Pain in the joints of my hands

The hand is the most mobile part of the body. It has a significant range of motion. With the help of our hands, we do the most delicate work, write, create real works of art. For this reason, it is very important to protect the joints of the hands and take care of their health.

The largest joints of the hand are:

• wrist joints
• finger joints
• wrist joint
• elbow joint
• shoulder joint.

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Diseases that cause pain in the joints of the hands

Pain in the joints of the hands appears if there are any diseases of the joints. The most common are rheumatoid arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis, arthritis of the corresponding joint, injuries or sprains of the muscles and ligaments surrounding the joint. Of course, there are others, but they are much less common.

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Rheumatoid arthritis

In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the diagnosis can only be made by a specialist based on X-ray images, the nature of changes in tests and the symptoms of these diseases, which are quite characteristic. For such a disease as rheumatoid arthritis, for example, symmetry in joint damage is characteristic (the same joints on both hands are affected), signs of an inflammatory process (reddening of the skin, swelling, limited mobility in them).

Rheumatoid arthritis can be diagnosed in both very young children and adults. Often the joints of the hands are affected. By the way, this disease almost always occurs in those over 50, although sometimes hereditary forms of osteoarthritis are observed, in which the disease can manifest itself in adolescence and even at a younger age. Osteoarthritis is characterized by pain in the joints of the hands after any physical work, closer to the evening, while with rheumatoid arthritis, on the contrary, the pain syndrome weakens a little after physical activity.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects such joints of the hands as the wrists and phalanges of the fingers. Pain in the joints of the hands is usually of moderate intensity, redness and swelling of the joints are noted, while symmetry is observed on both sides. At least 2 groups of joints are subject to pain syndrome. After sleep, some stiffness may be felt, which does not disappear for several hours. Pain attacks can occur both periodically and be of a permanent nature.

How to treat. You should immediately consult a rheumatologist. Although rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured, you can still slow down the degenerative changes in your joints by taking anti-inflammatory medications or undergoing surgery by performing a synovectomy.

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Gout

Gout ("meat-eaters' disease") occurs because crystals of a substance formed during the metabolism of purines (substances, the amount of which is especially large in meat products and meat itself) are deposited in the joints. If this metabolism is disrupted, gout begins to develop. Gout mainly affects mature men. The pain is usually acute, sometimes it becomes simply unbearable. The attack begins unexpectedly. The joint swells, the skin around it becomes purple-red.

Gout mainly affects the wrist and elbow joints. The pain in the joints of the hands is extremely intense and has a burning, pressing, pulsating or tearing character. The pain syndrome reaches its maximum at night, the pain subsides only in the morning. An attack can be caused by drinking alcoholic beverages, excessive consumption of meat and too fatty foods, visiting a bathhouse or sauna. An exacerbation can occur approximately 2 to 6 times a year and last for 3-4 days.

How to treat. In order to block an attack of gout, it is necessary to take analgesics (they can only be recommended by a doctor). After that, it is necessary to follow a diet as strictly as possible, which limits the consumption of meat, fish, too fatty dishes and alcoholic beverages, and, on the recommendation of a doctor, from time to time undergo a course of treatment with medications that lower the level of purines in the blood.

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Osteoarthritis of the hand joints

This disease affects the elbow and shoulder joints, the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb, and the small joints of the hand. Pain in the joints of the hands usually bothers during the day, becomes more intense with any movements, physical activity, if you spend a lot of time in an upright position. It weakens significantly in the morning and after rest. Sometimes you can hear crunching and clicking in the joints. Painful sensations can bother both a long time (for several weeks and even months), and a short period - up to 1 day.

How to treat. Medication is rarely prescribed. In most cases, massage sessions, physiotherapy, swimming, and mud therapy are effective.

Arthritis of the hand joints

With this disease, as a rule, there are constant pain sensations with the slightest movement and limited mobility of the arm joint, a feeling of stiffness after the night, swelling and redness of the skin area over the affected joint, and probably an increase in body temperature. Arthritis is an inflammatory process in the joint. It can manifest itself in an acute form, in which case there is intense pain and swelling, or it can manifest itself in a chronic form - in this case, the disease passes slowly, sometimes reminding of itself with pain syndrome. The second form is more dangerous in that the symptoms are not clearly expressed, since a prolonged inflammatory process can cause deformation of the joint and subsequently its complete destruction. Often, arthritis appears as a result of an infection that gets directly into the joint or from other organs along with the bloodstream.

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Rheumatism

This disease manifests itself after an acute upper respiratory tract infection. The onset of a typical form of rheumatism is expressed in fever and pain in the joints of the hands. As a rule, large joints are affected: wrist, elbow. The pain is volatile in nature, it can migrate from one joint to another. Redness and swelling appear around the joint affected by rheumatism, but irreversible changes do not occur. With a prolonged course of the disease, rheumatic nodules may appear around the diseased joint. They look like dense, lentil-sized formations. They appear, as a rule, in those places that are subject to pressure: the bend of the elbow, wrist, forearm. A specific rash may appear on the skin of a child suffering from rheumatism: pale reddish spots of a curved or ring-shaped form, as well as in the form of narrow stripes. As the disease progresses, serious heart damage may begin.