Painful finger on the hand

Are you worried about the pain in your fingers and don't know what's wrong? Perhaps this is the result of trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, polyosteoarthrosis or rhizarthrosis. There are other causes of arthralgia that can only be identified with the help of instrumental diagnostics.

pain in the joints of the fingers

Contact the clinic, and specialists will determine the clinical picture and perform complex therapy. With drug treatment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation methods, inflammations are removed, destructive processes are stopped, and the working capacity of the limbs is restored.

Why do the joints of the fingers hurt: causes and treatment

Joint pain is often a sign or symptom of a primary disease. Acute sensations occur as a result of inflammatory arthropathies, degenerative-dystrophic pathologies, which are predominantly of traumatic origin. The pain syndrome is caused by irritation of the nerve endings, which is caused by:

  • toxins;
  • sodium or potassium urates;
  • bone growths;
  • allergens;
  • autoimmune processes.

Pain in the joints of the fingers can be caused by a disease of the nervous system or a problem that is not directly related to the limbs. Pain radiating to the left limb is a common occurrence during a heart attack. This also occurs with problems in the upper neck region. In case of intervertebral hernia, it is given to the shoulder, forearm and hands.

However, there are many direct reasons why the phalanges become numb and the small joints of the limbs suffer. Fingers hurt after infections, hypothermia, inflammation of soft tissue and bone structures.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The disease affects people over 30 in 7% of cases. It all starts with the swelling of the metacarpophalangeal bones of the leading fingers. Then the catarrhal process spreads to the wrist joint, covering all structures. It touches one hand and then spreads to the other. Symmetric changes in the proximal joints with deformation are characteristic of this pathology. For the company, the bones of the pelvis, ankle and ankle suffer. Arthritis is characterized by fluctuating pain. They are tolerable during the day and the first half of the night, they intensify in the second half, and they do not let you sleep.

Psoriatic arthritis

It accounts for 5% of cases. The disease affects both men and women after 20 years. It most often develops in people who have skin manifestations - psoriasis plaques and characteristic spots on the body. The pathology is characterized by "vertical" inflammation with simultaneous thickening of all joints. At the same time, the phalanx of the finger on the arm hurts, the skin turns red, it becomes like a sausage. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, the process affects both hands, but affects different bones.

Gout

Less than 5% of patients with this problem consult a doctor. It mostly affects men between the ages of 25 and 55. The inflammation begins with the big toes, gradually rises through the joints, and affects the phalanges of the hands. The pain develops suddenly. It penetrates the entire limb and does not last long. The affected area becomes purple in color and hot to the touch. In women, the process is milder, lasting 3-10 days. After a while, however, everything repeats itself. A wave-like flow is a sign of the development of gouty inflammation.

Arthritis

Under the collective definition, other types of joint anomalies should be understood. They appear as a result of past infections and systemic diseases. Signs of acute inflammation - swelling, redness, temperature, pain in the joints of the fingers. Metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints are more often affected. In chronic arthritis, episodic sharp sensations are disturbing. Over time, muscles lose strength and function. Arthritis of the fingers leads to loss of physiological skills and disability.

Polyosteoarthrosis

The joint of the finger of the hand hurts a lot, with degenerative changes in the bones. It all begins with the thinning of cartilage tissue, damage to the interphalangeal ball joints. The causes are hidden in compaction and sclerosis of the synovial membrane, endocrine disorders. Doctors consider primary polyosteoarthritis as an independent disease, which is provoked by physical overload and hypothermia. Secondary - as a complication after infections and mechanical injuries. In both cases, sharp pains worsen and a flexion contracture appears.

Rhizarthrosis or osteoarthritis

This is another cause of pain in the fingers, which causes joint pain and problems where the thumb meets the wrist. The process affects the entire joint. This results in:

  • reduction of depreciation;
  • friction and layer-by-layer destruction of bone tissue;
  • thickening in the interphalangeal zone;
  • the appearance of lumps and stiffness.
  • crunch.

Comment from an orthopedic surgeon:

Symptoms vary depending on the stage. In people who load the thumb for a long time and in a monotonous way, rhizarthrosis develops as an independent disease in 30% of cases. Since the symptoms correspond to de Quervain's tenosynovitis 90% of the time, the problem can be distinguished with the help of X-rays. The image clearly shows the bone deformities and not the soft tissues, as in tendinitis.

causes finger disease

In the medical handbook, trigger finger syndrome is called stenotic ligamentitis. Symptoms: sharp pain in the finger: swelling, lump formation, numbness. The peculiarity is the inflammation of the tendon and the formation of nodes, which prevent the bending of the phalanges. In the absence of therapy, in the 3rd stage, the finger assumes a fixed position, in the 4th stage, a secondary deformation occurs, the process becomes irreversible. Among the many provoking reasons, anatomical abnormalities of the ligamentous apparatus are mentioned more often.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis

Due to de Quervain's disease, the bones of the fingers hurt in 4% due to muscle inflammation. Sharp sensations appear suddenly at the junction of the wrist joint and are aggravated by bending. The pathology leads to damage to the synovial membranes of the extensors of the fingers. The problem is caused by monotonous movements, which, due to the constant pressure on the hand and palm, cause changes in the ligament. That:

  • play keyboard instruments;
  • printing;
  • work on the conveyor belt.

Raynaud's syndrome

Fingers hurt due to sharp vasoconstriction due to systemic diseases - vasculitis, scleroderma, lupus erythematosus, blood diseases, compression of blood vessels and nerve fibers. Vasospastic pathology is accompanied by paroxysmal circulatory disorders in response to cold temperatures. The clinical syndrome does not appear for years. Over time, attacks appear, which cause the skin to turn white or red, and cause cyanosis. As a result, symptoms lead to trophic changes in soft tissues.

carpal tunnel syndrome

The joints of the fingers also hurt due to injuries and the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. An unsuccessful fall or collision causes damage to the integrity of tissues and blood vessels, and leads to the formation of a hematoma or a broken hand. The development of the syndrome is facilitated by the compression of the median nerve under the ligament supporting the tendons. Clinical manifestations: numbness of the palm, reduced motor skills, reduced muscle volume on the big tubercle. Diseases associated with inflammation of tendon fibers occur more often in women.

The bones in the fingers hurt:

  1. Due to various forms of bursitis.
  2. Childhood anomalies - Still's disease, Kawasaki syndrome.
  3. Systemic diseases - diffuse fasciitis, Lyme, Sjögren's, Crohn's, Bechterev's diseases.
  4. Tumors - myeloid disease, lymphoblastic leukemia.
joint injections to treat pain

Diagnostics

Without a differential examination, it is impossible to determine why the fingers of the hands hurt. It must first be checked visually. The rheumatologist or arthrologist takes care of the symmetry of the lesion, the symptoms and other clinical symptoms. The patient is consulted by a traumatologist and an allergist and then sent for laboratory tests.

Blood biochemistry determines rheumatic factors, uric acid and sialic acid levels, and the sedimentation rate of red blood cells in the blood. Reactive protein is detected in infectious and immune pathologies, which indicates tissue destruction.

Why do the fingers on the hands hurt, the cause and treatment will help to create an X-ray, ultrasound. The doctor examines problematic structures and makes a symmetrical diagnosis of the healthy hand. This is necessary:

  • assess the extent of damage to structures;
  • condition of cartilage and ligaments;
  • detection of primary signs of anomalies, cysts and nodes.

MRI is prescribed in case of suspicion of degenerative and neoplastic disease. Tomography helps to create 3D images of soft tissues in different projections, to identify recent and chronic injuries. Informative methods show the displacement, the width of the joint gap in arthritis, the thinning of the cartilage in arthrosis, the displacement of the bone, the growths. Densitometry is sometimes prescribed to determine bone density.

Due to the fact that the phalanges of the fingers hurt, other research methods can be recommended - electrospondylography and electroneuromyography. The first technology reveals the part of the spine that is responsible for the movement of the limbs. The second determines the state of the muscles and peripheral nerves. In the case of throbbing pain in the finger, the specialist may recommend an injection. The percutaneous aspiration method makes it possible to collect secretions and, at the same time, administer antibiotics or painkillers to relieve acute symptoms.

Diagnostics

  • Ultrasound diagnostics.Non-invasive examination is recommended for inflammation and damage of soft tissues, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joint capsules using ultrasound waves.
  • Radiography.Assign to injuries: displacement and fracture of bones, joint diseases: joint arthrosis and arthritis.
  • Analyzes.General blood and urine tests and blood biochemistry indicate inflammation, infection, and bone and cartilage tissue disorders.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging.A highly accurate method for diagnosing joints with up to 99% information content.

Fingers hurt: causes and treatment

Regardless of the etiology, NSAIDs are prescribed to alleviate acute sensations, fever, and inflammation. Effective: nimesil, phenylbutazone, indomethacin, teraflex, sodium diplofenac. If the joints of the fingers are very painful, Ketarolac and tenoxicam are suitable for treatment. By drip or intramuscular infusion, the symptoms are removed for 3 days.

Corticosteroid drugs - dexamethasone, prednisolone also relieve the catarrhal process. At the same time, the swelling decreases, the metabolic processes of the cartilage improve, which contributes to the rapid restoration of mobility. Chondroprotectors thicken the structure of bone tissue and prevent the worsening of degenerative processes.

Physiotherapy - ultrasound and electric pulse therapy, acupuncture improves blood circulation. Therapeutic gymnastics helps to develop muscles and restore joint mobility. Patients are advised to review their diet, prepare a diet that includes predominantly protein and plant-based foods, and engage in spa treatments.

Treatment methods

  • Appointment of a traumatologist-orthopedic
  • Shock wave therapy of the hand
  • Plasmolifting of joints
  • PRP therapy for the wrist
  • Blockage of the wrist joint
  • Injections with the brush
  • Phonophoresis
  • electrophoresis
  • Ultrasound of the hand
  • Physiotherapy
  • Drug therapy
  • Orthopedics
  • Magnetotherapy