Osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers: symptoms, causes and treatment

Osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers, also called osteoarthritis or osteoarthrosis, occurs due to wear and tear on the cartilage of the joints, increasing friction between the bones of the hands and fingers, which leads to symptoms of pain and stiffness, making it difficult to perform tasks. simple movements and everyday activities. In more advanced cases, nodules may form in the middle of the joints.

Additionally, osteoarthritis of the hands and fingers can cause changes to the bones and tissues around the joint that hold the joint together and attach the muscle to the bone, which causes inflammation and pain.

This condition can be quite limiting, especially when it affects both hands, and therefore, when experiencing any symptoms, you should consult an orthopedist or rheumatologist for the most appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Main symptoms

Symptoms of osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers usually develop slowly and worsen over time, and include:

• Pain in the hand or fingerswhich can be more intense when waking up and decreases throughout the day, but as the disease progresses, pain can occur throughout the day;
• Stiffness in the joints of the hands and fingersmore noticeable when waking up or after spending a long time without moving your hands or fingers;
• Increased sensitivity of the joints of the hands and fingers, which may become sensitive when light pressure is applied to or near the joint;
• Loss of flexibilitywhich makes it difficult to perform simple movements, such as picking up an object or writing, for example;
• Swelling in the fingers caused by inflammation around the joint;
• Tingling in the hands or fingerseven at rest.

In addition, the formation of nodules in the joints can be seen, such as Heberden’s nodule, which is formed in the final joint of the fingers, and Bouchard’s nodule, which is formed in the middle joint of the fingers.

How to confirm the diagnosis

The diagnosis of arthrosis of the hands must be made by an orthopedist or rheumatologist based on a clinical examination in which the symptoms presented by the person are evaluated, and assessment of personal and family health history.

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The doctor usually recommends carrying out additional tests such as an X-ray, in which bone changes are checked, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, to check the degree of wear and tear on the joint and, thus, confirm the diagnosis and indicate the best treatment.

Possible causes

Osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers is mainly caused by repetitive strain, and is more common in people who use their hand joints a lot, such as construction workers, seamstresses, people who perform domestic work or athletes who play sports that require effort. of the hands.

This condition is more common in people who have family members with osteoarthritis, the elderly and menopausal women, due to the natural aging of the cartilage.

Furthermore, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as metabolic diseases such as hemochromatosis, can cause stiffness in the hand joints, resulting in osteoarthritis. Learn about other causes of osteoarthritis.

How the treatment is carried out

Treatment for osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers is carried out according to the symptoms presented and aims to relieve pain, improve stiffness and help improve movement.

Treatment must be indicated by a doctor and can be done with:

1. Use of medications

Medications for treating osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers include painkillers such as paracetamol or anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or naproxen, as they help control pain and inflammation in the joints.

Another medication that may be recommended by your doctor is duloxetine, an antidepressant, which is also indicated for the treatment of chronic pain caused by osteoarthritis of the hands and fingers. See more medication options for osteoarthritis.

2. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy for osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers helps strengthen the muscles around the joint, increases flexibility and reduces pain. This treatment must be guided by a physiotherapist who will indicate the most appropriate exercises according to the stage of osteoarthritis and on an individual basis. The physiotherapist can also give exercises to be done at home to complement the physiotherapeutic treatment, in addition to recommending applying ice or heat to the region to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

3. Joint infiltration

Infiltration into the joints of the hands or fingers can be done with injections of corticosteroid medications or hyaluronic acid, in selected cases, and should always be indicated and carried out by the doctor who monitors the person.

Corticosteroid injections into the joints help to improve pain and can be done 3 to 4 injections per year. To inject the corticosteroid, the doctor anesthetizes around the joints of the hand or fingers and then injects the corticosteroid.

The injection of hyaluronic acid, which is a substance similar to a component normally found in the joints that acts as a shock absorber, helps to lubricate the painful joints of the hands or fingers and, therefore, helps to relieve pain.

4. Surgery

Surgery for osteoarthritis in the hands or fingers is only indicated for a small number of cases where treatments have not been effective or when one of the joints is seriously damaged. However, it is not possible to guarantee that surgery will completely eliminate symptoms and the person may still experience pain and stiffness in their hands or fingers.