Pain in the finger joints when bending is most often caused by age-related changes, as well as irreversible processes in the body that provoke negative manifestations and the development of an uncomfortable condition in the patient. Such a pathology requires mandatory medical intervention, which includes all methods based on the causes of pain symptoms in the upper extremities.
Causes of pain
Fingers should be treated if the factors that provoked such a problem are identified. As a rule, doctors divide pain in the joints of the hand into 2 groups (mechanical and inflammatory).
Mechanical pain is accompanied by a local inflammatory process that is weakly expressed, which "erases" the picture of the disease. Quite often, patients do not pay attention to such symptoms, unlike inflammatory pain. In this case, there is stiffness of movements in the morning, which can last more than 1 hour. The pain slightly decreases during physical activity.
We list the diseases that can provoke such symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis
With the development of rheumatoid arthritis, small joints are affected, but it is quite possible that internal organs and large joints are involved in the pathological process. Rheumatoid pain is accompanied by swelling and redness of the metacarpal phalanx of the middle and index fingers.
In this disease, the fingers are very painful when bent, and a similar symptom is observed on the second hand. A characteristic symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is pain that occurs immediately after waking up, while the pain decreases in the evening.
Psoriatic arthritis
This disease mainly affects the skin and the pain occurs mainly in the distal phalanges. In psoriatic arthritis, there is severe swelling of the fingers, which acquire a bluish color. In addition, with this disease, it is quite difficult to straighten the thumbs.
Infectious arthritis
In infectious arthritis, there may be no systemic disorders at all, but it is characterized by the appearance of an acute attack of pain when bending the finger, which can last from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days. Sometimes there are chills and hyperthermia.
gout
This disease is the most common, but in most cases, patients completely unexpectedly discover the real reason why the finger joints hurt when bending, after clarifying the diagnosis. Most often, the disease occurs in people over 50 years of age.
The main reason for the progression of gout is a violation of the metabolism of uric acid, which is quite difficult to remove from the body, depositing in cartilage and joints, creating a serious obstacle to their normal functioning. Characteristic signs of gout include burning, severe pain.
Osteoarthritis
Among the most common reasons for the development of arthrosis are hereditary factors, as well as disorders of metabolic processes in the body, activities related to increased physical activity, etc. In most cases, arthrosis occurs in mature women, which is due to hormonal changes.
A characteristic symptom of the disease, in addition to unbearable pain in the joints of the hand, is the appearance of swelling and subcutaneous nodules, which provoke deformation of the fingers and thickening of their middle part.
Stenotic ligamentitis
This pathological process can be similar in symptoms to arthrosis and arthritis, so an X-ray examination is necessary to clarify the diagnosis. The clinical manifestations are quite typical: it is painful for the patient to straighten and bend his arms, and in some cases the clenched palm may become stuck. In addition, the extension of the fingers is accompanied by characteristic clicks.
Rhizarthrosis
If pain occurs in the thumb joint, then most likely this condition may indicate rhizarthrosis, which manifests itself as intoxication, previous infections and various types of injuries.
During the initial examination of the patient, the localization of the pain is determined, which increases with specific loads (turning a key, turning a door handle, opening a screw cap, etc. ). In the initial stage of the development of the disease, the finger hurts when bending only after physical exertion, but the progression of rhizarthrosis leads to the fact that the pain begins to bother the patient even at rest. Deformation of the joint gradually occurs with limitation of motor activity.
In addition to all the above diseases, the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is most often diagnosed in young patients, can lead to unpleasant sensations in the area of the thumb or index finger. This is due to prolonged sitting in front of computers, during which the ulnar nerve is compressed, which in turn leads to the development of pain in the fingers.
Symptoms of pathology
Serious signs of the presence of diseases that can lead to a number of negative consequences are:
- nodular neoplasms in the area of tendons;
- creaking of the fingers when moving;
- pain when palpating the hands;
- sharp, piercing pain and impaired fine motor skills;
- thickening in the bends of the fingers and hyperemia of the inflamed area;
- inability to contract the little fingers;
- local and local increase in body temperature;
- increased night pain in the hands;
- special attention should be paid if the finger suddenly swells and becomes deformed.
If the patient detects such manifestations, an urgent consultation with a doctor is necessary, who will perform diagnostic measures and prescribe a complex therapy to alleviate the symptoms of pain and the inflammatory process.
Diagnostic methods
Patients who experience pain in the hands, especially after sleep, should undergo a course of therapy, but only after clarifying the reasons for the development of the pathological condition.
In this case, the diagnosis includes the following methods:
Radiography
The most informative way to determine tumor neoplasms, various injuries and inflammatory processes in the joints of fingers and hands is X-ray examination.
Despite the high efficiency of radiography, it has a significant drawback - the inability to assess the condition of soft tissues
Ultrasound
With the help of ultrasound, the presence of an inflammatory process in the tissues is determined and the consequences of joint injury are identified. This procedure is most effective for synovitis, arthritis, tendinitis, bursitis and arthrosis. In cases where the middle finger is numb and painful, it is possible to do an ultrasound examination of the blood vessels to determine the violation of blood flow in the upper extremities.
CT
In order to obtain a more accurate picture of the pathology of bone tissue and joints, it is recommended to perform a computer tomography, which takes 5-7 minutes and is well tolerated by patients. The difference between computed tomography and radiography is that the obtained information is displayed directly on the monitor screen, which allows you to get more reliable information.
Electrospondylography
A highly effective and universal research method is electrospondylography, which has been used in medicine relatively recently. This test can detect early damage to the area of the spine responsible for the functionality of the upper limbs, including the fingers.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging is rightfully considered an informative and accurate examination, which is why it is often used in the diagnosis of various diseases, including joints. The pathological process is determined with the help of electromagnetic waves, which form an image of the tissue, the localization and the degree of development of the inflammatory process.
In addition, blood tests (clinical and biochemical), urine tests for the presence of blood and proteins, as well as joint puncture for constant pain in the fingers are prescribed.
important! It should be borne in mind that fingers can hurt for various reasons, but only a highly qualified specialist should correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe individual pain treatment.
Treatment
If symptoms of pain appear, the main therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the causes of the development of the pathological process.
Complex therapy includes both drug therapy and treatment with folk remedies.
Medication treatment
To alleviate the pathological process, the doctor prescribes the patient a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which, in addition to reducing inflammation, relieve pain symptoms and reduce tissue swelling.
In osteoarthritis, long-term use of chondroprotectors is recommended to nourish the cartilage and prevent its further destruction. These drugs help prevent relapse of the disease.
In cases where there is unbearable pain in the fingers and the inflammatory process is in an advanced stage, glucocorticosteroids are prescribed. They quickly relieve the symptoms of inflammation and regulate metabolic processes in the body, thereby accelerating tissue regeneration.
If the main cause of painful symptoms in the area of the fingers is a bacterial infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics and antibacterial agents based on the severity of the symptoms and the body's sensitivity to a group of such drugs.
important! You should not self-medicate, as this can cause allergic reactions and side effects. At the beginning of the therapy, it is necessary to restore the damaged joints. And only in a calm stage, it is recommended to resort to auxiliary methods (physiotherapy, hand massage, gymnastics, etc. ).
Physiotherapy
Pain in the joints of the hands indicates a violation of the functionality of the body as a whole and, in particular, the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to limit physical activity and reduce the physical load on the joint.
Physiotherapy measures include resonance therapy, electrosleep and electrophoresis with the addition of novocaine. In addition, during the period of remission, therapeutic exercises, the use of mud, hydrogen sulfide and radon baths, as well as massage, including manual massage, have a positive effect.
Diet
Proper nutrition is of no small importance in preventing the occurrence of pain, as the body must receive a sufficient amount of trace elements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins, primarily through food.
Products that can reduce pain in the joints of the fingers when bending:
- Fish oil and flaxseed oil. These products contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve the condition of the vascular system and participate in the normalization of fat metabolism.
- Apple cider vinegar, as it improves the excretion of salts and participates in the process of alkalizing the blood.
- Radishes, lettuce and nuts.
- Egg yolk, juice and pomegranate fruit.
- Currant and fig.
- Ginger and cauliflower.
- Low-calorie cheeses and olive oil.
It is necessary to limit (and in some cases completely exclude from the diet) dairy products with a high fat content, sweet and high-calorie foods. Smoked meat, alcoholic beverages, coffee, strong tea, as well as products that contain oxalic acid.
People's funds
In the initial stage of the disease, the pain can be managed with the help of traditional medicine, for example, with the help of a compress of kefir and chalk, diluted to a pasty state. Oats, pre-boiled and slightly cooled, have a similar effect.
You can prepare a cream to massage your hands from equal amount of crushed bay leaves and juniper by adding softened oil to this powder. After thorough mixing of the ingredients, the ointment can be used as intended.
In case of exacerbation of pain symptoms, it is recommended to mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 5 drops of garlic juice, then drink the prepared mixture in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast. The procedure should be repeated for 3-4 days.
Sudden, severe pain in the finger interferes with the performance of daily duties, causing unbearable suffering to the patient. Such manifestations should not be ignored, as they can indicate a number of serious diseases that can provoke pain symptoms.
Only early diagnosis and timely intervention of an experienced doctor allow to determine the etiology of the disease, based on which the doctor decides how and with what to treat in order to obtain the most positive result. With timely intervention, the prognosis for full recovery is favorable.