What Are The Signs of Arthritis In My Hands and Fingers?

Maybe it dawns on us when opening a jar becomes a challenge. Or when holding that tennis racquet doesn’t feel like it used to. When stiff, swollen fingers make daily tasks difficult, arthritis may be the cause. The small joints of the fingers are the most arthritis-prone spot on your body. And while arthritis isn’t the only cause of stiff fingers, it’s one of the big ones, especially in older adults.

What Is Arthritis?

There are several different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis (also known as “wear-and-tear” arthritis) is the most common. The soft cartilage at the tips of your bones allows your joints to move smoothly. When that cartilage begins to wear down, it creates osteoarthritis. As the protective cushioning of cartilage diminishes, the bones rub against each other, causing pain and mobility issues. The most common locations for arthritis are your hands and fingers, knees, hips, and spine.

What Causes Arthritis?

Family history and genetics play a significant role in arthritis diagnosis. If you have a family history of osteoarthritis, talk with your orthopaedist or family care practitioner about ways to prevent or push off onset. Other risk factors include:

• Obesity or excess weight.

• Previous injury: injury to the joint can damage the cartilage and increase the likelihood of arthritis down the road.

• Age: as many of us know, osteoarthritis tends to become a factor as we get older. We see it mostly in individuals over 40.

• Women are more likely to get osteoarthritis than men.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Arthritis?

According to the Mayo Clinic, the main symptoms of arthritis include:

• Pain

• Swelling that can leave fingers looking puffy and disfigured

• Stiffness in the joints

• Tenderness

• Loss of flexibility

• A grating sensation or popping and cracking in the joints

• Bone spurs: hard lumps that form around the joint

Can I Prevent Arthritis?

While genetics is a factor in many arthritis diagnoses, there are some ways we can hold off or diminish the impact of arthritis:

• Stay active: exercise helps keep your bones and joints healthy.

• Eat a healthy diet: vitamins and minerals promote bone health, and great nutrition keeps weight down.

• Maintain a healthy weight: obesity is a significant risk factor for arthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise helps keep joints healthy.

• Avoid repetitive motions that can cause injury or wear and tear. This includes both work and recreational activities. Physical activity is an excellent way to promote joint health, but be sure to do it safely.

• If you have a joint injury, include a high-quality physical therapy program in your healing process. This helps build strength, boosts mobility, and can help prevent arthritis down the road.

What Are The Best Treatments for Arthritis in the Hands?

There is a range of treatments for arthritis, from over-the-counter medications to surgery. The treatment you choose depends on the severity of your case. But in almost all cases, physical therapy/hand therapy can help.

• Medications: In the early stages of arthritis, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen, which reduce pain and swelling in mild cases. As symptoms become more severe, you may move on to prescription anti-inflammatory medications.

• Steroid injections are an effective anti-inflammatory that can treat pain, stiffness and swelling. They’re usually injected directly into the joint and provide fast relief that can last for months.

• Your orthopaedist may recommend a splint or brace for support, especially for arthritis at the base of the thumb.

• In some cases, surgery is the best option for relieving pain and increasing mobility. Here are some common arthritis-related hand surgeries:

  • Finger joint fusion removes the damaged cartilage at the ends of a finger joint and replaces it with a prosthesis. This can reduce pain and deformity and create more stability in the joint. Orthopaedists often perform finger joint fusion on the Proximal IP joint in the middle of the finger or the Distal IP joint at the fingertip.

  • Replacing the thumb joint with a ceramic prosthesis can create greater mobility in moderate cases.

  • In some cases, the thumb joint is severely damaged by arthritis. Your orthopaedist may recommend arthrodesis, which involves removing the joint and fusing the bones together with wires or screws. This procedure eliminates motion at the base of the thumb. However, it can be an appropriate pain relief option when other approaches have failed.

• Physical therapy or hand therapy is essential to treating arthritis of the hand and fingers. It can have an enormous impact both after surgery or as an alternative to surgery. Heat therapy and massage can help with pain, while range-of-motion and strengthening exercises restore mobility.

Tackling Arthritis in the Hands and Fingers

For most of us, our hands are everything. They’re how we interact with the world, whether you’re holding a pen, baking a cake, or playing tennis or golf. When arthritis slows us down, it can be painful and frustrating. That’s why it’s essential to find a well-regarded full-service orthopaedics practice for treatment. Countryside Orthopaedics boasts one of the top hand specialists in Northern Virginia. We also offer a top-notch team of hand therapists and physical therapists who can elevate the healing process–whether or not you choose surgery. With an arsenal of proven treatments and prevention strategies, we can get you back to the activities you love, making sure a full life remains within your grasp.