Hands are very important for a person. You can do a variety of jobs with your fingers. However, when joint problems start, some difficulties arise. Sometimes it is difficult for a person to perform a normal movement, let alone the best work with small details. Of course, this affects the quality of life, so it is important to monitor your health. But what to do if your knuckles already hurt? The causes and treatment of this pathology will depend on many factors. The age of the patient plays an important role. Of course, people after 40 years are more sensitive to inflammatory processes. However, both young adults and children can complain of joint pain. What causes it? Let's figure it out.
Finger joint pain: causes
Your joints won't hurt as easily. There must be a reason for this. In medicine, it is believed that such a symptom is directly related to certain injuries and diseases. The latter include:
- Arthritis.
- Stenotic ligamentitis.
- Arthrosis.
- Gout.
- Scholarships.
- Osteomyelitis.
Of course, these are not all the reasons that can cause pain in the finger joint. The most common ones are shown above. So, let's get to know them in more detail.
Arthritis
Does your knuckle hurt? What should be done in this situation? Of course, the first thing you should do is go to the doctor. The fact is that this symptom can be caused either by a simple injury or by a rather serious disease that requires specific treatment. The sooner you start, the easier it is to achieve a positive result.
Most people of retirement age begin to experience joint pain. They usually develop arthritis. The inflammatory process can occur in acute or chronic form. It is worth paying attention to the fact that arthritis affects not only the joints of the fingers, but also others. A person suffering from this disease feels sharp pains. They don't even stop at rest.
Both women and men are at risk. However, in the latter, the disease appears much less often. Unfortunately, children are not protected from this pathology. They are most often diagnosed with juvenile arthritis. To date, this species has not been fully studied. But its consequences are quite serious. Some children not only have difficulty moving their fingers, but may be disabled for life. Scientists believe that this disease is caused by the improper functioning of the immune system. Children under 16 are at risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis is of a different nature. Caused by infectious and allergic diseases. The danger of this type is that without treatment, the acute form becomes chronic. Such a person will be limited in movement and will constantly suffer from pain.
Under no circumstances should the treatment be carried out independently, as it is necessary to know the type of arthritis and the reasons that provoked the disease. The first thing you should do is see a doctor. After the examination, he will prescribe treatment.
Here are the measures that doctors use if the joints in the fingers hurt:
- How to treat a patient if he is diagnosed with an infectious disease? In most cases, antibiotics are used.
- To relieve inflammation, the patient is prescribed drugs such as NSAIDs.
- Chondroprotectors are urgently needed to stop the destructive processes.
- Aerobic exercises are prescribed, including in the pool.
- Diet.
arthrosis
If you are wondering why the joints in your fingers hurt, then there may be several reasons for this pathology. One of them is a disease like arthrosis. It is formed due to the destruction of cartilage tissue. This happens sequentially. Initially, the person does not feel any discomfort. Painful sensations can appear only after physical activity, and that for a long time. However, after a certain period of time, their character becomes more intense. The pain also occurs at night. This indicates that the disease has begun to progress.
For people who have chronic arthrosis and severe pain in the big toe joint, doctors diagnose it as "rhizarthrosis". The disease has three stages of development. It can be caused by several reasons. They can be congenital or acquired. In the first case, dysplasia of the articular joint is diagnosed. Rhizarthrosis also occurs due to obesity, metabolic disorders or severe trauma. If the treatment is not started in time, this threatens not only the destruction of the cartilage, but also the articular ligaments and all nearby bone structures are affected.
The main symptom of rhizarthrosis, of course, is pain. However, this is not the only thing that accompanies the disease. The patient may also feel a characteristic tingling when moving the finger, decreased mobility and numbness. All this complements the swelling and redness of the skin. If your knuckle is swollen and painful, then it's time to see a doctor. The fact is that it is much easier to cure rhizarthrosis in the first stage than in the last. Very rare, but surgery may still be necessary.
A disease such as arthrosis is quite common. People of all ages are at risk. Even a small injury can cause it. With arthrosis, the joints are modified a lot, which affects the shape of the fingers.
bursitis
If an inflammatory process appears in the periarticular bursa, this means that a disease such as bursitis is developing. It is accompanied by an accumulation of fluids. Inflammation occurs after a severe bruise or scratch. This disease is also caused by a certain type of microbe - pyogen. People with this pathology have pain in the joints of the fingers and toes. In addition, inflammation can spread throughout the body. Fluid collects in the shoulder, knee, elbow and hip joints.
In medicine, two forms of the disease are distinguished: acute and chronic. It starts with the first one. In the initial stage, a person feels severe pain, which increases significantly with the movement of the joint. A fairly elastic swelling appears. It comes in different diameters. When the disease begins to progress, the pain does not stop at night, even if the hand remains immobile. Also during bursitis, redness of the skin, swelling of the limbs and hypothermia are observed.
If not treated, the acute form becomes chronic. The latter has milder symptoms. A person's knuckles hurt much less. You should not refuse treatment, since chronic bursitis does not exclude an increase in fluid, which can lead to the formation of a cystic cavity. Also, the inflammatory process leads to the formation of calcium deposits in the area of the diseased joint. To ease the patient's condition as much as possible, you will need to fix the limb well with elastic bandages. This will protect you from accidental movement, which causes severe pain. After that, you should consult an orthopedic traumatologist. He will choose anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as anesthetics that can be taken for acute pain.
gout
If you have pain in the knuckles of your right or left hand, then gout may be the cause of these unpleasant sensations. This disease is considered the most common. It is more often found in the elderly. The cause of its appearance is a violation of uric acid metabolism (sodium crystals are deposited in the tissues). Most people think that gout can only occur on the feet around the big toe. However, this is not the case. In some people, such formations can also appear on the fingers of the upper extremities.
The inflammatory process is accompanied by swelling, severe redness, pain and peeling of the skin. Provocative factors can also be microtraumas, physical activity, stress, infectious diseases, etc. The disease manifests itself quite quickly. Within a few hours, you will notice all the symptoms described above. Patients often have a high temperature, which causes chills or fever. In the acute form of gout, the knuckles are very painful. Even a light touch can significantly increase the unpleasant sensation.
With this disease, it is important to strictly adhere to the diet. It is selected individually by the doctor for each patient. Drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited. The patient should drink at least two liters of water and fluids per day. To remove uric acid from the blood, the patient is prescribed anti-gout medication. However, you should not rely on quick results, as their use can last for years. They are prescribed only by doctors. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also be added to them.
Stenotic ligamentitis
If a child has pain in the joints of the fingers, this may be caused by a pathology called stenotic ligamentitis. It develops in the ligamento-tendon apparatus. When this disease occurs, not only one finger, but also several can be stuck in a bent position. In children, it manifests itself starting from the first year of life. However, they are not the only ones at risk. Adults can also have stenotic ligaments. Most often these are people of retirement age.
The reasons that provoke this disease in children are caused by unbalanced development. That is, annular ligaments grow much more slowly than tendons. Because of this, an imbalance occurs. This causes the ligaments to press on the tendons. For this reason, an easily palpable compression occurs. When bending a finger, the child can feel a characteristic click in a certain joint.
The cause of stenotic ligamentitis in adults is an inflammatory process, the focus of which is on the tendons. This is what causes pain in the knuckles. Here is what else can cause the development of this disease:
- Overload.
- Inheritance.
- Incorrect structure of tendons and annular ligament.
- Some diseases (diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and others).
Symptoms of stenotic ligamentitis:
- clicks when bending;
- pain when pressed;
- compression formation;
- restriction in movement.
The first two symptoms correspond to the first stage of the disease. A seal is already formed in the second. But in the third stage, the patient can no longer point the fingers independently. This can only be done surgically. However, such treatment is used in quite complex cases. It is better to start the development of ligaments and tendons at the initial stage of the disease, performing a special complex of physical therapy.
INJURY
Do your knuckles hurt? The cause may be the diseases described above or a displacement. The latter is provoked by the displacement of bones. Most often, athletes face this pathology. However, ordinary people are not protected from dislocations. This type of injury has certain symptoms. These include severe pain, swelling of the affected area and joint deformity.
Of course, any finger can be suppressed. However, the large one is more susceptible to this. The fact is that it is he who remains vulnerable if he moves incorrectly. Although the ligamentous apparatus of this finger is quite powerful, it is easy to get a sprain without calculating the load. This pathology can develop even if you accidentally fall on your hand. A person immediately experiences severe pain, after which (for about an hour) the limb swells and there may be redness.
Of course, you will not be able to lead your usual lifestyle if the big toe joint hurts. How to treat a dislocation or sprain? If possible, you should consult a doctor. At the appointment, a photo is taken to rule out a fracture or dislocation. In the first minutes, it is advisable to apply something cold. Then warm compresses are recommended. Analgesics are taken to reduce pain. Ointments that have an analgesic effect are also very useful.
Osteomyelitis
This disease is accompanied by a purulent process that can affect not only the joints, but the whole body. It even penetrates the bone marrow. The seriousness of this pathology cannot be underestimated. The inflammatory process is infectious in nature. It spreads to all nearby tissues. Over time, the lesion grows, getting bigger and bigger. Necrosis occurs due to poor circulation.
Children most often suffer from hematogenous osteomyelitis. This type of disease appears due to the fact that microorganisms enter the bone tissue with blood. If the infection occurs after a fracture or other injury, then doctors diagnose "post-traumatic osteomyelitis. "
Symptoms:
- knuckles are very sore;
- there is pain and twisting;
- the temperature rises;
- the damaged area swells and becomes red;
- finger movements are impossible due to acute pain;
- pus begins to ooze through the skin.
Surgery is considered the most effective treatment. However, it can also be combined with medicines. The latter is necessary to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the body. In the case of osteomyelitis, folk remedies are considered ineffective.
My knuckles hurt. Treatment
Treatment of this pathology is necessary only in a complex way. It consists of three tasks:
- Eliminate the root cause.
- Pain relief.
- Restoring functions.
As mentioned above, treatment must be selected individually in each case. Of course, when choosing certain methods, doctors take into account the cause of severe pain, symptoms and degree of inflammation. There are both medical and surgical treatments.
However, if a person does not have the opportunity to visit the hospital, then you can simply try to reduce the pain syndrome. Painkillers are suitable for these purposes. But it is important to remember that they do not eliminate the main cause, so after the effect of the drug passes, a relapse will inevitably occur. If the pain is very strong, then the oil will help increase the effect of the tablets.
Traditional methods
What should you do if your knuckles hurt? In this case, folk remedies can also be used:
- Propolis with vegetable oil.It is used as an ointment. Both vegetable and corn oil will do. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed. The ointment is applied to the skin of the affected area.
- Caucasian hellebore.This type of plant is used to prepare an ointment that perfectly relieves pain. To prepare it, you need to take the same amount of honey as there was hellebore. To these ingredients add unrefined vegetable oil, literally a few drops and a pinch of dry mustard. All this is mixed until smooth, then heated in a water bath. Apply to the affected area before going to bed.
- Raw potatoes.Vegetables are chopped, slightly heated, placed in a bandage or gauze and applied to the finger.
- Elecampane roots.It is used as a solution. The roots are crushed and then filled with vodka. It is necessary to insist for 14 days in a place where sunlight does not penetrate. It perfectly relieves inflammation if you use it every day, rubbing it into the joints.
CONCLUSION
Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that if the knuckles hurt, then this should not be ignored under any circumstances. The fact is that such a symptom can be the first sign of a serious illness. If you start treatment on time, then in 99% of cases the result will be positive. Today, medicine offers very effective methods, it is enough to go to the doctor and be checked.