Arthrosis of the fingers: treatment and causes

Author

: Grachev Ilya Illarionovich
Editor
: Efremov Mikhail Mikhailovich

Date of publication: 05.13.2014 Date of update: 12.11.2020

The carpal, or, as it is also called, the wrist joint, is susceptible to degenerative-inflammatory processes less frequently than large joints (for example, the hip, ankle, knee). However, carpal arthrosis is a serious problem that significantly limits a person’s ability to work and self-care. The disease is a lesion of the cartilage, leading to the destruction of hand tissue.

One of the main dangers of this health problem lies in the fact that you can ignore it for a long time, attributing possible pain to fatigue after another working day. In fact, when the very first symptoms of arthrosis appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, otherwise the disease may become chronic over time.

Any localization of arthrosis has serious complications, so you should not delay treatment.
See how easily the disease can be cured in 10-12 sessions.

Causes of arthrosis of the hands

The fact that the disease is not the most common form of arthrosis allows us to more clearly identify the main causes of arthrosis of the wrist joint. Almost all of them are associated with pathological processes that have begun to manifest themselves in this part of the body and were not detected in time:

• Constant overload of the joint, which occurs in people of certain professions, for example, painters, athletes, artists.
• Received injuries and past inflammatory diseases (tuberculosis, influenza, measles, ARVI, etc.).
• Age-related changes associated with cartilage degeneration, as well as accompanying diseases (for example, rheumatoid arthritis).
• Metabolic disorders due to a sedentary lifestyle, heavy physical activity, and poor nutrition.

How to be treated

Do not self-medicate under any circumstances. First, you must undergo an examination by qualified doctors at our clinic, who will accurately determine the cause of the pain and prescribe the necessary medications. Such medications will anesthetize the problem area, stop inflammation, ensure blood flow to the affected cartilage, nourish it and maintain it at the proper level. Basically, chondroprotectors are prescribed, which increase the firmness and elasticity of cartilage, restore blood circulation and metabolism in the affected area.

In addition, you will be prescribed concomitant treatment - physical exercise, massage, and diet, which will have a beneficial effect on the treatment process.

In any case, when the first symptoms occur, it is necessary to reduce the load on the problem area as much as possible. Sometimes it is possible to slow down the destruction of cartilage tissue in the initial stage in this way.

Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Symptoms of carpal arthrosis

The difficulty in identifying the source of the problem lies in the fact that the appearance of the hand in the presence of the disease remains practically unchanged, or is deformed very slightly. However, there are symptoms of arthrosis of the wrist joint, the presence of which directly or indirectly indicates problems with the hand:

• Sharp pain, usually worsening when trying to palpate the joint or passive movement.
• Crunching or clicking when moving the hand, which should not be observed when the joint is in normal condition.
• Redness and swelling of the affected wrist joint, stiffness (especially after sleep).
• Increased body temperature, sweating, insomnia, feeling tired are additional symptoms of arthrosis.

Crunching in joints - when to worry

Joint pain at rest

Symptoms of arthrosis of the fingers and hands

The clinical picture is local in nature. Three stages of the disease can be distinguished:

1.
Initial
. Joint stiffness occurs. Physical activity causes muscle fatigue and numbness of the phalanges. When the weather changes, a nagging pain is felt. Treatment for arthrosis of the fingers should begin when these initial symptoms appear.

2. Average

. The mobility of the fingers is impaired, the pain becomes longer lasting and occurs not only during the day, but also at night. A characteristic crunch, swelling, redness of the skin appears in the joint area, and a local increase in temperature is noted due to the development of an acute inflammatory process. In addition, the first signs of deformation of the joints of the fingers are observed, which begins to change the shape of the hand.

3. Heavy

. The pain is felt even at rest, and can be either acute or constant, debilitating. There is a visible significant deformation of the phalanges of the fingers, as well as a shift in the axis of orientation of the joints: arthrosis of the thumb “bends” it to the side. Rheumatoid nodules form under the skin. All these pathological changes critically impair the motor functions of the joints, lead to complete deformation of the hands and fingers, manifesting as external deformity, and significantly worsen the patient’s quality of life.

The pain syndrome will depend not only on the degree of development of the disease, but also on the motor load on the shoulder joint. If in the initial stages unpleasant sensations may bother you for a short time, then as the disease progresses, the pain will appear more often and persist for a long period of time, regardless of the time of day.

Treatment methods for arthrosis of the hands

Good to know

• Is it possible to avoid joint replacement surgery?
• Proper nutrition for joint arthrosis

To alleviate the severity of pain, it is recommended to leave the damaged joint motionless (immobilize) for a long time. This is best done with the help of bandages or special orthoses. The treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint itself is carried out using the following methods:

• Acupuncture - the main effect of acupuncture is that it significantly improves blood circulation in the joint and has a pronounced analgesic effect.
• Tszyu therapy is the essence of the method in using cigars for thermal effects on bioactive points when you need to quickly relieve swelling characteristic of arthrosis.
• Stone therapy - treatment of joints is carried out using stones and cigars heated to the desired temperature of a suitable size.
• Kinesiotherapy is the reduction of pain through a special set of physical exercises.
• Use of herbal remedies Natural preparations include special elements - chondroprotectors. They are very effective for restoring joint tissue and cartilage.
• Massage of the affected area is a procedure that should be performed by an experienced specialist; it effectively stimulates metabolic processes in the hand and helps reduce pain.
• PRP therapy is the latest technique for stimulating recovery processes. It is used to restore joint function after diseases and injuries, including to restore the function of the musculoskeletal system in arthrosis.

In 85% of cases, joint replacement surgery can be avoided.
Read more about our unique method of treating arthrosis

Treatment of arthrosis of the wrist joint in “Paramita” is effective!

The Paramita Clinic uses effective painless oriental methods of treating arthrosis, developing an individual program for each patient. Effective methods of Tibetan and Chinese medicine are successfully used to eliminate pain syndromes characteristic of a huge number of ailments. Treatment of carpal arthrosis, which is carried out comprehensively, will also be much more effective using these methods.

With us you will not only be able to get rid of existing diseases, but also learn how to prevent arthrosis in the future. The methods used by our specialists are safe, effective, allow you to achieve long-term results and have a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.

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Symptoms of arthrosis of the wrist joint

Typically, patients present with the following complaints due to arthrosis:

• pain when moving or putting pressure on the joint;
• crunching when flexing and extending, which may be accompanied by pain;
• limitation of mobility.

Moreover, the more tissue is affected, the more obvious the symptoms become. The pain intensifies and bothers you even at rest. Especially some time after the load. Moving the joint becomes more and more difficult and painful. This occurs due to the fact that the amount of joint fluid decreases, the cartilage becomes thinner, and the joint space narrows.

Diagnosis of carpal arthrosis

Diagnosis of arthrosis of the hand is carried out using unique methods based on the centuries-old experience of oriental medicine. They allow you to establish not only an accurate diagnosis, but also determine the causes that led to the disease:

• Questioning the patient. Gathering information to identify causes.
• Pulse diagnostics. Determines the condition of each system of the human body, helps to establish an accurate diagnosis.
• Load tests. Using this technique, doctors see the extent of the local problem that has arisen.

Traditional methods can also be used:

• Collection of laboratory tests - determines the presence or absence of allergies to drugs and the general condition of the body.
• Ultrasound - shows the condition of the soft tissues of the joints (used at an early stage of the disease).
• X-ray - determines bone deformation, the size of cracks and crevices in secondary arthrosis. It is combined with ultrasound, since to complete the picture, x-rays do not allow us to see the condition of the cartilage.
• MRI - helps to examine in detail the condition of the wrist joints.
• CT scan is used to detail the picture of the disease if a radiograph is not enough.

Arthrosis of the fingers - causes of the disease

Arthrosis is a polyetiological disease. The reasons for its occurrence may be:

• injuries;
• joint dysplasia;
• autoimmune diseases;
• congenital connective tissue deficiency;
• inflammatory processes;
• endocrine and metabolic disruptions;
• hemophilia.

There are a number of factors that increase the risk of developing the disease. These include:

• postmenopausal women;
• elderly age;
• increased load on the hands;
• highly traumatic surgical interventions in the problem area;
• hypothermia.

Hereditary predisposition plays an important role in the occurrence of the disease.

Gymnastics for hands with arthrosis

You can avoid the onset of the disease and enhance the effect of treatment by performing simple exercises:

• "Piano playing". Place your hands on the table and hit the tabletop with your fingertips.
• "Steps". Make wide transitions on the table with your thumb and middle finger.

Therapeutic gymnastics requires special knowledge, otherwise it can cause harm. The clinic’s doctors take into account the patient’s body condition and the degree of illness when creating an individual exercise program.

After forty

The main risk factor is hormonal changes

It has been noticed that arthrosis of the hands “blooms” in women with the onset of menopause. The exact reason for this is unknown, but most likely it is due to hormonal changes. As estrogen levels decrease, the body begins to lose moisture more actively. This causes the cartilage between joints to become more brittle and vulnerable.

Lead a healthy lifestyle. Our metabolism, weight, and oxygen saturation of all tissues depend on how much we walk, sleep, what we eat, and whether we smoke. And this, in turn, affects the condition of articular cartilage.

Massage your hands regularly. It will help relieve tension and eliminate muscle spasms. It will also improve blood circulation in the hands, which will normalize metabolism in the joints.

The basic techniques are simple:

- Actively rub your palms together to make your hands warm.

- Using the thumb and forefinger of one hand, gently rub each finger of the other, first from the base to the nail, and then in the opposite direction.

- Grasp your finger with your hand and rotate it as if sharpening a pencil.

— Quickly bend and straighten your fingers 15–20 times without clenching your fist.

— Place your palms together and press your fingers hard against each other, perform for 1–2 minutes.

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- Repeat the same, keeping your fingertips together, but spreading your palms as far apart as possible.

Treatment of arthrosis of the fingers at Oleg Savyak’s clinic

In world practice, conservative and surgical methods of influence are used. The principle of our clinic is to help without pain and surgical intervention. The operation is performed only in the most advanced cases, when the joint is severely deformed.

We use physiotherapy, manual massage, arthrotherapy, exercise therapy, and prescribe chondoprotectors . Objectives of complex treatment:

• eliminating the cause of arthrosis;
• return of motor activity;
• relief from pain;
• preventing joint destruction;
• tissue restoration.

Regain the joy of healthy movements and the beauty of your hands - seek professional help at Professor Savyak’s Vertebrology Clinic!