How Do You Get Arthritis In Hands

Are Glucosamine And Chondroitin Supplements Helpful For Treating Osteoarthritis Of The Hand

Supplements are not reviewed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration . They are not required to undergo the same rigorous clinical trial methods that medications must undergo in the U.S. Some clinical trials show benefits with pain relief however, there is no proof that these supplements slow the progression of osteoarthritis. If you plan to try these, always check with your healthcare provider before using supplements. These products may interfere with medications you currently take.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Dull or burning joint pain, morning stiffness, swollen joints in your hand are all symptoms of arthritis. Many types of arthritis could affect your hands. Many treatment options are available depending on your exact arthritis type. Medications can reduce joint pain and swelling. Researchers are still working on ways to slow the progression of osteoarthritis. See your healthcare provider if you think you have arthritis in your hands. They will perform a complete exam and offer you a complete treatment plan, which includes hand exercises, use of hot and cold packs, other lifestyle tips and traditional treatments including medications, braces/splints, steroid injections and surgery.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/06/2021.

References

What Are The Symptoms Of Hand And Wrist Arthritis

The following hand and wrist arthritis symptoms warrant a visit with a MedStar Orthopaedic Institute arthritis specialist:

• Pain or burning in the hand or wrist joints, especially in the morning and with heavy use
• Swelling
• Nearby joints become unusually flexible to compensate for the affected joint
• Feeling or hearing grinding of the joint inside the hand
• Appearance of cysts on the fingers
• Difficulty moving the wrist

Along with the symptoms above, rheumatoid arthritis can also cause:

• A weak grip
• Deformity

Managing Arthritis: Strive For Five

There are a lot of things you can do to manage your arthritis. The day-to-day things you choose to do to manage your condition and stay healthy are self-management strategies and activities. CDCs Arthritis Program recommends five self-management strategies for managing arthritis and its symptoms.

Practice these simple strategies to reduce symptoms and get relief so you can pursue the activities that are important to you. These strategies can even help you manage other chronic conditions you have.

Use these 5 strategies to manage your arthritis at any age.

Join a self-management education workshop, which can help you learn the skills to manage your arthritis and make good decisions about your health.

How can a self-management education workshop help me?

Learning strategies to better manage your arthritis can help you:

• Feel more in control of your health.
• Manage pain and other symptoms.
• Carry out daily activities, like going to work and spending time with loved ones.
• Reduce stress.
• Improve your mood.
• Communicate better with your health care provider about your care.

Learn about CDC-recommended self-management education programs that improve the quality of life of people with arthritis.

Stay as active as your health allows, and change your activity level depending on your arthritis symptoms. Some physical activity is better than none.

Unsure about what kind of activity is safe?

The focus of arthritis treatment is to

Also Check: How Do You Know You Have Arthritis

When To Contact A Doctor

Although it is not always necessary to contact a doctor during an osteoarthritis flare-up, symptoms that persist for more than a few days may need medical treatment.

The doctor may request imaging tests, such as X-rays or MRI scans, to check for changes to joints and other damage. They will likely recommend medications to treat pain.

If necessary, the doctor may suggest additional treatments to address triggers, such as CBT for stress.

Osteoarthritis flare-ups are not always preventable, but some strategies can help minimize risk.

For example, people with osteoarthritis may find the following tips helpful:

• Maintain a moderate weight by making healthy dietary choices and getting plenty of exercise.
• Reduce stress through meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing exercises.
• Take measures to get enough sleep.
• Engage in regular exercise to strengthen the bones, lubricate the joints, and increase muscle mass.
• Wear supportive braces to help protect and stabilize the joints.
• Use assistive devices to reduce stress on the joints.

Some foods and beverages that may help prevent inflammation include:

• fresh fruits and vegetables, as they are good sources of antioxidants

The Best Home Treatment

Hot and Cold Compression Therapy is effective for moderate to severe pain, and it is something anybody can do at home. Apply heat 2-3 times a day for 20 to 30 minutes using a heating pad, hot shower or hot pack. It works by warming viscous joint fluid contained in each joint capsule and maintaining hand flexibility. Warmth leads to vasodilatation, which favors blood circulation, oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the injured tissues.

Taking a steamy shower at the start of the day helps to reduce morning stiffness, limber up the body and increase range of motion. Dipping hand in melted paraffin wax also helps in relieving pain. After a heat or cold treatment, try some gentle massage for relaxation and pain relief. Electric heating pad or putting a wet washcloth in a freezer bag and warming it in the microwave for one minute are helpful warm compressions.

Applying cold packs on a painful joint for 10 to 20 minutes is also effective to reduce swelling and inflammation in case of acute injury.

Don’t Miss: Can Popping Your Fingers Cause Arthritis

The Diagnosis Of Osteoarthritis

When diagnosing osteoarthritis, your doctor will ask you about your hands and other joints. Explain how your symptoms affect what you do. Your doctor will check how your hands look and function. X-rays of joints with osteoarthritis can show loss of normal joint space, bone spurs, or other changes.

Are There Any Other Treatment Options Being Investigated

For osteoarthritis, some clinical research trials are underway in the U.S. exploring stem cell treatment. Early findings are encouraging. Stem cell therapy so far has shown to provide some pain relief and improvement in function. The ultimate goal would hopefully be to use stem cells to regrow cartilage.

Over the past decade, researchers developed many new medications for psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with more studies underway.

Read Also: How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Thumb

What Type Of Hand Surgery Is Most Commonly Performed On The Specific Joints Affected By Arthritis

• Base of the thumb: Where your thumb and wrist join. Common surgical options include removing part or all of one of the trapezium bone , tendon transfer or joint fusion.
• Knuckles : Joint replacement is almost always considered for this repair. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause serious damage and disability to your knuckles.
• Second joint of your finger : Osteoarthritis commonly causes stiffness and loss of motion. Joint replacement or fusion are considered for these joints. Because you use these joints frequently, there is a chance your implant could wear out. In this case, your provider may recommend further surgery.
• Top of finger joint : Joint fusion is commonly used to treat arthritis in this joint.

How Arthritis In The Hands Is Treated

If youre diagnosed with an inflammatory form of arthritis, you have more treatment options than someone with OA. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help manage the pain of both types of arthritis, the development of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics has vastly improved the prognosis of those with inflammatory forms of arthritis by reducing inflammation and preventing further joint damage.

Cortisone injections can be useful for those with OA and conditions such as RA, though theyre usually used in patients whose inflammatory arthritis is limited to just one or two joints, Dr. Byram says. Injections of hyaluronic acid can be helpful for those with OA , but these are better for managing pain in larger joints like the knees rather than the hands.

Read Also: Is Folic Acid Good For Arthritis

Use Hot And Cold Therapy

Hot and cold therapy can also be used to address the arthritis symptoms in your hands. Try applying ice to your swollen joints for at least 10 minutes at a time to help reduce the swelling. When applying ice to your hands, be sure to use a cloth to prevent any skin damage. As an alternative, try placing your hands in a tub of warm water for heat therapy. This can help ease your stiff joints. There are plenty of over the counter products available for hot and cold therapy that can help too.

How Are Wrists And Hands Affected By Arthritis

Any joint in your fingers, thumbs, knuckles and wrists can be affected by arthritis. Many different types of arthritis can affect your hands and cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness. People with hand arthritis often find their grip weakens and it becomes harder to do fine movements, such as turning a key or tying shoelaces.

Find out about aids and equipment that can make everyday tasks easier. Learn ways to protect your hands and manage your symptoms.

Don’t Miss: How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Your Hands

Exercises That Help Relieve Arthritis In The Fingers And Hands

If someone is pain free, it is critical to keep joints in good range of motion. Simple shoulder shrugs, wrist, and finger range of motion exercises help keep joint range of motion, says physical therapist Charles J. Gulas, PT, PhD, GCS, dean of the School of Health Professions at Maryville University of St. Louis. Being pain free is the key, Gulas stresses, especially when doing exercises intended to build strength. When pain acts up, rest and pain management may be a better bet.

Try these range-of-motion exercises to keep your hands, fingers, and thumbs flexible and to ease symptoms of arthritis in the fingers and in the hands overall:

• Close your fist and then gradually open your hand, stretching your fingers out, then close slowly into a fist again.
• Make circle motions with your thumb, keeping it straight.
• Stretch your thumb away from the palm of your hand, then use it to touch each fingertip.

Repeat these exercises 3 to 10 times daily. Stop if you feel pain in a joint or if you’re experiencing additional pain once youre done. Some people find that doing these hand exercises under warm water is helpful. If you have osteoarthritis, you may need to wear a splint, wear a compression glove, or use another type of support to help reduce wear and tear on your joints during your daily activities. Ask your doctor or a physical therapist to recommend the type of device that may help you.

Ra In Hands: What Hand Joints Are Affected By Rheumatoid Arthritis

Its no fun waking up like this: your hands ache. Your fingers are stiff and sometimes twisted. They may even feel hot and tender to the touch. There is no good hand that isnt plagued by these symptoms. Its another flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis , a malady that can affect any joint in the body, but frequently settles in the hands.

Read Also: What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Which Joints In The Hands Are Affected By Ra

The joints that connect your fingers to your hands are among the ones most often affected. You are also likely to experience symptoms in the the joints between your wrist and forearms and the middle knuckles in your fingers. The outermost joints are the least likely to be affected by RA. Usually, people will not start feeling pain there until the joints further down the hand have been affected.

Can Arthritis In The Hand Be Prevented

Arthritis cant be prevented. However, you can watch for symptoms of arthritis as you age and see your healthcare provider if you notice changes in your joints. You can also take steps to control factors that you can control. Eat healthy to nourish your body and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts more stress on your joints. Dont smoke. Smoking increases your risk of arthritis.

Don’t Miss: What Natural Supplements Help Arthritis

Treatment Of Arthritis In Hands And Fingers

First medications. Although not all medications can restore the cartilage and the joints themselves in the condition that they have been before the Arthritis, they sure can decrease the symptoms and give you a relief. But some medications like Projoint Plus supplement can help you get relief from joint pain. Else you can also attempt the physical therapy that can assist as well in the process of symptoms relief.

First medications. Although the use of medication cannot restore the cartilage and the joints themselves in the condition that they have been before the Arthritis, they sure can decrease the symptoms and give you a relief. can help as well in the process of symptoms relief.

And occupational therapy which has a special role to teach the patient how to complete everyday tasks as dressing up, cooking, eating, bathing and so on, while still managing the Arthritis. Sometimes, a surgical treatment might be needed as well.

How To Get Rid Of Arthritis In Fingers

• Surgery

Arthritis of the fingers can be quite uncomfortable, causing symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. These symptoms make hand motions like grasping and pinching difficult, which restricts a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two types of arthritis that most commonly affect the finger joints. Depending on which type of arthritis affects your finger joints, you may experience additional symptoms.

Thankfully, numerous remedies can help alleviate the discomfort from arthritis of the fingers, from hand exercises to help strengthen your fingers to over-the-counter and prescription pain medications and surgical treatments.

Read Also: Can You Reverse Psoriatic Arthritis

What Symptoms Look And Feel Like And What To Do If You Can’t Shake The Ache

by Michelle Crouch, AARP, February 18, 2020| 0

En español | It’s not unusual to experience pain in your joints on occasion, especially if you’re active and participate in high-impact activities such as running. That unwanted ouch can be caused by injured muscles, tendons and ligaments around the joint, by tendonitis or by a sprain or a strain.

But if you start experiencing aching, pain and stiffness on a routine basis and particularly if the pain is right at the joint you may be developing arthritis, says rheumatologist Uzma Haque, codirector of clinical operations at the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center in Baltimore.

“The cardinal feature of arthritis is a swollen joint, Haque says. However, pain, discomfort and stiffness can be early signs.”

Haque recommends paying attention to what triggers your symptoms: If you walk a block and consistently have aching in your right knee, but it improves when you sit down, that’s when you should think, Do I need a medical evaluation?

And yes, you might need to book that appointment even if you’re well under 50. Arthritis doesn’t only affect older people. Although your risk increases as you age, more than half of arthritis patients are younger than 65, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . It’s a leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting around 54 million people.

Reducing The Strain On Your Hands And Wrists

We use our hands a lot in daily life. If you have osteoarthritis in your hands or wrists, taking some time to think about how you use them, and how you could reduce the strain on them, can bring great benefits. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your hands, just that you should think about ways of using them differently.

It may be helpful to see an occupational therapist or hand therapist, who will be able to offer a lot of useful advice on this. But many people discover for themselves different ways of doing things that help to ease the strain on their joints. Examples include:

• using gadgets such as electric tin openers or tools with softer, chunkier handles that don’t need such a tight grip
• using a backpack or shopping trolley to avoid carrying heavy bags in your hands
• taking more frequent breaks from tasks that put more strain on your joints or switching between harder and easier jobs
• using both hands for some of the tasks that you normally do one-handed
• having taps or door handles changed for those that are easier to use
• looking out for easy-to-handle fastenings when choosing clothing or shoes.

Find out more about looking after your joints.

You May Like: What Causes Inflammatory Arthritis Flare Ups

How Are Hand And Wrist Arthritis Diagnosed

The orthopedic surgeons at MedStar Orthopaedic Institute are experts at diagnosing the full range of hand and wrist arthritis problems. Our initial exam generally includes:

• Medical history evaluation This includes asking questions about when your pain began, whether it affects one or both sides of your body, and when the pain feels most severe. Other questions may be about whether you have other medical problems, and if you take any medications.
• Physical exam Your doctor will examine your affected hand or wrist.
• Imaging tests Your orthopedist may want to examine the bones and joints in your hands and wrists more closely using an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI.

What Are The Early Signs Of Arthritis In The Hands

The early symptoms of arthritis may vary depending on several factors such as the type of arthritis, age of the individual and which joint is involved.

Some of the early signs and symptoms of hand arthritis include

• Stiffness in the joints, especially in the morning
• Pain or ache in the affected area
• Swelling at the affected site
• The skin over the affected joint that may appear red and inflamed
• Loss of function of the involved joint or muscle
• A grating sensation or popping sound when the joint moves
• Loss of muscle mass at the affected site
• Presence of small, bony bump-like swellings on the hand
• The skin over the affected joint may be warm to the touch
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Deformities in the affected hands and fingers
• Fever, if the arthritis is due to an infection

Also Check: Can You Exercise With Arthritis