Our hands are constantly working - they help us to take care of ourselves, complete tasks at home and at work, and do other useful things. The most precise work can be done with your fingers. All this is possible thanks to the joints. But when the joints of the fingers hurt, we immediately look for the reasons for this and treatment options. Such pains cannot be neglected, and it will not work, because they directly affect life.
Why does finger pain occur - the main causes
There are a number of factors that lead to the development of the disease, among them:
- damage to the immune system;
- chronic infections;
- change in hormonal levels. This just affects the pain during pregnancy and after childbirth;
- metabolic disorder;
- heredity. If there were people in the family suffering from joint diseases, then this predisposition can be inherited;
- negative factors. Among them - the frequent finding of hands in cold water.
Pay attention!Pain syndrome can manifest itself in athletes who receive a lot of microtraumas. It can also be associated with professional characteristics.
Diseases provoking lesions
Let's list the main diseases that can provoke the onset of pain in the joints of the fingers.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This pathology can develop in both adults and children. Most of all, women are susceptible to it, they have such a diagnosis 2-3 times more often. The place that suffers from this disease is the small joints. Symmetrical involvement of both arms is a characteristic feature. Other symptoms that need to be seen by a doctor include:
- Swelling of the joints of the fingers.
- Stiffness of finger movements is felt in the morning.
- Distal joints feel numb and chilly.
- Accumulation of fluid in the joint capsules.
- A neoplasm appears under the skin. These are rheumatoid nodes.
- The fingers are curved and fan-shaped.
This disease is displayed not only on the condition of the fingers, it can give complications to the internal organs, therefore the question: "what to do? "just in this case is relevant. First of all - an urgent appointment with a doctor!
Gouty Arthritis
The cause of this disease is a violation of purine metabolism, which leads to the deposition of salts. In this case, it is important to understand why such a process develops. Men over 40 suffer from it. Moreover, the prerequisites for the defeat are: an increased amount of consumption of fatty foods, alcohol. Less commonly, gouty arthritis is one of the symptoms of leukemia.
The inflammation does not spread to all joints, most often it affects the thumbs. Symptoms are pronounced:
- night pains;
- the skin over the affected area becomes purple and swollen;
- the sore finger is very sensitive, it is impossible to touch it, it does not bend;
- pain occurs in attacks that occur after prolonged physical exertion.
Psoriatric Arthritis
This is one of the complications of psoriasis. According to statistics, it occurs in 15%. Arthritis affects the distal phalanges, there is a feeling of aching pain. Severe edema develops, fingers become like sausages, the skin turns red.
Osteoarthritis
With this disease, dystrophic changes in cartilage occur. The reasons are different: injuries, metabolic disorders, hereditary factors, hormonal changes, occupational stress.
Pay attention!This lesion is especially common in older people.
Osteoarthritis in most cases is asymptomatic in the early stages. The disease develops slowly and gradually, so often the question of how to relieve pain does not arise, since the syndrome is mild.
Arthralgia
This is pain in the joints of the fingers, which prevents a person from living fully. He cannot write normally, take even light objects, perform simple actions. All fingers are affected, including the little finger. Pain syndrome can provoke mechanical damage or inflammation. The first option is trauma, bruise, sprain. The second is a consequence of the development of the disease. In this case, the joint swells, turns red. Finding the answer to the question of what to treat is possible only after the final diagnosis has been made.
Important!Problems with the joints of the hands can be a complication of past diseases, among them: rubella, salmonellosis, exacerbation of sinusitis, tonsillitis, ARVI.
Vibration sickness
This is an occupational disease that develops in people who constantly work with hand tools that create vibration. In this case, the disease can develop in several stages:
- First, there is pain, numbness, "goosebumps" in the fingers.
- Further, the pain intensifies, over time, the sensitivity of the skin decreases, including vibration. There is a violation of the vascular tone.
- Trophic complications develop at the last stage. This is fraught with the loss of both individual fingers of the hand and amputation of the hand.
Panaritium
This sonorous name denotes inflammation of the soft tissues of the finger. It occurs if the infection has penetrated through a cut, puncture, and so on. The first obvious sign is severe throbbing pain. It gets worse at night, the skin swells, pus is released from the wound.
Methods for the treatment of pain in the joints of the fingers
You can find out how to relieve pain and be cured by a specialist. But for this you need to know which doctor is treating - it is a rheumatologist or an orthopedist. But you will have to go to the surgeon if the disease becomes neglected.
The main task at the initial stages of treatment is to alleviate the manifestations of the disease. The measures to be taken depend on the nature of the pain. Among them are the following:
- If they occur as a result of inflammation, antibiotics, hormones, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
- If the lesions are dystrophic, the first step is to restore the cartilage. For this, chondroprotectors and auxiliary measures are used in the form of massage, physiotherapy.
Pay attention!Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can have a number of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea.
Medical treatment of joint pain
The first aid for exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis is glucocorticosteroids. Their reception is combined with the use of special ointments that act as an anesthetic. After the exacerbation has been removed, the body must be supported. For this, cytostatics are used.
What you need to know about chondroprotectors
These medicines are additives that stimulate the repair of cartilage tissue.
Chondroprotectors stimulate the formation of the main component of cartilage, prevent the destruction of articular structures, activate the production of intra-articular fluid. They also have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
Pay attention!In case of serious damage to the joints, only chondroprotectors will not help - an integrated approach is needed.
Gymnastics, manual therapy
A set of special exercises is selected in accordance with the severity of the condition and only after the removal of acute pain sensations. All manipulations are aimed at optimizing joint mobility, ensuring normal blood flow, metabolic processes. In this case, strong loads are not applied - this can lead to complete destruction of tissues. If you feel pain, you do not need to stretch your fingers through force.
With regard to physiotherapy, standard localized methods are used:
- electrophoresis;
- microwave resonance therapy;
- amplipulse therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- laser treatment.
The key to successful treatment will be not only strict adherence to the doctor's recommendations and attendance of all recommended procedures, but also a healthy lifestyle.
Fatty, salty, spicy foods should be excluded from the diet. It is worth giving up alcohol, reducing the frequency of smoking.
Traditional medicine in the treatment of finger joints
Folk remedies for this problem are also used. But these remedies will not cure, but only give temporary relief from pain.
Ointments
Ointment can be prepared from propolis and oil. You need to take corn or sunflower. Ratio: one part propolis and three parts oil. The ingredients must be melted and mixed thoroughly. After cooling down, pour into an opaque glass container and use two to three times a day.
Hellebore Herb Ointment. To prepare it you need:
- twenty grams of hellebore (herb), chopped.
- twenty grams of honey.
- ten grams of vegetable oil.
- five grams of dry mustard.
Place all ingredients in an enamel container and melt in a water bath. Stir until smooth. Cool, transfer to a glass container, keep cold. Use at bedtime on affected areas.
Compresses
Treat with fruit vinegar. The material soaked in it should be applied to the affected areas for ten to fifteen minutes.
Another effective compress is done like this:
- mix 1 part vodka;
- 1 part valerian tincture;
- put 2 hot pepper pods into the mixture;
- keep the tincture in a dark place for at least 3 hours.
Use it by wetting a cotton swab and applying to the affected area several times a day.
Garlic juice is used for compresses and for swallowing with warm milk. In the spring, you can make a tincture of lilac flowers. They need to be crushed and insisted on alcohol or vodka for 2 weeks. Then use for rubbing sore joints. Hands should be kept warm until the effect of the tincture is felt.
Conclusion
The causes of pain in the joints of the fingers can vary, so treatment methods differ. Self-medication is not worth it. It is better to consult a doctor for qualified help - this will help avoid complications in the future.