the fingers become more pronounced, over time the wrist muscles wear out, and the hand loses strength. It becomes impossible to grasp and hold small objects, and perform even simple routine work .

Is it possible to develop a sore arm?

Working out the arm with this disease does not help, since the disease appears when there is excessive movement, from too much load. Additional movements or exercises create even more stress.

When to see a doctor?

When something tingles or hurts a little, it often goes away quickly on its own or after using painkillers. You should go to the doctor when complaints become constant and do not go away within 2-3 weeks. It is important to find out the cause of the complaints and, if necessary, perform various examinations in order to decide on the appropriate treatment strategy - wait or treat. Good information for all patients - this disease is quite treatable.

In a mild case of compression neuropathy, when symptoms have just begun to appear, it is usually recommended to take care and not put stress on the affected arm . This is not always possible, since you need to give up the usual rhythm of life and work. However, doctors have various methods to help. There are different possibilities and means to reduce painful symptoms, but one must understand that only surgery is the only way to treat this disease, since all other methods serve to reduce symptoms . Blocks, medications and orthoses alleviate the existing condition, but in the long term only surgery can help with this disease. It helps to get rid of this disease and completely forget about discomfort. Complete recovery and/or significant improvement is achieved in 90% of patients

What examinations are needed?

To determine the cause and begin appropriate treatment, you need to visit a neurosurgeon. First of all, it is necessary to clarify the location and extent of nerve damage in order to choose an appropriate treatment method that will reduce pressure on the nerve and help restore damaged fibers. Diagnosis is important, since treatment depends on it, which will be different in each case . First, the neurosurgeon visually and manually assesses the condition of the hand, then the most important examination is neurography, which helps determine the nature and level of damage to the nerve fibers. When there is something suspicious near the nerve, for example, an enlarged joint capsule or a formation of unknown nature, and additional information is required about changes in the adjacent tissues - tendons, joints and bones, then an ultrasound is performed. If there are suspicions that pain and tingling in the hand is caused by some other disease, then X-rays, electromyography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance, laboratory tests, etc. are used to clarify the diagnosis.

How to treat compressive neuropathy?

To reduce or completely eliminate nerve compression, Medicīnas Center ARS doctors have at their disposal various methods and means that will help eliminate discomfort and alleviate the painful condition for some time or completely. There are several possibilities depending on the extent of the nerve damage. In mild cases, drug therapy is used using local injections. For this purpose, both painkillers and steroid injections or blockades are used. Sometimes physical therapy helps for a while - ultrasound with medicinal ointment, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis and other procedures that relieve swelling of the hand, freeing the pinched nerve. At night, it is worth using a special orthosis that keeps the arm in the correct position and reduces pain. However, all these methods have a short-term effect. Surgery is required to completely release the compressed nerve. It gives long-term results - the ability to work normally again and sleep peacefully .

Medicīnas centrs ARS, following the latest global trends in neurosurgery, offers increasingly gentle methods of treating compressive neuropathy, replacing traditional surgical methods with modern endoscopy. This significantly speeds up recovery and restoration of quality of life.

How is the operation performed?

The endoscopic surgery is performed at the ARS Day Hospital using local anesthesia. To free the nerve, either traditional surgical methods or a newer and less traumatic endoscopic method . The patient can return home immediately after the operation on the same day. In traditional surgery, a small incision is made in the base of the palm or on the inner surface of the elbow, the canal is opened and the nerve is released from compression. After the operation, you must follow a careful regimen for a month. The endoscopic method is much more gentle for the patient - through a small incision in the skin, a miniature endoscope is inserted into the carpal (cubital) canal - a video camera and microscopic surgical instruments, with the help of which the compressed nerve is released. In this way, the surrounding tissues are preserved, a less painful postoperative period is ensured, faster recovery and restoration of ability to work, as well as minimal cosmetic defects . A significant advantage of this method is easy wound treatment, which is especially important for patients with complicated wound healing - patients with diabetes mellitus, diseases of the circulatory system, etc. The rehabilitation period after endoscopic surgery is much easier and shorter.

Medicīnas centrs ARS Riga, st. Skolas 5 Tel.7 www.arsmed.lv

Cost of operations