Pain in the finger joints when bending is most often caused by changes in age, as well as irreversible processes in the body that cause negative manifestations and the development of an unpleasant 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 caused such a problem are determined. 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, which is mildly pronounced, which "erases" the picture of the disease. Very often, patients do not pay attention to such symptoms, unlike inflammatory pain. In this case, there is stiffness of movement in the morning, which can last more than 1The pain decreases slightly during physical activity.
We list diseases that can cause 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 other 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 primarily affects the skin, and the pain occurs mainly in the distal phalanges. In 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 thumbs.
Infectious arthritis
With 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 shivering and hyperthermia are present.
Gout
This disease is the most common, but in most cases patients find out completely unexpectedly the real reason why the finger joints hurt when bending, after clarifying the diagnosis. Most often, the disease occurs in people over 50 years old.
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, accumulates in cartilage and joints, creating a serious obstacle to their normal functioning. Characteristic signs of gout include burning, intense pain.
Osteoarthritis
Among the most common reasons for the occurrence of osteoarthritis are hereditary factors, as well as disorders of metabolic processes in the body, activities associated with increased physical activity, etc. In most cases, osteoarthritis occurs in mature women, which is a consequence of hormonal changes.
A characteristic symptom of the disease, in addition to excruciating pain in the joints of the hand, is the appearance of swelling and subcutaneous nodules that cause deformation of the fingers and thickening of their middle part.
Stenosing ligamentitis
The symptoms of this pathological process can be similar to arthrosis and arthritis, so an X-ray examination is needed to clarify the diagnosis. The clinical manifestations are quite typical: it is painful for the patient to straighten and bend his hands, and in some cases the clenched palm may get stuck. In addition, the extension of the fingers is accompanied by characteristic clicks.
Rhizarthrosis
If pain appears in the thumb joint, 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 the pain is determined, which intensifies under certain loads (turning the key, turning the door handle, opening the screw cap, etc. ). In the initial stage of the development of the disease, the finger on the hand 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. Joint deformation occurs gradually 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 at the computer, 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 the disease that can lead to a series of negative consequences are:
- nodular neoplasms in the tendon area;
- crunching of fingers when moving;
- pain when palpating the hands;
- sharp, penetrating pain and impaired fine motor skills;
- tightness in the folds of the fingers and hyperemia of the inflamed area;
- inability to squeeze little fingers;
- local and local increase in body temperature;
- increased night pain in hands;
- special attention should be paid if the finger suddenly becomes swollen and deformed.
If the patient discovers such manifestations, an urgent consultation with a doctor is required, who will carry out diagnostic measures and prescribe a complex therapy to alleviate the symptoms of pain and the inflammatory process.
Diagnostic methods
Patients who feel pain in their hands, especially after sleeping, must undergo therapy, but only after clarifying the reasons for the development of the pathological condition.
In this case, diagnostics includes the following methods:
Radiography
The most informative way to determine tumor neoplasms, 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
Ultrasound determines the presence of an inflammatory process in the tissues and determines the consequences of joint injury. 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 disorder of blood flow in the upper extremities.
CT scanner
To obtain a more accurate picture of the pathology of bone tissue and joints, a CT scan is recommended, which lasts 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 very effective and universal examination 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 extremities, including the fingers.
MRI
Magnetic resonance is rightfully 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 that form a tissue image, localization and degree of development of the inflammatory process.
In addition, blood tests (clinical and biochemical), urine for the presence of blood and protein are also prescribed, as well as joint puncture due to persistent pain in the fingers.
Important! It should be taken into account that the fingers can hurt for various reasons, however, only a highly qualified specialist should correctly diagnose the disease and prescribe an individual treatment for the pain.
Treatment
If symptoms of pain appear, the main therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the cause of the development of the pathological process.
Complex therapy includes drug therapy and treatment with folk remedies.
Drug treatment
In order 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, the long-term use of chondroprotectors is recommended in order to nourish the cartilage and prevent its further destruction. These drugs help prevent the disease from coming back.
In cases where there is unbearable pain in the fingers, and the inflammatory process is in an advanced stage, glucocorticosteroids are prescribed. They quickly alleviate the symptoms of inflammation and regulate metabolic processes in the body, which accelerates 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 sensitivity of the body 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, the damaged joints need to be restored. And only in the calm phase is it recommended to resort to auxiliary methods (physiotherapy, manual massage, gymnastics, etc. ).
Physiotherapy
Pain in the joints of the hands indicates a violation of the functionality of the body as a whole, and especially 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 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 sulphide and radon baths, as well as massage, including manual massage, have a positive effect.
Diet
Proper nutrition is of great importance in the prevention of pain, because the body must receive a sufficient amount of microelements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins, primarily through food.
Products that can reduce pain in the finger joints when bending:
- Fish oil and linseed oil. These products contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids that improve the condition of the vascular system and participate in the normalization of fat metabolism.
- Apple cider vinegar, because it promotes the removal of salt and participates in the process of alkalizing the blood.
- Radishes, lettuce and walnuts.
- Yolk, juice and pomegranate fruit.
- Black 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 teas, as well as products containing oxalic acid.
Folk remedies
In the initial stage of the disease, the pain can be solved with traditional medicine, for example, using a poultice made of kefir and chalk, diluted to a pasty state. Oatmeal, pre-boiled and slightly cooled, has a similar effect.
Hand massage cream can be prepared from an equal amount of crushed bay leaf and pine with the addition of softened butter to this powder. After thoroughly mixing the ingredients, the ointment can be used for its intended purpose.
In case of worsening pain symptoms, it is recommended to mix 1 tbsp. spoon 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, because they can indicate a number of serious diseases that can cause pain symptoms.
Only early diagnosis and timely intervention by an experienced doctor enable the etiology of the disease to be determined, on the basis of which the doctor decides how and what to treat in order to achieve the most positive result. With timely intervention, the prognosis for full recovery is favorable.