How To Tell If Your Getting Arthritis In Your Hands

What Are The First Signs Of Arthritis In Your Hands

If you are having pain in your hands and it is frequent, you may have arthritis. Having persistent pains in your hands is one of the signs of arthritis, and another possible cause of pain could be carpal tunnel.

Arthritis can cause joint destruction if it is severe. Knowing the signs of arthritis will help you get your hands treated quickly. The faster you get it treated, the better.

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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

When Hand Or Wrist Pain May Mean Arthritis

Learn about the various causes of hand or wrist pain, including different kinds of arthritis.

Many forms of arthritis and related conditions that affect different parts of the hands. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling or numbness in the wrist and fingers. Pitted nails, painful ulcers or thickened skin that makes bending the fingers difficult may also occur. Here are some diseases that affect the hands.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Also known as wear and tear arthritis, OA is a chronic condition caused by the breakdown of the cartilage, which cushions the ends of the bones where they meet to form joints. This breakdown causes the bones to rub together, causing stiffness, pain and loss of joint movement.

In hand OA, the joints most commonly affected by OA are the wrists, the joints at the base of the thumb, the middle finger joints and the joints closest to fingernails. In the finger joints, OA can lead to the formation of nodes .

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by a faulty immune system that primarily attacks joints . The result can be joint pain, swelling, inflammation and loss of function. RA commonly affects the wrist and finger joints. RA usually affects the same joint on both sides of the body . If untreated, the disease can cause joint deformities that make it difficult to use the hands.

Juvenile Arthritis

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What Symptoms Look And Feel Like And What To Do If You Cant Shake The Ache

Arthritis In Hands Critical Basics To Know If You Want To Be Pain Free

En español |Its not unusual to experience pain in your joints on occasion, especially if youre 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 or by tendonitis, 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, M.D., codirector of clinical operations at the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center in Baltimore.

Your risk of arthritis increases as you age, and its a leading cause of disability in the U.S., affecting around 58.5 million people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

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Weight Management And Diet

Although the link between your weight and osteoarthritis of the hands may be less clear than for weight-bearing joints such as the knees, some research shows that being overweight increases inflammation and therefore pain. Therefore, if you have osteoarthritis of the hand or wrist, it still makes sense to try to maintain, or achieve, a healthy weight.

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Staying Physically Active Despite Hand Arthritis

Your doctor will tell you and probably has already that staying physically active is an important part of managing arthritis. In fact, according to a study of 5,715 adults with arthritis over age 65, a lack of regular, vigorous physical activity doubled the risk of functional decline. In other words, the less physically active the participants were, the more likely they were to become disabled.

Of course, despite data showing that physical activity helps people with arthritis become stronger and more flexible, anyone with arthritis will tell you that sometimes pain or stiffness makes it hard to get going, let alone lift weights at the gym. People with arthritis often give up activities they think of as optional, such as exercising or gardening, in order to have enough energy for the activities they feel obligated to do, such as cleaning the house. One study found that only 13 percent of men and 8 percent of women with arthritis met federal guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

If symptoms of arthritis in your hands or elsewhere are preventing you from participating in the physical activities you used to enjoy and that are good for you it may be time to find new ways to be active. For example, you may want to experiment with water activities such as swimming, or try tai chi, dance, or walking .

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Rheumatoid Arthritis And Hands

Rheumatoid arthritis often starts in smaller joints such as in the hand or wrist. One of the early signs of RA in the hands is aninability to form a complete fist.

It usually occurs in a symmetrical pattern, affecting both hands including the knuckle joints, middle finger joints and wrists. People withlong-standing RA or those diagnosed later in life may notice a deviation of their fingers to the side, away from the thumb.

Surrounding tendons can also become inflamed, affecting the ability to straighten fingers. People with RA are also more susceptible todeveloping carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition caused by pressure on nerves that run through the wrist, with symptoms of numbness, pins andneedles, and pain.

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What Outcome Can I Expect If I Have Arthritis In My Hands

There is no cure for arthritis. However, you can usually manage mild to moderate symptoms with a combination of medication and non-medication approaches. Surgery may be an option if other treatments fail or the arthritis in your hands is severe. Your healthcare provider will explain what outcome you can expect for your type and severity of arthritis, your age, other existing medical conditions and other factors.

Why Its Essential To Diagnose Hand Arthritis

If you have hand pain, the first step is to have it diagnosed. Many times, I will see patients for arthritis and diagnose them with another condition that causes joint pain, Dr. Panico said. Gout, pseudogout, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and tendinitis can have similar symptoms. These conditions are treated differently, so it is worth the evaluation, she said.

She also said youll want to have a medical professional evaluate your joint pain if its impacting your ability to do your job or your daily activities or if your range of motion is shrinking and its becoming difficult to move the joint. A simple x-ray can determine if you have osteoarthritis. People often think their condition is just part of aging. That might be true, but there could be something other than arthritis causing your pain. And even if we cannot completely take the pain away, we can help you understand ways to modify activities, Dr. Panico said.

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What Is Arthritis Of The Hand

Arthritis is a disease that attacks the tissues of your joints. A joint is where two bones meet. Arthritis can attack the lining of your joint or the cartilage, the smooth covering at the ends of bones. Eventually the cartilage breaks down, the ends of your bones become exposed, rub against each other and wear away. You have many joints in your hand, therefore its a common site for arthritis to happen.

Arthritis of the hand causes pain and swelling, stiffness and deformity. As arthritis progresses, you cant use your hands to manage everyday tasks as you once could.

What Are Hand Psoriasis Treatments

You probably already know that psoriasis on the hands can be challenging to treat. While that can feel a little disheartening, know that there are still lots of options to try.

There are some treatments, such as certain topical creams or ointments, that can help with both psoriasis and eczema, Dr. Rosmarin says. The immune system is too active in the skin, so we have medicines that can tell the immune system to calm down.

Typically, the first-line treatment for psoriasis plaques on the hands is topical corticosteroids, which come in the form of anti-inflammatory creams, ointments, or gels. Sometimes, a doctor may recommend applying this with occlusionthis means wearing gloves or wrapping the hands, ideally to allow the medication to better penetrate. Other times, your dermatologist will recommend combining this medication with calcipotriene, an ointment that helps to slow skin cell growth.

Another topical application is acitretin. Its a form of vitamin A that can take three to six months of steady application to see results.

Unfortunately, psoriasis plaques can sometimes be so thick that its difficult for the topical medications to fully penetrate the skin. When this is the case, you may need to turn to the second-line treatments. These usually involve systemic treatments or light therapy.

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Inflammatory Arthritis Vs Osteoarthritis: Causes And Symptoms

Arthritis actually describes over 100 different conditions that affect joints and the surrounding tissue. They fall into two main categories: inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis .

Inflammatory arthritis is a systemic disease in which the mechanisms that normally protect your body attack your own joints and tissues instead. The most well-known example is rheumatoid arthritis its hallmark symptom is prolonged stiffness and achiness in the morning after waking up. RA also tends to be symmetrical, meaning youll have problems in the same joints on both sides of your body, like both wrists or both knees.

The second type of arthritis and the most common form is osteoarthritis. A degenerative disorder, its caused by trauma or age-related wear and tear on your joints over time. Osteoarthritis is most likely to affect weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hip, lower spine or big toe, but it can also cause pain and stiffness in your thumb or finger joints.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Ra In The Hands

The most common symptoms involve pain, swelling and stiffness in the hands and fingers. You may also experience:

• Numbness and tingling similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Joints that are warm and tender to the touch.
• Misshapen joints in your wrist or fingers.

You will usually experience symptoms in both hands. The pain and stiffness from RA lasts for more than an hour after waking up.

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Treatment For Hand Arthritis

Treating hand arthritis usually starts with conservative methods of taking anti-inflammatory medications, ice and heat therapy, splinting, and manipulation therapies. If pain persists, doctors may recommend steroid injections for immediate pain relief. However, this treatment method only offers temporary relief. When arthritis pain in the hand progresses and conservative treatments fail to bring relief, there may be damage to the hands joints, in which case, surgery may be necessary.

Types Of Finger Arthritis

There are three types of arthritis that commonly affect the fingers:

• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis, also called wear-and-tear arthritis, is the most common type of finger arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes normal cartilage to wear away. This exposes bare bone at the joints. The most frequently affected joints in the hand are the knuckles of the mid-finger and fingertip and the joint at the base of the thumb.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis causes a different type of joint destruction. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects the whole body. It causes the immune system to attack the soft tissues surrounding the joints. The most commonly affected joints in the hand are the knuckles at the base of the fingers .
• Gout: Gout is a condition that occurs when crystals develop within the joints. These crystals can form in one or more joints when there is too much of a substance called uric acid in the body. While the big toe is the most commonly affected part of the body, gout can also develop in finger joints.

Rarely, other types of arthritis can also cause problems in the fingers.

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Those Aches In Your Hands Could Be Arthritis Heres What Can Help

Maybe one day you wake up with an ache in your fingers or at the base of your thumb. Or you feel a stab of pain when you pick up a dinner plate, cut your fingernails or turn a doorknob. You wonder if maybe you overdid it weeding your garden, or you have an overuse injury from computer work.

A lot of different things can cause hand pain, and one of them is osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Anyone can develop it, and your risk is higher if you are over 50 and female.

Brittany Panico, DO, a rheumatologist at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix, explained that if you have this type of arthritis in your hands, youll often feel it when you pinch or grip things. It most commonly affects the first two joints below your fingernails and the joint at the base of your thumb.

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.

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Heres What Causes Hand Arthritis

You have a layer of cartilage that helps protect your bones, and over time, this cartilage wears down. Areas of tension develop on your bone, and you develop something like a callous or bone spur. Thats why knuckles with arthritis are bigger. This excess bone makes your joint feel stiff and swollen and reduces your mobility.

While aging is the main factor in developing arthritis, some things can worsen it. If youve had a joint injury or surgery in the past, arthritis might develop faster. You may also be more likely to develop arthritis if you use vibrating equipment like jackhammers or power drills.We dont know if there is a link between long-term computer work and arthritis, but people who use their hands for extended periods of time may notice more joint stiffness as they get older, Dr. Panico said.

Inflammatory Arthritis Vs Osteoarthritis

Arthritis actually describes over 100 different conditions that affect joints and the surrounding tissue. They fall into two main categories: inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis .

Inflammatory arthritis is a systemic disease in which the mechanisms that normally protect your body attack your own joints and tissues instead. The most well-known example is rheumatoid arthritis , which tends to be symmetrical, meaning youll have problems in the same joints on both sides of your body, like both wrists or both knees.

The second type of arthritis and the most common form is osteoarthritis. A degenerative disorder, its caused by trauma or age-related wear and tear on your joints over time. OA is most likely to affect weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hip, lower spine or big toe, but it can also cause pain and stiffness in your thumb or finger joints.

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How To Diagnose Arthritis In The Hands

Your doctor may rely on medical history, physical examination, and blood and imaging tests to determine the diagnosis.

• Physical examination: Swelling of the hands feels harder in osteoarthritis , whereas it is softer in rheumatoid arthritis .
• Blood test: It is performed to detect the presence of antibodies such as rheumatoid factor or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide that help identify RA and other types of inflammatory arthritis.
• Imaging test:X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging scans may reveal joint erosion in RA and the presence of osteophytes and loss of cartilage in OA.

What Are The Signs Of Arthritis In The Hands

May 19, 2021

Achy, swollen hands? Stiffness in your wrists? Its common to assume these are symptoms of arthritis. While 40 million Americans suffer from arthritis, its far less frequent in the hands than people expect. Instead, what many mistake for arthritis is actually tendonitis. Let’s look at the difference between arthritis and other conditions, risk factors and treatments.

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Who Gets Arthritis In Their Hands

You are more likely to get arthritis in your hands if:

• Youre older. Osteoarthritis is commonly seen after age 50. Rheumatoid arthritis typically first appears between the age of 35 and 50.
• Youre a woman.
• Youre overweight.
• Youve had previous injuries to your hand. If youve dislocated or broken any joints in your hands or fingers, you are more likely to develop arthritis.
• You’ve inherited genes that cause the development of arthritis.