Our hands are constantly working - they help us to serve ourselves, to perform tasks at home and at work, to do other useful things. The most precise work can be done with your fingers. All this is possible thanks to the joints. But when the joints of the fingers hurt, we immediately look for the reasons for this and treatment options. Such pains cannot be ignored and will not work because they directly affect life.
Why finger pain occurs - the main causes
There are a number of factors that lead to the development of the disease, among them:
- damage to the immune system;
- chronic infections;
- change in hormone levels. This simply affects the pain during pregnancy and after birth;
- metabolic disorder;
- heredity. If there were people in the family suffering from joint diseases, then this predisposition can be inherited;
- negative factors. Among them - the frequent finding of hands in cold water.
Pay attention!Pain syndrome can occur in athletes who receive many microtraumas. It can also be associated with professional characteristics.
Diseases that provoke lesions
Let's list the main diseases that can provoke pain in the joints of the fingers.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This pathology can develop in both adults and children. Mostly women are susceptible to this, they have such a diagnosis 2-3 times more often. The place that suffers from this disease are the small joints. A characteristic feature is the symmetrical participation of both hands. Other symptoms that should be seen by a doctor include:
- Swelling of the finger joints.
- In the morning you feel stiffness of finger movements.
- The distal joints feel numb and cold.
- Accumulation of fluid in the joint capsules.
- A neoplasm appears under the skin. These are rheumatoid nodules.
- The fingers are curved and fan-shaped.
This disease is not only shown on the condition of the fingers, it can give complications to the internal organs, therefore the question: "what to do? " in this case is important. First of all - urgently visit a doctor!
Gout Arthritis
The cause of this disease is a disorder of purine metabolism, which leads to the deposition of salts. In this case, it is important to understand why such a process develops. Men over 40 suffer from this. In addition, the prerequisites for the defeat are: increased consumption of fatty foods, alcohol. Less commonly, gouty arthritis is one of the symptoms of leukemia.
Inflammation does not spread to all joints, most commonly affecting the thumbs. The symptoms are pronounced:
- night pains;
- the skin over the affected area becomes purple and swollen;
- the inflamed finger is very sensitive, it is impossible to touch it, it does not bend;
- pain occurs in attacks that occur after prolonged exercise.
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 feeling of painful pain. Strong swelling develops, the fingers become like sausages, the skin becomes red.
Osteoarthritis
This disease causes dystrophic changes in the cartilage. The reasons are different: injuries, metabolic disorders, hereditary factors, hormonal changes, occupational stress.
Pay attention!This lesion is especially common in the elderly.
Osteoarthritis is mostly asymptomatic in the early stages. The disease develops slowly and gradually, which is why the question of how to relieve the pain often arises, as the syndrome is mild.
Arthralgia
This is a pain in the joints of the fingers that prevents a person from living fully. He cannot write normally, take even light objects, perform simple actions. All fingers, including the little finger, are affected. The pain syndrome can provoke mechanical damage or inflammation. The first option is trauma, bruising, sprain. The second is a consequence of the development of the disease. In this case, the joint swells, becomes red. Finding an 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, exacerbation of sinusitis, tonsillitis, ARVI.
Vibration disease
This is an occupational disease that develops in people who constantly work with hand tools that create vibrations. In this case, the disease can develop in several stages:
- First, there is pain, tingling, "tingling" in the fingers.
- In addition, the pain intensifies, over time the sensitivity of the skin decreases, including vibration. There is a violation of vascular tone.
- At the last stage, trophic complications develop. This is fraught with the loss of two separate fingers and amputation of the hand.
Panaritium
This sonorous name means inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger. This happens if the infection has penetrated through cuts, punctures, etc. The first obvious sign is severe throbbing pain. At night it worsens, the skin swells, pus is removed from the wound.
Methods for treating pain in the joints of the fingers
You can learn how to relieve pain and be cured by a specialist. But for this you need to know which doctor is treating - a rheumatologist or an orthopedist. But you will need to see a surgeon if the disease is ignored.
The main task in the initial stages of treatment is to alleviate the symptoms of the disease. The measures to be taken depend on the nature of the pain. These include:
- If they occur as a result of inflammation, antibiotics, hormones, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- If the lesions are dystrophic, the first step is cartilage repair. Chondroprotectors and auxiliary measures in the form of massage, physiotherapy are used for this.
Pay attention!NSAIDs 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 are glucocorticosteroids. Their reception is combined with the use of special ointments that act as an anesthetic. After the exacerbation is removed, the body must be maintained. Cytostatics are used for this.
What you need to know about chondroprotectors
These drugs are supplements that stimulate the recovery 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.
Pay attention!In case of serious joint damage, chondroprotectors alone will not help - an integrated approach is needed.
Gymnastics, manual therapy
A set of special exercises is chosen according to the severity of the condition and only after the removal of acute pain. All manipulations are aimed at optimizing the mobility of the joints, ensuring normal blood flow, metabolic processes. In this case, no heavy loads are applied - this can lead to complete destruction of the tissues. If you feel pain, you do not need to stretch your fingers by force.
Standard localized methods are used for 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 presence 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 remedies are also used to treat this problem. But these drugs will not cure, but only temporarily relieve pain.
Ointments
Ointment can be prepared from propolis and oil. You need to take corn or sunflower. Ratio: one part propolis and three parts oil. The ingredients must be melted and mixed well. After cooling, pour into an opaque glass container and use two to three times a day.
Herbal ointment from hellebore. To prepare it, you need:
- Twenty grams of hellebore (herb), ground.
- twenty grams of honey.
- ten grams of vegetable oil.
- five grams of dry mustard.
Put all the ingredients in an enamel bowl and melt in a water bath. Stir until smooth. Cool, transfer to a glass container, store in a cool place. Use at bedtime on the affected areas.
Compresses
Treat with fruit vinegar. The material soaked with it should be applied to the affected areas for ten to fifteen minutes.
Another effective compress is done as follows:
- mix 1 part vodka;
- 1 part valerian tincture;
- put 2 hot peppers in the mixture;
- keep the tincture in a dark place for at least 3 hours.
Use it by moistening a cotton swab and applying to the affected area several times a day.
Garlic juice is used for compresses and for swallowing with warm milk. In the spring you can make a tincture of lilac flowers. They should be crushed and insist on alcohol or vodka for 2 weeks. Then use to rub inflamed joints. Hands should be kept warm until the effect of the tincture is felt.
Conclusion
The causes of finger joint pain can vary, so treatment methods vary. Self-medication is not worth it. It is better to consult a doctor for qualified help - this will help avoid complications in the future.