Arthritis is a common reason for pain and swelling in the hands and fingers. If yours have been aching lately, we can help you pinpoint what type of arthritis you might have and what to do about it.
Contributed by: Manish Mehta, MD
Arthritis in the hands can be caused by one of two types of conditions, says Manish Mehta, MD, a hand surgeon with MetroHealth: osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis. OA is the “wear and tear” kind of arthritis, caused by time, overuse or injury. Inflammatory arthritis has many different forms, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, and others. These are conditions that can affect your whole body.
Doctors are often able to distinguish between the two types with a simple X-ray.
Osteoarthritis in the hands and fingers
OA in the hands tends to affect the small joints of your fingers. In order of most common to least common, these are places OA usually develops:
- The joint closest to your nail
- The base of your thumb (where your thumb meets your wrist)
- The middle joint of your finger (your knuckle)
- The joint where your finger attaches to your hand
With OA, you may notice that your joints look crooked or swollen. If this isn’t causing you pain, you can mostly leave it alone. If you are having pain, treatment options include:
- Resting the joint. It can be hard to not use your hand, but you might be able to change some activities. For example, with thumb base arthritis, trying to reduce activities that require pinching and gripping can help.
- Taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine. These include acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen. Eventually, you might need a prescription-strength dose. Make sure you speak to your doctor before starting any new medications.
- Corticosteroid injections. These injections go directly into the arthritic joint, can be done in the office, and can offer months of relief. The first injection is usually the most helpful, with each next one becoming slightly less effective.
- Surgery. This can include fusion surgery, joint replacement (for the finger joints closer to the wrist), or surgery to remove the trapezium bone (for thumb base pain). Fusion surgery can limit your motion, but it does a good job getting rid of the pain.
Inflammatory arthritis in the hands and fingers
Inflammatory arthritis symptoms can be similar to OA symptoms, but there are usually other symptoms as well. These can include things like:
- Skin changes
- Fevers
- Night sweats
Doctors use many of the same surgical treatments for inflammatory arthritis. But first, you need treatment for the underlying inflammatory problem. This likely means working with your primary care physician or a rheumatologist.
Dr. Mehta collaborates with rheumatologists to treat people with inflammatory arthritis in the hands and fingers. And the good news, he says, is that there have been great advances in catching these conditions early and in medicines that treat it. Treatment can sometimes help you avoid the need for surgery altogether.
Think you might have arthritis in your hands or fingers?
Start by talking with your primary care doctor — they’re a great first step. If you’re ready to see a specialist, the team at the MetroHealth Hand and Upper Extremity Center is here to help.
Call us at 216-778-HAND (4263) to schedule an appointment. You can also request an appointment with a hand specialist here — and we’ll follow up to get you scheduled.
