Pain in the finger joints when bending is most often caused by age-related changes, as well as irreversible processes in the body that cause negative manifestations and the development of uncomfortable conditions in the patient. Such pathology requires mandatory medical intervention, which includes all methods based on the cause of pain symptoms in the upper part of the leg.
Cause of pain
Fingers should be treated if factors that trigger such problems are identified. As a rule, doctors divide pain in the joints of the hands into 2 groups (mechanical and inflammatory).
Mechanical pain is accompanied by a local inflammatory process, which is slightly expressed, which "erases" the picture of the disease. Often, patients do not pay attention to such symptoms, in contrast to inflammatory pain. In this case, there is stiffness of movement in the morning, which can last more than 1 hour. Pain decreases slightly during physical activity.
We list diseases that can trigger 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 may be involved in the pathological process. Rheumatoid pain is accompanied by swelling and redness of the metacarpal phalanges of the middle and index fingers.
With this disease, the fingers are very painful when bent, and the same symptoms are observed on the second hand. The characteristic symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is pain that occurs immediately after waking up, while the pain decreases in the evening.
Psoriatic arthritis
The disease mainly affects the skin, and the pain appears mainly in the distal phalanx. With psoriatic arthritis, there is severe swelling of the fingers, which become bluish in color. In addition, with this disease it is quite difficult to straighten the thumb.
Infectious arthritis
With infectious arthritis, there may be no systemic disorder at all, but it is characterized by the appearance of acute attacks of pain when bending the fingers, which can last from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days. Chills and hyperthermia are sometimes present.
Gout
This disease is the most common, but in most cases, patients really unexpectedly find out the real reason why the finger joints hurt when bending, after explaining the diagnosis. This disease usually occurs in people over 50 years of age.
The main reason for the development of gout is a violation of the metabolism of uric acid, which is quite difficult to remove from the body, settles in cartilage and joints, creating a serious obstacle to their normal function. Symptoms of gout include burning, severe pain.
Osteoarthritis
Among the most common reasons for the development of osteoarthritis are hereditary factors, as well as disorders of metabolic processes in the body, activities related to increased physical activity, etc. In most cases, osteoarthritis occurs in mature women, which is caused by hormonal changes.
The characteristic symptoms of the disease, in addition to excruciating pain in the joints of the hands, are the occurrence of swelling and subcutaneous nodules, which cause deformation of the fingers and thickening of their middle part.
Stenosing ligamentitis
This pathological process may be similar in the symptoms of arthrosis and arthritis, so an X-ray examination is necessary to clarify the diagnosis. Clinical manifestations are quite typical: it is painful for the patient to straighten and bend the hand, and in some cases the grasped palm may become stuck. In addition, finger extension is accompanied by a click feature.
Rhizarthrosis
If pain appears in the joint of the thumb, then, most likely, such a 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 pain is determined, which increases under certain loads (turning the key, turning the door handle, opening the screw cap, etc. ). In the early stages of the development of the disease, the fingers on the hand hurt when bending only after doing physical exercise, but the development of rhizarthrosis leads to the fact that the pain begins to bother the patient even at rest. Gradually, joint deformation 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 cause unpleasant sensations in the area of the thumb or index finger. This is caused by prolonged sitting at the computer, where the ulnar nerve is compressed, which in turn leads to the development of pain in the fingers.
Pathological symptoms
Serious signs of the presence of the disease that can lead to some negative consequences are:
- nodular neoplasm in the tendon area;
- finger twitching when moving;
- pain on hand palpation;
- sharp, stabbing pain and impaired fine motor skills;
- compaction in the bends of the fingers and hyperemia of the inflamed area;
- inability to squeeze the little finger;
- local and local increase in body temperature;
- increased night pain in the arm;
- special attention should be given if the finger suddenly becomes swollen and deformed.
If the patient encounters such manifestations, an urgent consultation with a doctor is required, who will carry out diagnostic measures and prescribe complex therapy to relieve the symptoms of pain and the inflammatory process.
Diagnostic methods
Patients who experience pain in the hands, especially after sleeping, must undergo a course of therapy, but only after clarifying the reasons for the development of the pathological condition.
In this case, diagnostics involves the following methods:
Radiography
The most informative way to determine neoplasms such as tumors, various injuries and inflammatory processes in the joints of the fingers and hands is an X-ray examination.
Despite the high efficiency of radiography, it has a significant drawback - the inability to assess the condition of soft tissues
Ultrasonography
Using ultrasound, the presence of inflammatory processes in the tissue is determined, and the consequences of joint injuries are identified. This procedure is most effective for synovitis, arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis and arthrosis. In cases where the middle finger is numb and painful, it is possible to perform an ultrasound examination of the blood vessels to determine the disturbance of blood flow in the upper part of the foot.
CT scan
To get a more accurate picture of bone tissue and joint pathology, it is recommended to do a CT scan, which takes 5-7 minutes and is well received by the patient. The difference between computed tomography and radiography is that the information obtained is displayed directly on the monitor screen, which allows you to get more reliable information.
Electrospondylography
A very effective and universal examination method is electrospondylography, which has been used in medicine relatively recently. This test can detect early damage to areas of the spine responsible for upper extremity function, including the fingers.
MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging is considered an informative and accurate study, therefore it is often used in the diagnosis of various diseases, including joints. The pathological process is determined using 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 protein, as well as joint puncture for persistent pain in the fingers are prescribed.
Important! It is necessary to take into account that fingers can be painful for various reasons, however, only a highly qualified specialist should correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe individual treatment for pain.
Treatment
If painful symptoms occur, the main therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the cause of the development of the pathological process.
Complex therapy includes both drug therapy and treatment with folk remedies.
Drug treatment
To relieve the pathological process, doctors prescribe patients a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which, in addition to reducing inflammation, relieve pain symptoms and reduce tissue swelling.
For osteoarthritis, long-term use of chondroprotectors is recommended to nourish cartilage and prevent further destruction. These drugs help prevent recurrence of the disease.
In cases where there is unbearable pain in the fingers and the inflammatory process is at 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 finger area is a bacterial infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics and antibacterial agents, based on the severity of the symptoms and the body's sensitivity to the group of drugs.
Important! You can not self-medicate, as this can cause allergic reactions and side effects. At the beginning of therapy, rehabilitation of damaged joints is required. And only at a calm stage it is recommended to use additional methods (physiotherapy, hand massage, gymnastics, etc. ).
Physiotherapy
Pain in the joints of the hands indicates a violation of the body's functions as a whole and, in particular, the development of degenerative-dystrophic processes. That is why, first of all, it is necessary to limit physical activity and reduce physical stress on the joints.
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 not important in preventing the occurrence of pain, because the body must receive a sufficient amount of microelements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins, mainly through food.
Products that can reduce pain in the finger joints when bending:
- Fish oil and flaxseed oil. This product contains a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve the condition of the vascular system and participate in the normalization of fat metabolism.
- Apple cider vinegar, because it increases the removal of salt and participates in the process of alkalizing the blood.
- Carrots, lettuce and beans.
- Egg yolk, juice and pomegranate.
- Blackcurrants and figs.
- Ginger and cauliflower.
- Low calorie cheese and olive oil.
It is necessary to limit (and in some cases completely exclude from the diet) high-fat dairy products, sweet and high-calorie foods. Smoked meat, alcoholic beverages, coffee, strong tea, as well as products containing oxalic acid.
People's recovery
In the early stages of the disease, pain can be dealt with using traditional medicine, for example, using kefir and lime compresses, diluted to a thick state. Oatmeal, pre-boiled and slightly cooled, has the same effect.
You can prepare a cream for massaging your hands from the same amount of crushed bay leaves and juniper pine with the addition of soft butter to this powder. After mixing the ingredients thoroughly, the ointment can be used for its intended purpose.
In case of exacerbation of pain symptoms, it is recommended to mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of olive oil with 5 drops of garlic juice, then drink the mixture prepared in the morning, 30 minutes before breakfast. This procedure should be repeated for 3-4 days.
Sudden and severe pain in the finger interferes with the performance of daily tasks, causing unbearable suffering to the patient. Such manifestations should not be ignored, because they may indicate some serious diseases that can cause painful symptoms.
Only early diagnosis and timely intervention by an experienced doctor make it possible to determine the etiology of the disease, based on which the doctor decides how and with what to treat to get the most positive results. With timely intervention, the prognosis for full recovery is good.