With arthritis, pain in the fingers occurs mainly at night. Arthrosis is characterized by localization of pain in the big toe. Pain in the fingertips with numbness or burning may be caused by diabetes.
Ingrown toenails cause the fingertips to become very painful, sometimes causing redness and swelling. There is a risk of infection and purulent discharge may appear.
The nails of the thumbs are most often affected by this disease. An ingrowth can develop as a result of an injury to your toe or because you often walk in tight, uncomfortable shoes that deform your toes. Another reason that your fingertips hurt due to ingrown nail plates is an incorrect, too deep pedicure, or cutting the edges of the nail too short.
Traditional medicine also offers some simple methods for treating ingrown toenails. So, if your fingertips begin to hurt very much due to ingrowth, apply peeled pieces of aloe leaves to the skin and bandage the compress with a bandage. Bandages are made until recovery occurs, until the swelling subsides and you can trim the tip of the nail.
To prevent ingrown toenails in the future, follow simple rules: wear comfortable, not tight shoes, trim your toenails evenly and not too short, use special tweezers for this, not small nail scissors.
Various pain sensations during HIV infection often fade into the background due to concomitant diseases or anxiety associated with elevated levels of cholesterol, blood sugar, liver enzymes or blood pressure. Often these complaints are not taken into account by either the patient or the doctor, who regard the stabilization of HIV infection under the influence of antiretroviral therapy as such a blessing, after which one simply should not pay attention to pain in the muscles or joints. Such neglect is completely unacceptable.
A brief overview of rheumatic manifestations may seem incomprehensible to those who are far from this field of medicine. In fact, many doctors who work with HIV-infected patients rely on rheumatologists to treat these conditions. All you need to remember as a patient is that your pain is very real and requires appropriate action.
Infections such as HIV cause the body to produce immune response antibodies, activated white blood cells, and various circulating immune complexes that attack foreign organisms and surrounding tissues. As a rule, these reactions are aimed only at the infectious agent, but sometimes the protective mechanisms lose their specificity and affect healthy tissue. Sometimes defense mechanisms attack the body's own tissues without any other target.
Such conditions are called systemic connective tissue diseases or systemic vasculitis, or, in other words, rheumatic diseases. They are considered within the medical specialty of rheumatology. Simply put, joint pain (arthralgia) affects approximately 45 percent of people living with HIV. The cause of their occurrence has not yet been fully elucidated, but it is known for sure that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example, ibuprofen or naproxen, help in treatment.
Because of mild, constant, aching joint pain, patients with HIV infection think they are developing neuropathy. However, the manifestations of these conditions are different. With HIV infection, pain is most often localized in large joints, while with neuropathy, discomfort primarily occurs in the tips of the fingers and toes. It is encouraging that joint pain associated with HIV infection does not lead to the development of degenerative joint damage or arthritis.
Many viral infections can lead to inflammation of the joints, manifested by swelling and local fever. Arthritis that develops against the background of HIV infection is no exception. Arthritis can last up to six weeks and is relieved by treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or, in more severe cases, with steroid drugs such as prednisolone.
HIV-associated reactive arthritis is characterized by a more complex picture. Fingers and toes may swell. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon and heel tendon bursa is possible, manifested by pain and swelling localized there. Increased dryness and flaking of the skin - hyperkeratosis - often occurs. Irritation of the mucous membranes, in particular urethritis, may develop. In such cases, the nonsteroidal drug indomethacin helps well. In addition, in persistent cases, it is possible to use basic therapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and, in particular, tumor necrosis factor blockers.
Against the background of HIV infection, psoriasis and psoriasis-associated arthritis have a more unfavorable course, but it is possible to improve the course of both skin manifestations and arthritis with antiretroviral therapy. A wide range of muscle tissue diseases are also associated with HIV infection, starting with severe muscle pain (myalgia), often observed during seroconversion. About a third of patients with HIV infection suffer from myalgia or fibromyalgia, the latter of which can also present with joint pain. As in HIV-negative patients, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants may also help in this case.
Polymyositis is a muscle inflammation characterized by muscle weakness of the proximal limbs (namely the shoulder and pelvic girdle) and increased levels of the enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CPK), determined in a biochemical blood test. The cause of this disease is also unclear, but biopsy reveals lymphocytic infiltration of CD8 cells. Typically, corticosteroids are used for treatment, but immunosuppressants may also be required.
A condition specific to HIV infection is diffuse infiltrative lymphocytosis syndrome (DIL), manifested by an enlargement of the parotid salivary glands (mumps), located in front of the ear. Other manifestations of ADIL include dry mouth and increased levels of CD8 cells, which make up the bulk of the parotid gland infiltrate. To treat enlarged parotid glands, prednisolone or local radiation therapy is used.
It is interesting to note that against the background of progressive HIV infection, the development of remission of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is possible. When HIV infection is controlled, these diseases may return or even reappear. This is consistent with the fact that T cells are actively involved in the pathogenesis of both rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Dr. Bowers is an HIV specialist and family physician in New York City who has worked with many HIV-infected patients, including those from the LGBT community, for the past twenty years.
The range of rheumatic manifestations in HIV infection is quite wide and differs little from those found in the general population. Clinical manifestations of varying severity are observed in half of patients with HIV infection. It is important to pay attention to new symptoms and report them to your doctor. Typically, most symptoms go away after a short course of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). If the manifestations of the disease are more pronounced and its course is progressive, it is important to consult a rheumatologist.
At the Moscow Regional AIDS Center, you can make an appointment with the head. outpatient department E.A. Orlova-Morozova, who has experience in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
Signs of tingling in your fingers can be felt when your hands are frozen in the cold and you then find yourself in a warm room. When exposed to cold, small blood vessels narrow, bleeding soft tissue. The intercellular spaces are compressed and the supply of oxygen is suspended. After exposure to heat, the blood vessels dilate, blood begins to flow in full, and tingling occurs in the fingers.
A similar pathogenetic picture is observed in vascular pathology in the form of Raynaud's syndrome. Distinctive signs are pallor of the skin of the fingers, decreased pulsation of the carpal artery, and a constant feeling of numbness. Similar conditions can occur when a tourniquet is applied incorrectly to stop bleeding, the blood vessels of the forearm and hand are clamped due to injury, or incorrect position during sleep.
If vascular pathology is excluded, then it is worth looking for the cause of tingling in the fingers in damage to the nervous tissue. This could be cervical osteochondrosis. in which there are accompanying clinical signs. This is pain in the neck after prolonged static exercise, dizziness. periodic headaches. Palpation of the spinous processes reveals pain and muscle tension.
The next cause of tingling in the fingertips is carpal tunnel syndrome at an early stage. In this case, tingling occurs after prolonged performance of certain mechanical movements, for example, sewing, knitting, typing on a computer keyboard. Typically, carpal tunnel syndrome affects only one arm. But with cervical osteochondrosis, tingling in the fingers can be present simultaneously on both sides.
To successfully treat tingling in the fingers, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the cause of this condition. First, you should consult a therapist who will rule out vascular pathology. Then a spinal column examination is prescribed. Next comes the diagnosis of the condition of the carpal valve, carpal tunnel and other places where large bundles of nervous tissue pass that innervate the fingers.
Manual therapy offers a wide variety of treatments for this condition. During the first consultation, an experienced specialist will assess your condition and recommend the most appropriate methods for restoring your health. As a rule, treatment is aimed at treating the underlying disease, be it carpal tunnel syndrome, angiopathy or cervical osteochondrosis.
Trubnikov Vladislav Igorevich
Candidate of Medical Sciences
Neurologist, chiropractor, rehabilitation specialist, specialist in reflexology, physical therapy and therapeutic massage.
Savelyev Mikhail Yurievich
A chiropractor of the highest category, he has more than 25 years of experience.
Proficient in the methods of auriculo and corporal reflexology, pharmacopuncture, hirudotherapy, physiotherapy, exercise therapy. Perfectly applies osteopathy to both adults and children.
Complaints that the tips of the toes hurt can be caused by various diseases, as well as by a banal ingrown toenail. The tips of the fingers hurt due to the following ailments: arthritis, arthrosis, vascular diseases, diabetes.
At the early stage of this common disease, when there is no severe inflammation, foot baths with the addition of potassium permanganate and baking soda will help, after which you should try to gently move the skin and trim the tip of the ingrown nail. If the condition of the nail is already advanced, you can use special ointments (for example, Vishnevsky ointment) that can draw out pus and relieve the inflammatory process. The ointment is applied to the sore fingertip, secured with a bandage and a sock is put on top. It is better to apply the bandage at night, and in the morning you can try to carefully trim the nail. If necessary, repeat the procedure. If relief does not occur and the tip of your finger still hurts or the condition worsens, seek help from a surgeon; do not delay seeking medical help.
Do you sometimes experience pain in your fingertips while doing routine tasks, worries, or relaxing? How to react if this pain recurs periodically? What do such painful moments indicate? What to do and how to deal with this?
The human hand has 14 joints connecting the phalanges of the fingers. Each joint is like a small hinge, which is activated by a system of muscles of the forearm and a complex system of tendons, which are located along the palm of the hand to the wrist joint. Therefore, you need to handle your hands with care, avoiding inflammation or damage to the joints, since such injuries can lead to the loss of the ability to move them.
Diseases that develop in the joints of the fingers can be extremely difficult to cure. And even after successful courses of treatment, a residual phenomenon may appear - some stiffness, discomfort or pain in the fingertips. In some cases, subsequent injuries may be reflected in the appearance of the fingers - they may remain curved or move incorrectly.
So, if the fingertips or middle phalanges swell, this indicates the appearance of a disease in your life called osteoarthritis deformans. This disease occurs mainly in older people and appears as “knots” on the fingers. Typically, this disease does not cause much discomfort and is treated with a course of regular mobility exercises and fine motor skills of the hands.
Pain in the tips of the fingers should be locally divided into two camps - hands and feet - since the causes of pain in the tips of the toes and hands are different and indicate different diseases.
However, we can safely say that the causes of pain in the fingertips are not only a mechanical problem in the form of a bruise or other injury, but more often it is a manifestation of some kind of internal disease that is skillfully masked.
Symptoms of pain in the fingertips can be quite varied. Temporary numbness of the phalanges of the fingers, burning or tingling may foreshadow an impending wave of pain. Also, with the possible imminent onset of pain in the fingertips, the usual color of the skin of the phalanges of the fingers may be disturbed. Aching in the joints or in places of previous fractures can also foreshadow imminent pain in the fingertips.
Depending on the disease, the fingers and entire palm may swell. Also, an advanced disease may be indicated by a change in the shape of the joints, their bulging. In this case, pain in the fingertips, as well as in other phalanges, is inevitable.
The causes of pain in the tips of the fingers are extremely diverse and characterize more than a dozen different general diseases of the body, diseases of the joints and blood vessels.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as carpal tunnel syndrome or stenosing ligamentitis of the transverse carpal ligament, which mainly affects women after 40 years of age, is manifested by numbness and burning in all fingers of the hand except the little finger. Pain and numbness begins in the fingertips, extends to the base of the palm, but is not concentrated in the area of the joints. Pain in the fingertips and on the surface of the palm may intensify at night or in the morning. During the daytime, such pain is rarely observed. Visually, the shape of the joints and the fingers themselves does not change, however, some cyanosis may occur or, conversely, pallor of the entire hand, slight swelling of the tissues.
Inflammation in the joints of the fingers, which is accompanied by pain, swelling, redness and loss of movement, can signal arthritis. The most common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which manifests itself in three or more small joints of the hand and lasts longer than three months. The process of this disease may involve symmetrical joints of the hands, that is, for example, the middle joints of the middle fingers of both hands. This disease can be indicated by a certain stiffness of movement in the affected joints, which becomes less noticeable during the day. Such a disease, in the absence of the necessary and timely treatment, affects more and more joints of the hands over time, which makes it difficult to perform ordinary routine tasks.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be observed not only on the joints of the hands, but also on the ankle joints or on the joints of the toes. However, this type of arthritis is not observed in large joints such as the knee, hip or shoulder. In addition to joints, arthritis can also affect internal organs - kidneys, lungs, vascular system and others. Therefore, treatment of this disease is extremely important.
Raynaud's syndrome, or angiospastic peripheral crises, can be identified by cyanosis or pallor, as well as coldness of the fingers, a sensation of pins and needles under the skin, tingling or numbness of the phalanges. This disorder can occur several times a day and last for several minutes. It can be caused by hypothermia or mental trauma.
With diseases of the blood vessels of the hands, pain in the tips of the fingers and along their entire length, cramps, periodic numbness, and fatigue in the fingers may also be observed. In this case, paleness and cooling of the extremities are observed, the hairline thins, and the nail plates thicken. As the disease progresses, the lumen in the arteries of the upper extremities decreases, which leads to disturbances in blood flow. Pain in the fingers and hands becomes chronic, the hands get tired faster, the pulse is weak.
Pain in the fingertips can also occur with vibration disease, which occurs in people who work with hand-held power tools. Discomfort begins when periodic mild pain, numbness, and tingling appear in the fingers. In the future, these symptoms intensify, become permanent and affect vascular tone. Vibration disease can lead to the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia and asthenia.
Pain and paresthesia in the ring and little fingers, when they are compressed, may indicate the manifestation of ulnar nerve neuropathy. This disease occurs when there is mechanical damage to the elbow or wrist joint. As the disease progresses, difficulties with motor ability, muscle atrophy, and the formation of a “clawed hand” may occur.
If you have injured the cervical spine, discomfort, numbness, and a decrease in the pain threshold may appear in one of your arms. Typically, pain and numbness in this case is observed either in all fingers, or is concentrated on the ring and little fingers.
If you dislocate your finger, there will be a sharp pain in it, its position will be slightly incorrect, the finger may look crooked and stick out of the joint. Most often, when a finger is dislocated, it is immobilized. Typically, dislocations occur on the thumbs (first) fingers.
Inflammation of the tissues of the fingertip, or panaritium, occurs in the body as a result of the development of an infection introduced during a manicure or when abrasions occur in the periungual space. The pain is twitching and gradually intensifies. The injured limb is red, often swollen and painful. Sometimes body temperature rises. In such cases, consult a surgeon so as not to expose yourself to blood poisoning.
With polycythemia - a quantitative increase in red blood cells - numbness and periodic pain in the fingertips may also be observed in conjunction with headache, itching, and insomnia. Microcirculation in the body is disrupted.
Also, unpleasant numbness, chilliness, “crawling goosebumps” and other symptoms may indicate the development of cervical osteochondrosis. At night, such pain intensifies, and the mobility of the damaged part of the spine decreases.
Pain in the fingertips is often observed with gout, rheumatism, scapulohumeral periarthritis and other diseases.
Pain in the tips of the toes may occur in fewer cases. Most painful moments are signs of physiological and mechanical damage.
Arthritis is characterized by a special inflammatory rhythm of pain, which occurs at 3-4 am. It is worth noting that different forms of arthritis affect different toes. Thus, pain in the big toe indicates gout, reactive or psoriatic arthritis. The remaining toes will tell you about rheumatoid arthritis, less often about psoriatic arthritis.
Arthrosis, popularly called gout, although it has nothing in common with it, affects, as previously written, the big toe in women. With arthrosis, the big toe leans heavily against the second toe, the joint begins to protrude strongly to the side and the resulting bump is often rubbed by shoes. The joint becomes deformed and becomes almost immobile. This disease is caused by wearing shoes with narrow toes for a long time. With further deformation of the joint, the remaining toes may be pushed to the side. Treated with therapeutic methods.
Morton's neuroma is also common in women. In this case, the pain begins at the base of the toes, and the nerve is pinched. Most often it develops into a chronic form, the nerve thickens and becomes more sensitive and painful. Pain at the base of the second, third and fourth fingers.
Numbness in the feet and fingers in particular may indicate diabetes. In this case, a burning sensation appears, especially at night, which is explained by the increased activity of nerve endings.
Pallor of the skin of the toes, as well as pain during physical activity, may indicate problems associated with the blood vessels, and in particular the arteries of the legs. The tissues of the legs do not receive enough oxygen and nutrients, so the legs begin to hurt, the hair on them thins, the skin and nails deteriorate and there is increased sensitivity to cold.
If your finger is very sore, red, or swollen, you most likely have an ingrown toenail. Similar cases occur when a pedicure is of poor quality or when walking in uncomfortable shoes.
When the skin on the feet becomes rough and thickened, this can also cause pain in the toes. Hardened and dead cells are usually located on the heels and balls of the feet and cause pain when pressure is applied to them.
To establish the necessary treatment, it is necessary to diagnose pain in the fingertips.
Thus, with traumatic pain in the fingertips, hematomas or abrasions are usually visible, which are visible upon examination.
When infectious diseases with inflammatory reactions appear, several signs may be observed. The skin may become swollen, and pus may be discharged periodically. With advanced suppuration, tissue necrosis, inflammation of the tendon sheath, or osteomyelitis of the fingertip may begin. With inflammation of the tendon sheath, the same swelling, hyperemia and sharp pain on palpation are observed.
Neoplastic pain can be determined by palpation or examination, in which purplish-red spots are visible. They indicate the appearance of glomus tumors.
Degenerative pain is called pain in rheumatoid arthritis, which is characterized by changes in the shape of the fingertips, joints are deformed, abnormal interflank joints are observed, and hand muscles atrophy.
If pain in the fingers is characterized as vascular, then it can manifest itself in two cases. If frostbite occurs on the dorsal or lateral surfaces of the fingers, then characteristic bluish-red skin and swelling will be observed. Blisters or crusty sores may appear.
When diagnosing diseases of small vessels, pallor of the extremities, cyanosis or gangrene are observed, ulcers may appear, and the pads may atrophy. To check, check your heart rhythm.
Metabolic pain in the finger caused by gout can be determined by the condition of the skin around the joint - it becomes tense, red, and shiny. The diagnosis can be confirmed by feeling gouty nodes near the joint.
With scleroderma, which indicates the autoimmune nature of the pain, the skin of the hands becomes waxy, fairly pale, and thickened. The fingers feel swollen and the pads may lose sensation. When diagnosing scleroderma, pay attention to the patient’s face – the facial skin also looks like wax, and many wrinkles accumulate near the mouth. The patient may look quite emaciated.
If you suspect that the pain in the fingertips is radiating, check the sensitivity of the fingers, reflexes in the upper extremities, the volume and nature of movements in the cervical vertebrae.
To prevent pain in your fingertips from recurring, avoid movements that may provoke or aggravate them. To improve the condition of blood vessels and joints, stretch, bend your arms and fingers, do simple exercises to squeeze/unclench your hands, come up with a set of exercises for yourself.
When determining the type of pain, ibuprofen can be prescribed as an anti-inflammatory drug; in case of dystrophic lesions, treatment is initially aimed at restoring cartilage in the joint, for which chondroprotectors are prescribed, and massage is also recommended. If the pain in the joint is unbearable, injections, ointments or tablets are prescribed.
Chondroprotectors (including glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate) are the most effective group of drugs prescribed for the treatment of arthrosis. They not only eliminate the symptoms of pain, but also directly affect the restoration of the cartilage tissue of the affected joint and promote the release of fluid that lubricates the joint.
Chonroprotectors, with their complex effect on joints, are indispensable in the fight against arthrosis, however, their effectiveness is significantly reduced when the disease passes into the last stage, when the joint is destroyed. The thing is that they can cure pain in the fingertips or restore the properties of the fluid that lubricates the joint, but it is impossible to build a new joint or return the correct shape to deformed bones with the help of the drug.
Chondroprotectors are effective in combating pain in the fingertips and joint disorders, however, to achieve the effect, you need to undergo 2-3 full courses of treatment. These courses can last for one and a half years.
At the moment, chondroprotectors on the drug market are represented by the following drugs:
In medical practice, Dona is most often prescribed in injection form.
Chondroprotectors have virtually no contraindications in the treatment of pain in the fingertips and joint problems. Side effects in extremely rare cases include allergic reactions, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, and in isolated cases - headaches, pain or swelling of the legs, drowsiness, insomnia or tachycardia.
The most acceptable course of treatment with chondroprotectors is 3-5 months when taken daily. The course must be repeated after six months.
Salicylates (similar to diclofenac), paracetamol or indomethacin are prescribed as anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs that complement the treatment of pain in the fingertips and joints. Local remedies have a good analgesic effect - ointments that contain novocaine, anesthesin or menthol-based ointments.
Diclofenac is a tablet form, taken at the initial stage - 100-150 mg/day, divided into several doses.
Indomethacin – tablet, capsule, injection, suppository form. Daily dose – up to 100-150 mg, divided into 3-4 doses. The course of treatment for pain in the fingertips and joints must be completed completely, otherwise there is a possibility of renewal of the disease.
To relieve acute attacks of gout, 0.05 g is prescribed three times a day. For the treatment of acute conditions or exacerbation of a chronic process, 60 mg is administered intramuscularly 1-2 times a day for 7-14 days or 1 suppository twice a day.
As for corticosteroids, they are prescribed to treat carpal tunnel syndrome - compression of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel.
Symptoms of carpal syndrome are relieved with 1-2 low-dose cortisone injections given in the wrist area. This treatment has no side effects.
If the disease is at an advanced stage, then surgery is necessary to treat carpal tunnel syndrome and pain in the fingertips. When performing an operation, both in the form of an open approach using local anesthesia, and in the case of a microinvasive approach, the task of physicians is to reduce compression of the median nerve. The transverse carpal ligament is divided to help open the carpal tunnel.
To treat pain in the fingertips due to gouty arthritis, the most commonly prescribed drugs are indomethacin, naproxen, phenylbutazone, and pheniprofen described above.
The dosage of indomethacin is reduced with each dose: the first dose - 75 mg, the next day - 50 mg every 6 hours, the next day - 50 mg every 8 hours, subsequent treatment - 25 mg every 8 hours.
Side effects of this medicine include disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, symptoms of disorders of the central nervous system, and sodium retention in the body. Despite all sorts of side effects of the drug, observed in 60% of cases, indomethacin is preferable to colchicine. Also, for acute attacks of gout, an effective drug is systemic or local injection of glucocorticoids into the joint. Typically, to treat fingertip and joint pain, moderate doses of glucocorticoids are prescribed over several days as the concentration of the drug in the body decreases sharply and the effect weakens. Intra-articular injections of the drug help stop attacks of bursitis or monoarthritis for a day and a half. This treatment is mainly prescribed when it is impossible to complete the full course of treatment.
To treat pain in the fingertips and joints, you can also use folk remedies:
If a person’s fingertips hurt, this is usually the first sign of the development of a rather serious pathology. Of course, the pads can become numb after severe physical trauma, which a person could not help but notice; here, of course, the question of the reason disappears. If pain in the fingertips or tingling in them began with short-term attacks and become stronger and more noticeable over time, then this is a reason to seek medical advice from a specialist.
Symptoms of pain in the fingertips are different, and these manifestations depend on the pathology that caused them. Unpleasant sensations can be temporary or permanent. This may be a tingling or burning sensation that gets stronger every minute.
When pain occurs in the fingertips, not only numbness occurs, but there may even be a change in color - the pad becomes light, or vice versa, the skin darkens. Sometimes the whole hand hurts along with the fingers. My arm goes numb almost to the elbow. If at least one of these symptoms occurs, or, moreover, several, you should immediately consult a doctor.
The causes of pain in the fingertips are many diseases. But the main and most likely pathologies are:
Treatment for pain and numbness in the fingers varies and depends on the disease that caused them. Therefore, independent therapy in this case is impossible.
For joint diseases, anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors are prescribed. For severe joint pain, medicinal creams and ointments with novocaine are used, as well as massage; sometimes the pain syndrome is relieved by subcutaneous injections of painkillers. All prescriptions and medication regimens are carried out by a doctor.
Sometimes, in severe cases of the disease, taking medications and treatment measures lasts for several months, since the joints require long-term treatment. Moreover, after completing a course of treatment, it is repeated after some time in order to consolidate the therapeutic effect.
Not all patients are able to go all the way through procedures, injections and massages to recovery. In such people, the joints in the hands become noticeably enlarged, and in addition to constant pain in the fingertips, they develop poor mobility and knobby joints.
Conservative therapy is not a panacea; surgical treatment is also possible. For example, for carpal tunnel syndrome, surgery is performed on the ligaments, the purpose of which is to relieve pressure on the median nerve.
Felon is also often treated surgically, since pus in this disease can accumulate so deep in the soft tissues that no medical treatment can remove it.
Well, and most importantly, if the pain in the fingers is caused by cervical osteochondrosis or gout, or some other disease, then, first of all, the treatment will be aimed at eliminating this particular disease, and the pain syndrome will simply be relieved from the fingers. That is, the very cause of pain is eliminated.
Every healthy person has fingers . Some have thick and short fingers, others have thin and long fingers, that is, the shape of the fingers can be different. But the structure of everyone’s fingers is the same, and our fingers perform many irreplaceable functions, without which it is quite difficult for a person to live.
It happens that, like any other organs of the body, your fingers hurt. Pain in the fingers can be caused by various reasons, which can be diagnosed by doctors such as a rheumatologist, traumatologist, hematologist, or surgeon.
It should be noted that in most cases, pain in the fingers can occur in the presence of serious diseases, as well as if a person has damage to the skeletal system.
So, most often pain in the fingers is caused by diseases such as:
- polyosteoarthrosis of the fingers (knobby fingers syndrome)
- stenosing ligamentitis of the transverse carpal ligament (carpal or carpal tunnel syndrome)
- gout, or gouty arthritis
- vascular diseases of the hands
- felon of the finger (inflammation of the tissues of the finger)
- ulnar nerve neuropathy
– polycythemia (increased number of red blood cells in the human body)
- dislocation of fingers
- cervical osteochondrosis, damage to the cervical spine.
Let's look at all these causes of pain in the fingers in more detail.
1) In approximately 7% of cases, fingers hurt due to rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, the age of carriers of this disease in most cases exceeds 30 years. And it is women who are most susceptible to this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis can be a consequence of the flu, various types of infections, long-term depression, as well as hypothermia or other colds. With this disease, the patient complains that his middle and index fingers are swollen, it is difficult to move his fingers, his fingers cannot bend, and his finger joints are also inflamed. In addition, simultaneously with inflammation of these joints, inflammation of the wrist joints is observed, which occurs symmetrically, that is, if the right hand is affected, then soon the left hand will also become inflamed. In the future, other joints of the skeletal system may become inflamed: elbows, knees and ankles. With rheumatoid arthritis, the fingers are very sore at night in the morning, and during the day they usually weaken or are not noticeable at all. Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are fever and deterioration in health.
2) Psoriatic arthritis occurs in people aged 20 to 50 years. These people have pain in their fingers, usually due to skin problems. This disease is characterized by the fact that the patient experiences inflammation of the joints of the fingers, and all joints become inflamed at the same time. Patients complain that their finger is swollen, the finger is very red (the finger looks like a sausage). This effect can occur on any hand, but it will not be symmetrical. It also happens that both hands are inflamed, but different fingers, and it happens that only one hand is inflamed.
3) Pain in the fingers can also occur with polyosteoarthrosis. This disease is detected in about 30% of people aged 40-45 years and 50-60 years who complain that their fingers hurt. With polyosteoarthrosis, the patient develops nodules on the lateral surface of the finger joints. It also happens that there are nodules on the back of the fingers. These nodules (Heberden's nodes) usually appear symmetrically on both hands - even in the same places and on any fingers. In some cases, the appearance of nodules on the fingers may go unnoticed, and sometimes there is a burning sensation in the fingers, the fingers hurt and there is swelling of the joints. In addition, with polyosteoarthrosis, nodules may appear on the joints in the middle of the finger, the so-called Bouchard's nodes. They rarely hurt and are spindle shaped.
4) Stenosing ligamentitis mainly affects women aged 40 to 60 years. With this disease, the appearance of the finger joints does not change. Sometimes it happens that the hand and fingers become swollen, the fingers also turn pale or even the fingers turn blue. The patient complains that his fingers are numb, and there is also a burning sensation in the fingers and burning pain in all fingers except the little finger. Pain and numbness in the fingers are most pronounced along the palmar surface of the fingers and go from the very base of the palm to the tips of the fingers. That is, unpleasant sensations are felt along the entire length of the fingers, and are not concentrated only in the area of any joints.
The fingers hurt especially badly at night (or in the morning), and the palms also hurt a lot. And in the middle of the day, pain and numbness in the fingers with carpal tunnel syndrome are usually less pronounced.
5) Gout is a disease in which pain in the fingers is a characteristic symptom. Most often found in men. With this disease, inflammation of the joints occurs in the form of attacks, and the patient is bothered by sharp pain in the fingers, which is of an unexpected nature. In addition, it happens that the skin on the fingers becomes red and swollen. This type of gout attack can last from 3 to 10 days.
6) Diseases of the blood vessels of the hands are accompanied by the fact that a person’s fingers are very sore, and there are also cramps in the fingers, and also - the fingers become very tired during physical activity. Sometimes my fingers go numb. In this case, it happens that the skin of the hands and fingers is pale and cold (such symptoms appear if a person deals with cold water). The patient also complains of heaviness in his hands, weakness and fatigue. The hair on the hands thins and the nails thicken. Over time, due to impaired blood flow, the patient complains of constant pain in the fingers and hands, while the skin of the fingers is cold. In this case, there is a weak pulse in the radial arteries.
7) Vibration disease develops in people who work with hand-held power tools. There are four stages of vibration disease. In the first stage, transient pain occurs in the fingers, as well as numbness in the fingers. In the second stage, pain in the fingers becomes stronger and more stable, and the vibration sensitivity of the fingers decreases. The patient has symptoms of vegetative-vascular dystonia and asthenia. In the third stage of the disease, attacks of pain in the fingers, numbness in the fingers, whitening of the fingers, as well as mixed sensitivity disorders (peripheral and segmental) appear.
8) Raynaud's syndrome - paroxysmal episodes of pain in the fingers, during which there is a sharp whitening of the fingertips. The patient has severe, burning pain in the fingers. Raynaud's syndrome can be triggered by trauma, stress, trauma (often mental), as well as hypothermia of the hands. It happens that your fingers get cold and your fingers turn red. Sometimes this condition occurs as an independent disease and is not accompanied by other pathology. In some cases, Raynaud's syndrome is one of the manifestations of other diseases (for example, scleroderma).
9) Finger felon most often occurs as a result of infection, which can be introduced into the finger when removing hangnails, as well as abrasions in the nail area, etc. With this disease, the patient experiences a twitching pain in the finger, and the finger hurts greatly, the finger twitches at night. The finger becomes red, swollen, and painful to touch. There is also an increase in body temperature. With this disease, it is necessary to urgently consult a surgeon, because there may be serious complications, such as finger deformation and sepsis - blood poisoning.
10) Ulnar neuropathy occurs as a result of injury to the elbow or compression in the elbow joint (or wrist joint). In this case, pain is observed in the fourth and fifth fingers, and the fingers also hurt when pressed. As the disease progresses, it becomes difficult to move your fingers.
11) With polycythemia, which affects people from 15 to 90 years of age (the peak incidence is observed in people over 50 years of age), in addition to headaches, insomnia, itchy skin (especially after a bath), patients complain of numbness in their fingers, as well as There is paroxysmal pain in the fingertips (erythromelalgia). All these symptoms are associated with impaired microcirculation, as well as increased blood supply to the vessels. This disease is more common in men than in women.
12) When the fingers of the hand are dislocated, the victim experiences sharp pain in the injured finger, an unnatural position of the finger, and the finger protrudes from the joint. Can't move your finger. In most cases, the thumb is dislocated.
13) With cervical osteochondrosis, a characteristic symptom is pain, which can be sharp, cutting, or a sensation as if an electric current is passing. These pains spread from top to bottom: from the shoulder girdle to the shoulder area, forearm and fingers (the ring finger and little finger hurt more often). Often the pain is accompanied by numbness in the fingers, it seems that goosebumps are crawling on the fingers, and the pain intensifies at night.
And with injuries to the cervical spine, unpleasant sensations develop in one hand, and all five fingers of the hand hurt. Or it happens that you feel pain and numbness in your little finger or your ring finger hurts.
My fingers hurt, what should I do? It must be said that each of the above diseases requires its own treatment. In general, when your fingers hurt, comprehensive treatment is necessary. That is, in most cases you need medication, finger massage, and finger exercises. When your fingers are significantly loaded during work, you need to regularly stretch them. But under no circumstances should you do gymnastics through force. If the pain in your fingers intensifies during exercise, you should stop immediately and consult a doctor. A very positive effect comes from finger massage, which everyone can do on their own.
And finally, it is worth noting that before looking for symptoms of a particular disease, you should first contact a specialist who can make an accurate and correct diagnosis.