Causes, symptoms and treatment of osteoarthritis of the fingers

People who are far from medicine often confuse diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis. The names of these pathologies are similar, but do not indicate their identical symptomatology.

Arthrosis is a joint disease that, unlike arthritis, is not accompanied by an inflammatory process in the tissues that make up the joint.

Deforming arthrosis is also commonly referred to as osteoarthritis. In the 21st century, this disease can be considered a real epidemic. Among diseases of the musculoskeletal system, arthrosis is the most common.

About 11% of Russian citizens suffer from this ailment. In addition, arthrosis occupies the 2 nd position in the list of diseases that lead to disability.

This pathology is characterized by the destruction of cartilage located inside the joint. The process entails other pathological changes in parts forming the joint, for example, on the surface of bones or in the joint bag. The disease begins due to an imbalance in the exchange of nutrients in the cartilaginous tissue.

Cartilage is almost entirely composed of water( 80%) and, when the percentage of moisture in it decreases, the cartilage becomes inelastic and brittle.

The course of the disease is not characterized by inflammation, but late stages of the disease often occur in conjunction with this process. Pathologies are characterized by periods of exacerbation, followed by rest, when the symptoms become not pronounced.

Factors that provoke osteoarthritis of the fingers

Disease, often diagnosed in people whose profession involves the constant work of the joints of the hands. These include: pianists, secretaries, seamstresses, secretaries and programmers.

The disease is less common than osteoarthrosis of large joints( knee, shoulder, hip), but it is also characterized by the destruction of the cartilaginous layer.

Development of osteoarthritis of fingers on the hands is facilitated by the following factors:

1. Age .The organism of the elderly person is not able to maintain moisture at the proper level, contributing to the elasticity of the cartilage. The function of cartilage restoration is extinguished, for which special cells in it are responsible - chondrocytes. The process of destruction of cartilaginous tissue is started.
2. Intensive loads of .Often the disease begins to progress after the injury of the joints. Over time, pathology occurs in people whose work involves a constant load on a particular joint. Thus, for example, women who work in the garment industry are often diagnosed with joint arthrosis.
3. Inactive Lifestyle .Good joint nutrition - a healthy cartilage tissue. A person who leads a sedentary lifestyle does not provide his joints with the necessary motor activity, which leads to a slowing of metabolism and a disturbance in the nutrition of the joint tissue.
4. Excess body weight .People suffering from excess weight, subject joints load, several times exceeding the permissible. Excessive kilograms contribute to hindering the flow of blood and nutrients to the tissues that form cartilage. As a consequence, the imbalance in nutrition occurs in the cartilage.
5. Incorrect development of .In some people, osteoarthritis is diagnosed at a young age. This is due to the fact that their joints are characterized by excessive mobility. This provokes rapid wear and constant loads above normal.

The joints of the body are stressed every day and exposed to microtrauma. The body restores the damage itself, but this process is asymptomatic. However, there are damages that give rise to the development of osteoarthritis:

• is an inflammatory process in the tissues that form the joint;
• injuries of ligaments and tendons;
• is a violation of the integrity of the cartilaginous surface, which provides movement with minimal friction.

Symptoms that should be considered

Osteoarthritis, affecting the hands, most often affects the joints at the fingertips, the middle joints and the base of the thumb( the so-called rizartroz).

The flow of osteoarthrosis of the fingers is characterized by symptoms such as:

• inflammation, localized around the joint;
• pain accompanying the slightest movement of the fingers;
• swelling of the joints;
• a crunch that occurs when you move your hands;
• thickening of the joints of the affected fingers;
• decrease the sensitivity of the pads of the fingers;
• occurrence of knots of Bushard and Geberden;
• hampered flexion and extension of fingers.

Stages of progress of the disease from pain to disability

Osteoarthrosis of the fingers - a disease that occurs in several stages:

1. The onset of the disease characterizes the pain from time to time. Unpleasant sensations occur in the fingers mainly during movement, and after rest soreness goes away. There is a crunch of joints and a swelling around them.
2. In the second stage of , pain and burning become permanent companions of the slightest finger movements. On the spot of swelling, specific nodules are formed, which solidify with time.
3. The final stage of the is characterized by the fact that the movement of the fingers becomes an almost impossible task. The affected joint looks edematous, around it there is an erythema. Sharp pain excruciates the person not only at movement, but also in a quiet condition.

Treatment methods

It is important to understand that the process of cartilage destruction inside the joints is irreversible. However, this does not mean that it is not worth paying attention to the obvious signs of the developing disease.

Healthy cartilage tissue can not be re-grown, but there are many methods that can stop the pathological process and slow the transition of the disease to later stages. Having felt discomfort at movement of any joint, it is necessary to address to the doctor-expert behind purpose or appointment of the competent complex of therapy.

Official medicine offers two methods for treating the osteoarthritis of the fingers on the hands:

• conservative ( without surgery);
• operative method is used when the selected medication treatment does not bring the desired effect, and the pain syndrome accompanies the patient daily.

What is the treatment for

? The fact that the disease is irreversible, is not an excuse to let the disease go by its own accord. There are several treatment goals for the disease:

• relieving the patient of pain;
• cupping of inflammation;
• stopping the process of cartilage deformation;
• preservation of the habitual life of the patient.

Drug therapy

Drugs for medical treatment should be selected by the attending physician, based on the results of the examination. Basically it is anti-inflammatory drugs and ointments, for example, Voltaren, Indomethacin and other products that relieve inflammation and severe joint pain.

Also, chondroprotectors are prescribed - drugs that help to restore cartilage. In some cases, prosthetics is required, based on the introduction of hyaluronic acid in the joint.

Methods of treatment not related to medical

• therapeutic exercise;
• physiotherapy procedures;
• specially selected diet, helping to reduce excess weight.

Folk medicine chest

Treatment of osteoarthrosis of the fingers on the hands is possible and folk remedies. Several effective recipes of folk medicine:

1. Compress of honey and vodka, applied at night .Ingredients mixed in equal parts are superimposed on gauze. The mixture is covered with polyethylene, and then cotton gloves are put on hands.
2. Once in 14 days, the following ointment can be used: castor oil( 2 tablespoons), rubbed with a spoon of turpentine and gum. The mixture must be well rubbed sick joints.
3. Excellent product - a mixture of olive oil, with the addition of mustard powder and honey .The composition is brought to a boil and then cooled. Warm mixture is applied to gauze, and then to the joint, covering the top with cellophane. The wrap is wrapped in a warm scarf and left for 2 hours.

Preventative measures - healthy lifestyles and attention to oneself

A healthy lifestyle and the absence of injuries will help make the risk of developing the disease minimal. It is necessary to perform daily light physical exercises and periodically rest.

It will not be superfluous and everyday gymnastics for the hands( bend and unbend fingers, not squeezing into a fist.) Repeat 10 times).Useful self-rubbing fingers up from the base and down from the nails.

Leaving aside the emerging signs of osteoarthritis is not the best solution. It is necessary to visit a doctor on time.

Complete diagnostics and competent therapy, selected by a specialist, will help prevent intensive destruction of intraarticular cartilage, delay severe stages of the disease and avoid exhausting pain.

Initiated osteoarthritis can lead to disability, however, correctly selected treatment can successfully prevent it.