ARTHRITIS IN HANDS

Arthritis in Hands ✋

 

    Hands are a vital tool for a person in engaging in day-to-day activities. It is one of the first body parts to show signs of aging. However, they can also indicate specific health problems.

 

    Why so much pain in my hands? Is this preventable or should I simply accept it as a part of aging? These are some questions asked more often by older people. This ailment is common and mostly happens in the 'older' population.

     Doctors usually blame it on aging. They aren’t trying to fix it and don't seem to be interested in investigating to discover how to cure hand arthritis.

                                                 What causes hand arthritis?

    Typically, when we flex our finger there is a long tendon that pulls the finger and helps it smoothly slide through a protective sheet that surrounds it. The protective layer can become inflamed. Sudden accidents, acute trauma, and other repetitive hand manipulations; like typing, texting and sports is the leading cause of hand arthritis. When the covering is sore, the tendons cannot slide smoothly thereby causing the finger joints to click. It affects the fingers and thumb. With repeated clicks, the muscles can also be inflamed causing a nodule-like scar to form.

     Hand arthritis is also a hereditary disease. It means there's a strong possibility that a family history of the disease can increase your chances of having arthritis.

 

 What are the symptoms of hand arthritis?

Hand arthritis can create the following symptoms:

·         Pain

Many people with arthritis hand complain of increased joint pain in rainy and cold weather. The natural activities that were once easy to perform became difficult. The finger becomes painful in the morning, or during and after physical activity, and the inability to bend the finger joints. It's hard to use our hands properly or fail to do the daily routine.

·         Swelling

The arthritic hands may swell, look reddish, and feel warm when touched. The warmth is due to the body's inflammatory response.

·         Cysts

When arthritis affects the end joints of the fingers, small cysts (mucous cysts) may develop. The cysts may then cause ridging or dents in the nail plate of the affected finger.

·         Deformity in finger joints

If you observe the hands of the patients with arthritis, you will notice the natural look of the fingers was deformed. Some people can get swelling of the whole finger, which doctors refer to as “sausage-like.” Such a condition is due to inflammation of the joints.

 

Usually, people tend to focus on the signs and symptoms. However, it is not the problem with hand arthritis because it’s not the cause of the pain.  If you deal with the symptoms, chances, are you will never fix the reason for this illness, and will only get worse over time.

 

Diagnosis

Diagnosing arthritis in the hands usually begins with a visit to a doctor, particularly a rheumatologist, to sit down and talk about the symptoms and signs of arthritis, and how long you’ve been in the situation.

 

On the other hand, your doctor will perform a physical examination, inspecting your hand's joints for inflammation, and will also test your reflexes and muscle strength.

 Also, X-rays and blood tests are necessary to check specific antibodies to look for signs of arthritis.

 

When to see a doctor?

If you begin to experience any symptoms, you need to see a doctor.

 

How to treat arthritis in hands?

The key to treating arthritis in the hand is early detection. Since it’s a debilitating disease, it is necessary to be aware of the symptoms to avoid getting worse.

 

Doctors may prescribe certain medications to help decrease pain and inflammation by suppressing your immune response. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or indomethacin.

 

In some severe cases, if medication options don't work; it is necessary to perform surgery to be able to correct, fix the damaged joint, and alleviate specific problems, especially if arthritis is causing pain in your life.

 

Alternative Approaches

We use our hands and finger in most activities. It can be debilitating when arthritis strikes. You don’t know if you'll be able to live a healthy life or if you'll end up useless.

There are many alternative approaches you can use to help control the pain, disability, and pressure symptoms. Take a little step to find relief.  If natural ways work for you, then it may work for somebody else.

This includes:

·         Occupational therapy

The therapy is necessary to help people recover from an injury to regain skills. It is an intervention done to improve gain back the person's ability to perform daily tasks

·         Heat

You can apply either warm compresses or hand baths, which can soothe affected joints, and help maintain hand flexibility.

·         Diet

Many people living with arthritis have changed their diets and avoid foods and beverages that are inflammatory. After changing diets, they noticed a significant or total improvement. Keep in mind that in taking a supplement there are things to be considered; you must ask your doctor for advice especially if you are currently taking other medications now. Stop eating overly preserved foods, instead change your diet to fruits and vegetables while minimizing protein.

Natural remedies

Natural ways can provide rest for your hands and reduce the pain and stiffness you may be experiencing. These natural remedies include the following.

•   Ice packs to minimize irritation and soreness

• Apple cider vinegar. It is a natural anti-inflammatory. 
• Honey and cinnamon. It is best used to relax stiff muscles.
• Epsom salt helps reduce stiffness, inflammation, and pain. Moreover, sore hands to soak in Epsom salt with water.
• Olive oil. Massage it with your hands to reduce inflammation.
• Garlic. It is another natural anti-inflammatory to reduce inflammation and pain.
• Fenugreek seeds. It is very healthy, is a potent anti-inflammatory, and provides antioxidants to reduce inflammation.

  

    A diagnosis of arthritis can be stressful, and upsetting, and can leave you with tons of questions about the future.  For many, it can have life-altering consequences, but it is important to remember that several treatments are available to help manage the disease.