Almost all people notice vague sensations in the phalanges of the fingers. This is mainly observed after a hard day's work or in the middle of the night, hands begin to go numb.
Most people prefer not to notice these manifestations, but they do it in vain. In such a situation, it is very important to quickly determine the causes of the appearance of these symptoms, this will allow you to start treatment earlier. Since advanced diseases of the joints of the fingers of the hands cause quite big health problems.
The reasons
It is worth examining in more detail why joint pains appear in the fingers. Experts have identified two categories of joint pain:
- Inflammatory. . . They manifest themselves as stiffness of movements, which lasts for a long time, in the morning. To alleviate the pain a little, you need to perform motor exercises. In addition to stiffness, they note: redness, swelling and fingers are poorly reduced.
- Mechanical. . . They appear along with all the signs of common inflammation. But mostly they are very minor and many may not notice their manifestations. For a more accurate definition of why pains in the phalanges of the fingers appeared, you need to delve a little deeper into the study of diseases.
Overview of diseases
The joints on the fingers can hurt if you have the following pathologies:
- Rheumatoid arthritis. . . This disease manifests itself in a chronic form, it affects small joints, but in a very neglected state it can go to large ones, as well as to internal organs. They swell when they turn red hot. Just clenching a fist is not as easy as it used to be, since the discomfort is very strong. Often affects both hands at once. The peculiarity of this disease is that the fingers hurt in the morning and in the pre-morning time.
- Psoriatic arthritis. . . This type of arthritis manifests itself exclusively on the skin of the fingers. Edema appears, due to which, the fingers change their shape and become like sausages, red in color with a slight blue tint.
- Infectious arthritis. . . This disease may not have obvious symptoms. If there are acute painful sensations that last from an hour to several days, it means that the disease is already actively developing. The affected joint is hot, and may also have fever and chills.
- Gout. . . Very often this disease affects people who have passed the 50-year mark. The disease develops due to poor excretion of uric acid from the body, it accumulates in the joints.
- Osteoarthritis. . . This disease begins to change the shape of the joints, they become thicker, and restricts movement. Older women are more likely to develop this disease. The reasons for the development of osteoarthritis: heredity, increased stress and many other factors. Symptoms of the disease are usually easily noticeable: painful sensations, deformation of the fingers in the shape of a spindle.
- Stenosing ligamentitis. . . To identify the cause of the disease, it is necessary to undergo an x-ray. Symptoms are typical: painful movement of the hand, looping of the clenched palm. Also, when unbending, clicks are usually heard.
- Rheumatism. . . This disease often causes severe pain, redness, and swelling. A rash may also appear and the temperature may start to rise. Treatment can only be prescribed by a doctor.
- Tunnel Syndromecauses pain in the joints of the index finger. In modern times, this disease manifests itself in people who work at a computer for a long time.
Risk factors
Diseases of the joints of the fingers, as well as any other disease, can, if not prevent, then predict. To do this, it is worth figuring out why such diseases can develop:
- May occur due to hormonal changes.
- All kinds of pathologies of the immune system.
- In the presence of various infections in the body.
- If there is a metabolic disorder.
- With prolonged exposure to cold hands.
- Various microtraumas.
Do not delay visiting a specialist, because a neglected disease is more difficult to cure. The necessary treatment can be determined by a surgeon and a rheumatologist, based on the results of the examination.
Symptoms
It is also worth noting a few symptoms of especially serious diseases:
- Nodular formations appear in the area of the joints.
- The squeaking of fingers is heard.
- When pressed, pain is felt.
- Sharp pains accompany.
- Redness of the skin.
- Weakening of fine motor skills.
- Temperature increase.
- Deformation of the joints.
- Seals appear in the bend of the finger.
In order to find out the method of treatment and to carry out prevention, it is necessary to find the reason why the pain in the joints appears.
How to diagnose?
To start the treatment of joint pain in the fingers, you need to correctly determine what disease they have appeared. To determine what kind of disease is prevalent in a person who feels pain in the joints when bending the arms, doctors recommend that you undergo the following procedures:
- Take x-rays.
- Get a computed tomography scan.
- Pass various blood and urine tests.
- Get an MRI.
- It is necessary to check the content of purines in the blood other.
If there is pain in the joints when bending the fingers, then you should not rely on the problem itself to be solved. Without going to the doctor in time, a person starts the disease, which is fraught with very serious consequences. Very often the mobility of the fingers is reduced, and in the future such a problem as the absolute inflexibility of the finger may appear. Such consequences sometimes lead a person to a disability.
Treatment
Treatment for a symptom such as joint pain in the fingers is required in order to cure the disease that caused them. If inflammation is the cause of the pain, the doctor will usually prescribe antibiotics, harmony, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
If a dystrophic lesion is established, then it is necessary to restore the damaged joint with the help of drugs, massage and physiotherapy.
Medication treatment
Also, the doctor prescribes medication treatment. With inflammation, drugs are mainly prescribed to relieve pain and inflammation. Today, there are quite a few drug options, so the doctor will choose the most suitable drugs.
If very severe pains have begun, then hormonal drugs are used, the reception of which can only be prescribed by the attending physician. They can be injected into the joint cavity. Also, with osteoarthritis, medications are used that nourish the joint and stop the destruction.
When remission occurs, it is recommended to carry out massages, mud treatment, and do gymnastics. Doctors advise visiting various mud springs and sanatoriums. Doctors advise, as a rule, to give up physical activity and make up a diet that must be followed.
Folk remedies
There are also alternative treatments. Some people prefer to use folk remedies, both for treatment and for maintaining health. Such methods will not bring harm, but they can be used to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. They can be supplemented with medication prescribed by a doctor and relieve pain.
Popular folk remedies for this kind of pathology are the following:
- Grind a laurel leaf and juniper needles, mix with butter and massage daily with the resulting gruel.
- Mix chalk and kefir, use the resulting mixture overnight in the form of a compress.
- You can drink birch sap, it perfectly heals and fills the whole body with vitamins.
- Olive oil (1 tablespoon) mixed with 10 drops of garlic juice and drink in the morning before meals.
There are a lot of options for supplementing the prescribed treatment, you can consult your doctor.
Gymnastics
Experts strongly recommend doing finger exercises to develop joints. Their implementation does not require a lot of time and effort. Some exercises can relieve pain and numbness in the hands.
It is important that a person understands that his health is in his hands. If joint pains have begun, there is no need to waste time. It is necessary to consult a doctor as soon as possible and completely entrust him with your health.
Special gymnastics is able to keep joints in good condition. The exercises are very easy and require a lot of effort and time. If you spend a few minutes a day now, then it is quite possible to get good health in old age.
Joints are a very important part of the entire body, as their poor condition can lead to limitation of human movement. You need to think about joint health constantly, just like in the situation with the teeth, it is easier to prevent a disease than to cure it.
It is important to understand that if a person has felt at least a slight pain in the joints of the fingers, then you should immediately consult a doctor.
It is worth entrusting the doctor with your treatment, because each disease has its own irreversible consequences. Thanks to timely medical assistance, you can not only get rid of the symptoms of the disease, but also prevent serious complications.