Hands are very important for a person. You can do various jobs with your fingers. However, when joint problems start, certain difficulties arise. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to perform a normal movement, let alone the finest work with small details. Of course, it affects the quality of life, so it is important to monitor your health. But what to do if your knuckles are already hurting? The causes and treatment of this pathology will depend on many factors. An important role is played by the age of the patient. Of course, people after 40 are more susceptible to inflammatory processes. However, both young people and children can complain of joint pain. What causes it? Let's figure it out.
Painful finger joints: causes
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that such a symptom is directly related to injuries and certain diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenosing ligamentitis.
- Arthrosis.
- Gout.
- Bursitis.
- Osteomyelitis.
Of course, these are not all the reasons that can cause pain in the finger joint. The most common ones are presented above. So let's get to know them in more detail.
Arthritis
Does your knuckle hurt? What to do in this situation? Of course, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. The fact is that this symptom can be caused either by a simple injury or by a rather serious disease that requires special treatment. The sooner you start, the easier it will be to achieve a positive result.
Most people of retirement age begin to experience joint pain. They usually develop arthritis. The inflammatory process can occur in an acute or chronic form. It is worth paying attention to the fact that arthritis affects not only the joints of the fingers, but also others. A person suffering from this disease feels quite sharp pain. They don't stop even at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. However, in the latter, the disease occurs much less often. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are most often diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. To date, this species has not been fully studied. But its consequences are quite serious. Some children not only have difficulty moving their fingers, but may be disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by improper functioning of the immune system. Children under the age of 16 are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis is of a different nature. The cause of infectious and allergic diseases. The danger of this type is that without treatment, the acute form becomes chronic. Such a person will be restricted in movement and will constantly suffer from pain.
In no case should the treatment be carried out independently, because it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the reasons that caused the disease. The first thing you should do is see a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe treatment.
Here are the measures doctors use if finger joints hurt:
- How to treat a patient if he is diagnosed with an infectious disease? In most cases, antibiotics are used.
- In order to alleviate the inflammation, the patient is prescribed drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop destructive processes.
- Gymnastic exercises are prescribed, including in the pool.
- Diet.
Arthrosis
If you are wondering why the joints on the fingers hurt, then there can be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease such as osteoarthritis. It is caused by the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens consecutively. At first, the person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity, and that for quite a long time. However, after a certain period of time, their character becomes more intense. The pain occurs even at night. This indicates that the disease is starting to progress.
For people who have chronic osteoarthritis and severe pain in the thumb joint, doctors diagnose it as "rhizarthrosis". The disease has three stages of development. It can be triggered for several reasons. They can be both congenital and acquired. In the first case, dysplasia of the articular joint is diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also occurs due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If the treatment is not started on time, it threatens not only the destruction of the cartilage, but also the articular ligaments, and all nearby bone structures are also affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis, of course, is pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may also feel a characteristic squeak when moving the finger, reduced mobility and numbness. All this completes the swelling and redness of the skin. If your finger joint is swollen and painful, then it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that rhizarthrosis is much easier to cure in the first stage than in the last. Quite rarely, but surgery may still be necessary.
A disease such as arthrosis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a minor injury can cause it. In arthrosis, the joints are heavily modified, which affects the shape of the fingers.
Bursitis
If an inflammatory process occurs in the periarticular bursa, it means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. It is accompanied by fluid accumulation. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or abrasion. This disease is also caused by a specific type of microbe - pyogenes. People with this pathology have pain in the joints of the fingers and toes. In addition, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid collects in the joints of the shoulders, knees, elbows and hips.
In medicine, two forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. It starts with the first one. In the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which significantly increases with movement of the joint. A fairly elastic swelling appears. It comes in different diameters. When the disease begins to progress, the pain does not stop at night, even if the arm remains motionless. Redness of the skin, swelling of limbs and hypothermia are also observed during bursitis.
If left untreated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. A person's knuckles hurt much less. You should not refuse treatment, because chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. Also, the inflammatory process leads to the formation of calcium deposits in the area of the affected joint. In order to ease the patient's condition as much as possible, you will need to secure the limb well with elastic bandages. This will protect you from accidental movement, which causes severe pain. After that, you should contact an orthopedic traumatologist. They will choose anti-inflammatory drugs as well as anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
Gout
If you have pain in the knuckles of your right or left hand, the cause of these unpleasant sensations may be gout. This disease is considered the most common. It is most often found in older people. The cause of its appearance is a violation of uric acid metabolism (sodium crystals are deposited in the tissues). Most people think that gout can only occur on the feet around the big toe. However, it is not. In some people, such formations can also appear on the fingers of the upper extremities.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, severe redness, pain and peeling of the skin. Even microtrauma, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. can be a provoking factor. The disease manifests itself quite quickly. Within a few hours, you will notice all the symptoms described above. Patients often have a high temperature, causing chills or fever. In the acute form of gout, the finger joints are very painful. Even a light touch can significantly increase the discomfort.
With this disease, it is important to strictly adhere to the diet. He chooses it individually for each patient. Alcohol consumption is strictly prohibited. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and juices a day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is prescribed anti-gout drugs. However, you should not count on quick results, because their use can last for years. They are prescribed only by doctors. Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs can also be added to them.
Stenosing ligamentitis
If a child has pain in the joints of the fingers, it may be caused by a pathology called stenosing ligamentitis. It develops in the ligamentous-tendon apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but also several fingers can be blocked in a bent state. In children, it manifests itself starting from the first year of life. However, they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also get stenosing ligamentitis. Most often, these are people of retirement age.
The reasons that cause this disease in children are caused by unbalanced development. That is, annular ligaments grow much more slowly than tendons. Because of this, there is an imbalance. This leads to ligament pressure on the tendons. For this reason, an easily palpable compaction occurs. When bending a finger, the child may feel a characteristic click in a certain joint.
The cause of stenosing ligamentitis in adults is an inflammatory process, the focus of which is in the tendons. This is what causes pain in the finger joints. Here is what else can cause the development of this disease:
- Excessive load.
- Heredity.
- Irregular structure of tendons and annular ligament.
- Some diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenosing ligamentitis:
- clicks when bending;
- pain when pressed;
- compaction formation;
- limitation in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. Already on the second, a seal is formed. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer straighten the fingers independently. This can only be done surgically. However, such treatment is used in rather complex cases. It is best to start the development of ligaments and tendons in the initial stage of the disease, performing a special complex of physical therapy.
Injuries
Do your knuckles hurt? The cause can be the diseases described above or dislocation. The latter is caused by bone displacement. Most often, athletes face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not protected from dislocations. This type of injury has certain symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area and deformity of the joint.
Of course, any finger can be sprained. However, the large one is the most sensitive to it. The fact is that he is the one left unprotected if he moves wrong. Although the ligament apparatus of this finger is quite powerful, it is easy to get a sprain without calculating the load. This pathology can also develop if you accidentally fall on your hand. The person immediately feels severe pain, after which (about an hour) the limb swells and may become red.
Of course, you won't be able to lead a normal life if your thumb joint hurts. How to treat a sprain or sprain? If possible, you should consult a doctor. At the appointment, a photograph is taken to rule out a fracture or displacement. In the first minutes, it is preferable to apply something cold. After that, warm compresses are recommended. Analgesics are taken to reduce pain. Fats that have an analgesic effect are also very helpful.
Osteomyelitis
This disease is accompanied by a purulent process that can affect not only the joints, but also the whole body. It even penetrates the bone marrow. The seriousness of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is infectious in nature. It spreads to all nearby tissues. Over time, the lesion increases, growing more and more. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children most often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease occurs due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue with blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, then doctors diagnose "post-traumatic osteomyelitis".
Symptoms:
- the joints of the fingers are very painful;
- there is pain and twisting;
- the temperature rises;
- the injured area swells and turns red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus starts coming out through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medicines. The latter is necessary to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, folk remedies are considered ineffective.
My knuckles hurt. Treatment
Treatment of this pathology is necessary only in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Pain relief.
- Restoring functions.
As mentioned above, treatment should be selected individually in each case. Of course, when choosing certain methods, doctors take into account the cause of severe pain, symptoms and degree of inflammation. There are treatments both medical and surgical.
However, if a person does not have the opportunity to visit the hospital, then one can simply try to reduce the pain syndrome. Painkillers are suitable for these purposes. But it is important to remember that they do not eliminate the main cause, so after the effect of the drug wears off, relapse will inevitably occur. If the pain is very strong, then the ointment will help improve the effect of the tablets.
Traditional methods
What to do if your knuckles hurt? In this case, folk remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.It is used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil are suitable. Mix the ingredients well. Ointment is applied to the skin of the affected area.
- Caucasian hellebore.This type of plant is used to prepare an ointment that perfectly relieves pain. To prepare it, you need to take the same amount of honey as there was kurik. Add unrefined vegetable oil, literally a few drops, and a pinch of dry mustard to these ingredients. All of this is mixed until smooth and then heated in a water bath. Apply to the affected area before going to bed.
- Raw potatoes.The vegetable is grated, heated a little, put on a bandage or gauze and applied to the finger.
- Elecampane roots.It is used as a tincture. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist for 14 days in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate. It perfectly relieves inflammation if you use it daily, rubbing it into the joint.
Conclusion
Based on the above information, we can conclude that if the joints of the fingers hurt, it should not be ignored under any circumstances. The fact is that such a symptom can be the first sign of a serious illness. If you start treatment on time, then in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today, medicine offers quite effective methods, you just need to visit a doctor and be examined.