Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe systemic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints. As a rule, the disease occurs in symmetrical joints.
This means that when signs of the disease appear on one hand, the same joints on the other are affected. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a wave-like course, when a period of deterioration of the condition is spontaneously replaced by a period of improvement.
The main reason lies in the disruption of the immune system. In addition, several factors are important for the occurrence of the disease:
The likelihood of developing a disease increases if one or more factors become permanent (chronic).
aching pain and the inability to clench a fist are the first signs that should alert you
This disease progresses slowly, but clinical manifestations are constantly increasing.
You should be alerted by aching pain in the joints of both hands at once. There is swelling and redness of the joints, and stiffness. It becomes almost impossible to clench your hand into a fist. The pain is not constant and is often associated with intense physical activity. Usually the pain becomes stronger at night and continues until the morning, then gradually subsides and may completely disappear in the evening.
Due to poor circulation, the skin of the hands and wrists becomes pale, becomes thin and dry, muscle atrophy and necrosis around the nail bed may begin.
The onset of the disease can be determined by such signs as inflammation and swelling of the metacarpophalangeal joints of the index and middle fingers (these joints are located at the base of the fingers), creaking of the joints when moving (crepitus), numbness and tingling in the first three fingers.
As the disease worsens, the joints of the fingers begin to deform, acquire a spindle-shaped shape, and rheumatoid nodules form on them.
The deformity continues to progress and the fingers become fixed in an incorrectly bent position. Motor activity of the hands decreases quite quickly. This process is irreversible.
photo diagram of rheumatoid nodes on the fingers
A complete cure is impossible today, but the earlier treatment is started, the more success can be achieved in alleviating the patient’s condition, and the greater the chance of preventing or slowing down rheumatic damage to internal organs and muscles.
Properly selected drugs make it possible to obtain a long-term improvement in the patient’s well-being. But another stress, hypothermia or other reason again leads to an increase in the symptoms of arthritis.
Drug therapy for the disease is aimed at eliminating pain and stiffness in the joints of the hand, and at slowing down the current pathological process.
Basic (basic) drugs with immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects are used after an accurate diagnosis.
For particularly severe joint deformities, surgical treatment is used. During surgery, part of the joint or the entire joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis.
In each case, a rheumatologist must decide how to most successfully treat rheumatoid arthritis of the hands.
In addition to these procedures, it is recommended to do therapeutic exercises for the joints and adjust the diet, excluding from it foods that provoke the development of the disease - strong broths from meat, fish, mushrooms, marinades, smoked meats, canned food, milk, corn, citrus fruits, oatmeal, coffee and strong tea , too hot or cold food.
It is necessary to ensure a constant supply of protein from food, its amount may even be slightly increased. The amount of animal fats and sugar must be reduced. The presence of vegetable oils rich in vitamins A, E, C in the diet is mandatory.
Regular exercises with a wrist ball for rheumatoid arthritis of the hands will help maintain joint mobility. Knitting and playing musical instruments also contribute to this.
This disease affects not only the joints of the fingers, but also the entire body as a whole.
Since rheumatoid arthritis of the hands and fingers is an autoimmune disease, there is no prevention. We can only recommend following some rules:
For many years, a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis meant inevitable disability. Recently, it has become possible to prevent relapses and provide the patient with long-term remission.
A favorable result in treatment is ensured by timely detection of the disease and timely initiation of therapy. At the same time, an improvement in the condition and the onset of remission is possible within the first year.
In life you can often meet people with crooked and disfigured fingers. Many people believe that these are signs of old age, but this is not the case. Such terrible consequences are caused by a terrible disease - arthritis.
Arthritis is an inflammatory process that occurs in the joints; it can affect any joint in the human body, but, as a rule, it occurs in the small joints of the fingers.
According to statistics, women suffer from this disease 2 or even 3 times more often than men. In general, about 15% of the world's population are familiar with this scourge.
The development of such a disease gradually leads the patient to immobility, and ultimately to disability. Successful treatment of arthritis of the fingers is quite possible, but only if you consult a doctor in a timely manner, when the disease is only at the initial stage. That is why, when the first signs of illness appear, you should immediately go to the hospital. Self-medication in this case is an unjustified risk.
The main problem with arthritis is its occurrence, because it can appear completely unexpectedly, even if you feel well. This happens in acute forms of arthritis. But the chronic form of the disease is much more dangerous. The fact is that such an illness can pass almost unnoticed. It progresses over the years, eroding the body's strength.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: numbness, tingling in the wrists.
Signs of acute arthritis: high fever, severe joint pain and swelling.
First of all, this disease affects a small number of joints; it mainly affects the hands and fingers. When the fingers are bent, they can take on a number of forms that are typical for the manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis:
In the case of such distortions, a person is deprived of the opportunity not only to work, but also to simply serve himself (hold a cup in his hand, fasten buttons, etc.).
In general, the symptoms of finger arthritis directly depend on the type of disease. This may be inflammatory pain, which is quite unpleasant and, as a rule, intensifies with any movement; in addition, it periodically occurs at night. So-called “starting pains” appear.
Over time, inflammation of the tissues that surround the diseased joints begins. An external change occurs in the joints themselves: they swell, their outlines change, swelling and redness of the skin appear, the skin itself becomes very hot in places of inflammation.
The sources of the disease can be a variety of factors. In general, they can be divided into several groups.
Common causes are primarily metabolic disorders. In this case, non-infectious arthritis occurs. This form of the disease usually affects older people, as well as those who have disturbances in the functioning of the endocrine glands and those who have microtraumas.
Infectious diseases - arthritis of the joints of the fingers often occurs in those who have had the flu, acute respiratory viral infections and colds many times. In addition, people who have had tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, brucellosis, chlamydia and dysentery are at risk. From time to time, arthritis occurs due to streptococci and staphylococci. Tonsillitis and other small focal lesions can lead to the disease.
Injuries – joint damage, bruises and operations.
Heredity - it is impossible to talk about the 100% influence of this factor, but due to the pathological structure of the joints that relatives may have, and arthritis in relatives, the occurrence of the disease is quite possible. Therefore, if such conditions exist, it is necessary to periodically go to the hospital for consultation.
It's time to answer the question: “How to treat arthritis of the fingers?”
This disease can be successfully cured only if it is detected at an early stage and individual treatment is selected. To do this, it is necessary to undergo diagnostics in time, because only this can reveal the type of arthritis and the cause of its occurrence.
If infectious arthritis is detected, the doctor will prescribe a course of vaccines, antibiotics and corticosteroids. All treatment is aimed not at eliminating symptoms, but at eliminating the source of the disease. In the acute form, analgesics with an antispasmodic effect, as well as non-steroidal drugs (anti-inflammatory), are used to relieve pain.
Chondroprotectors are used to restore damaged cartilage tissue and stop degenerative processes. In the event that such measures do not bring a positive result, biological response modifiers and antirheumatic drugs are used.
Prevention and treatment of vascular spasms is carried out, as well as measures to normalize blood pressure, since arthritis is associated with poor circulation in the body.
Sleeping pills and sedatives are used, because the disease is characterized by irritability and sleep disturbance, which has a detrimental effect on the human psyche. In the treatment of hand arthritis, tinctures, ointments, rubs and creams with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects are used.
Don’t forget about the nervous system, because the disease does not spare it either. For this reason, it is recommended to increase the level of vitamin B1 or thiamine in the body, which speeds up metabolism (tablets, injections, brewer's yeast).
In addition to taking medications, physiotherapeutic agents are used:
Already during the period of remission of the disease, mud applications and hydrotherapy are used. However, the use of all these funds is determined on an individual basis.
After the exacerbation is relieved, the attending physician prescribes therapeutic exercises. It is performed in the pool or lying on the floor, in conditions of maximum muscle relaxation.
The doctor also prepares a balanced diet, because the first cause of metabolic disorders is poor nutrition. It is recommended to eat liver, herring, salmon, vegetables and fruits, bran, walnuts and other foods that can enrich the body with antioxidants and vitamins D and E.
Treatment of arthritis of the finger joints with folk remedies is allowed. Their list includes infusions and decoctions of herbs, ointments and compresses with mumiyo, blue clay and mustard, and turpentine baths.
As a last resort, when all methods are unsuccessful, the patient goes under the knife of a surgeon who performs joint replacement .
During the treatment period, you must adhere to the following requirements:
In order to reduce the risk of arthritis of the fingers as much as possible, you should pay attention to the following recommendations:
In general, it is possible to cure such a terrible disease as arthritis of the fingers. The main thing is not to neglect your own health, lead a healthy lifestyle and consult a doctor at the first signs of illness.
The occurrence of arthritis of the fingers is associated with an inflammatory component in the corresponding joints. This pathology is widespread, women suffer more, which is associated with the lifestyle and activities of the latter. Women do more manual labor; their hands spend more time in water, often in cold water.
Arthritis of the fingers itself is not a primary disease; it acts as a consequence of existing pathologies in the body. The disease is very serious, as it can lead to disability. Symptoms and treatment of arthritis are determined and prescribed by a doctor.
The clinical manifestation of the disease is characterized by pain when moving or lifting a load. Initially, the pain is mild, but every day it increases. At first, it bothers the patient only in the morning and is accompanied by a feeling of stiffness for about half an hour, then it goes away. The feeling of stiffness is manifested by the inability to move your fingers. The patient has to rub and straighten them for several minutes. The joints of the hands begin to react with aching pain to climatic changes in weather and changes in atmospheric pressure.
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The skin of the hands over the affected joints takes on a red tint and becomes hot to the touch. Swelling and swelling appear around the joints, causing the fingers to thicken.
The general body temperature rises in cases where the process is systemic in nature, for example, with rheumatoid or rheumatoid arthritis. Characteristic is symmetrical joint damage. Sometimes when bending your fingers you can hear a creak, but not a click.
With rheumatoid arthritis, subcutaneous nodules are observed; over time, the hands become deformed, acquiring a spindle-shaped shape, and the fingers may resemble the tarsus of a bird.
The occurrence of articular syndrome is caused by factors, external and internal, that give impetus to the development of pathology:
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Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a symmetrical location on both hands. It most often affects the index and middle fingers, sometimes the area of the wrist joint.
Table. Common forms and types of arthritis of the fingers
Arthritis of the finger joints develops gradually. In medical practice, it is customary to distinguish 4 stages of the disease:
Table. Stages of development of arthritis of the fingers
The sooner a patient goes to a medical facility for qualified help, the more favorable the prognosis. If the disease is incurable, then with constant treatment the process may stop. Movements in the joints will be preserved for a long time. And if the process has already entered the third stage, then it is almost impossible to reverse it, but there is a chance to maintain this state as long as possible and delay the transition to the last stage.
How to recognize the disease:
It all depends on the duration of the disease and its form, so the symptoms can be vivid or faded. The disease affects the phalangeal joints and the area near the nails. In complex cases and with advanced disease, the joints may take the form of a spindle or they may be tightened by contractures.
In this case, it is very difficult for a person to care for himself, so it is necessary to start treatment as early as possible.
During remission, it is very important to continue the treatment started; it will help keep your hands in working condition.
The choice of treatment regimen, medications and their dosages can only be prescribed by a doctor, since the side effects of medications if used incorrectly can lead to life-threatening consequences. Treatment is usually carried out comprehensively. In addition to taking medications, you should reduce the stress on your arms, do special exercises every day, be sure to get enough sleep and eat right.
Most often these are hormonal or non-hormonal drugs and analgesics. They will relieve swelling, immobility, and reduce inflammation.
In case of gout, uric acid is removed, in case of rheumatoid arthritis, metabolism is normalized and drugs that suppress the immune system are used. For diabetes mellitus, homeopathy is selected. For purulent arthritis, surgical treatment and antibiotic therapy are chosen.
Since the patient becomes more irritable, sedatives and sleeping pills are recommended. To support the nervous system, B vitamins are prescribed, in the form of injections, tablets or yeast. Vitamin E is also recommended. It is necessary to reduce the load on the joints, perform special exercises every day to develop hand flexibility.
It is not recommended to lift heavy objects or make sudden movements with your fingers.
Quality rest and sleep of at least 8 hours is recommended. Be sure to follow a diet and water regime. Perhaps the doctor will recommend special devices that will make the patient’s life easier.
Sometimes traditional medicine is used, which advises making lotions and compresses with turpentine, mumiyo, mustard and other means.
Your doctor can decide how to treat arthritis of the fingers with medications individually. Initially, drugs with anti-inflammatory properties are prescribed. These are Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Ketonal and their analogues. They relieve pain and relieve swelling. But they must be taken strictly after meals, otherwise they can lead to inflammatory processes in the stomach, including ulcers.
To restore the cartilage structure, the attending physician will prescribe chondroitin sulfate preparations. They must be taken for a long period of time, from 3 months without breaks.
In order for the treatment of arthritis of the fingers to reach the goal faster, vasodilators are prescribed, such as Trental, Actovegil.
Further, depending on the etiology of the disease, other drugs are prescribed, since it seems possible to cure many forms of arthritis these days. If a diagnosis of reactive arthritis is made, then after determining the infection, a course of antibiotic therapy is prescribed; if spondyloarthritis deformans, then large dosages of B vitamins and cytostatics are prescribed.
For general strengthening purposes, a course of vitamins and calcium and magnesium supplements is prescribed.
If treatment is ineffective, hormonal drugs are added - corticosteroids according to the scheme. Compresses with hydrocortisone are used locally and anti-inflammatory ointments and creams are applied.
During the acute period, the following medications may be prescribed:
2) Agents that restore cartilage tissue: in case of exacerbation, Glucosamine or Chondroitin sulfate can be prescribed.
They are accepted within 3 months.
3) Medicines that promote vasodilation: Trental or Actovegil.
This will help improve joint nutrition. The course is at least 10 days.
4) If the disease is bacterial, antibiotics are prescribed, often penicillins.
5) Vitamin complexes, especially calcium supplements.
6) If the disease is not classified, then antimalarials and corticosteroids can be prescribed, but the course is short-term.
7) Ointments for external use: fastumgel, dollit, diclofenac.
All medications are prescribed by a doctor.
A very important point in treatment are procedures in physiotherapy rooms. A positive effect is observed from ultrasound treatment, electrophoresis, massage, and acupuncture. But in the presence of elevated body temperature and skin pathologies, the procedures are canceled.
Treatment for arthritis must be comprehensive, and appropriate physical therapy techniques are a very important component of this program. They allow you to improve metabolic processes, restore joint mobility and stop or significantly slow down the destructive effect of the disease.
Thus, a good effect is observed when using the methods of electrophoresis and ultrasound, acupuncture, quartz treatment, and massage. Due to the close location of the finger joints to the skin, the above procedures give a very noticeable positive result.
Electrophoresis, as a rule, is carried out with the use of drugs, which increases the effectiveness of the procedure.
The list of contraindications for electrophoresis includes the following:
An equally frequently used technique is ultrasound. It allows you to eliminate spasms, reduce the severity of pain, and improve finger mobility. Ultrasound is approved for use only after the acute stage of the disease is completed. Contraindications include:
At the fourth stage, the patient is unable to move his hand, his fingers seem stiff. Then the doctor suggests implant prosthetics for the deformed joint. The procedure is carried out after a routine examination of the patient. Then even very small joints can be replaced; after the procedure, functional ability will be restored. The method also has negative sides, for example, when swinging the arm, the prosthesis will not provide the full range of movements. And physiotherapy is completely excluded.
To cure arthritis, it is necessary not only to rely on medications, but also to completely reconsider your lifestyle and diet. It is recommended to add sea fish of the salmon family, sardines and tuna to the menu, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and ginger tea. For cereals, give preference to rice, buckwheat and oatmeal.
It is imperative to follow a diet, and it will be different for each type of arthritis.
For example, with rheumatoid arthritis of the fingers, it is necessary not only to increase protein intake, but also to eat 6 times a day. Food should be eaten warm. And liquids are sharply limited, about 5 glasses a day.
Minimum salt consumption, exclusion of sugar and foods containing it. In addition, canned food, spices, smoked meats, pickles, fish and meat broths are excluded.
But they increase the consumption of juices, fruits, vegetables, and berries. Preference is given to lemon and currants, drinks based on rose hips, bran and yeast. Increase the amount of boiled rice without salt, pre-soaked.
For psoriatic arthritis:
Eat more fish and chicken meat, vegetables and fruits, cereals made from wheat, oats, barley and rye. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers are not recommended. You should also not eat mushrooms, citrus fruits, red meat or salty foods.
Under no circumstances should you eat smoked meats and sausages, hot seasonings and sauces, salted and fried fish, alcohol, legumes and meat broths.
Most often, vegetarianism is taken as the basis, but chicken meat and eggs are allowed.
In general, food should be balanced, rich in omega 3 acids, which can be taken from fish and flaxseed oil. It is recommended to keep your weight under control and avoid: tea, coffee, smoked foods and saltiness.
You need to be especially careful with injuries and hypothermia. Arthritis has become younger and can appear in young people as young as 25-30 years old, so you should carefully monitor your health.
During the period of remission, exercises should be performed to develop each joint. Below are a few of them:
Prevention of arthritis of the fingers consists of the following recommendations:
If you notice any changes in yourself, you need to contact your local physician, who, after an examination, will give recommendations on which doctor to see, most often a rheumatologist. The specialist will refer you for examination and prescribe treatment. How to quickly cure arthritis will depend on many factors and the patient himself.
As with any other disease, the earlier arthritis is detected, the higher the chances of successfully normalizing the patient's condition. Even if you do not have characteristic signs of pathology, but it was present in one of your close relatives, periodically consult your doctor and follow his recommendations.
In general, if the disease is not advanced to the stage of surgical intervention, the person remains competent. Otherwise, forecasts depend solely on the patient, or rather, on the correctness, conscientiousness and completeness of compliance with medical prescriptions.
As for preventive recommendations, it is impossible to completely protect yourself from this disease, but there are a number of techniques that can minimize the risk of the onset and subsequent progression of arthritis of the fingers.
Self-medication for this disease is not recommended, so everything, even the use of folk remedies, must be agreed with a doctor.
1) It is often recommended to apply a compress to relieve inflammation.
It consists of: honey, dry mustard and vegetable oil, taken in equal parts, 1 tbsp. l. This mixture is heated and applied for 1 hour.
2) Celery roots help in the form of juice, which is consumed before every meal.
On average this is 1-2 tables. spoons of the product. In addition, a tincture of sunflower roots is also taken.
3) Some people use Kalanchoe leaves infused with vodka for 1 week.
It is recommended to lubricate the inflammation with this mixture once a day.
4) Golden mustache tincture is recommended for those who have fairly severe metabolic disorders; it can also be taken as tea.
It helps restore joint mobility and allows you to intensify drug therapy.
5) Treatment with bee stings has been treating arthritis for a long time; in addition, you can use ointments containing insect venom.
6) Cabbage leaves are considered one of the simplest and most effective remedies. They can be taped to the affected joint and left for a long time.
7) The doctor may recommend treatment with saline solutions and clay. This usually ensures mineralization of the cartilage. When adding oils, the swelling of the tissue is removed.
8) Not long ago, tourmaline gloves began to be used for prevention; they have a healing effect, help relieve inflammation, and increase blood circulation by dilating blood vessels.
For rubbing, a medicinal mixture is prepared based on vinegar essence. Two razor blades are added to it, as well as the same number of eggs and a standard stick of butter. All ingredients are infused for one and a half weeks. After this time, you can gently rub the resulting product into your joints.
It is useful for the inflammatory process to wrap a leaf of white cabbage around the sore spot before going to bed. This should be done until the condition is significantly relieved.
An ointment based on medical clay relieves inflammation very well. To prepare it, you will need to buy a pack at the pharmacy and dilute it with 100 ml. sunflower oil. The finished mass is spread on problem areas and left for at least an hour. After this, the application is washed off and the same places are wrapped in something warm. It's better to lie down quietly. A course of procedures is carried out until the condition is significantly alleviated.
Common radish is effective for joint problems. For one grind you need to grate it and squeeze out the juice. It should be half a glass. It is rubbed into sore spots.
Traditional healers praise a compress made from grated onion. It, together with the juice, is tied to the sore joints and kept for at least half an hour. This procedure is repeated several times a day.
An application with tincture of dandelion flowers relieves pain. They are infused in equal proportions with vodka for a week and a half. Apply to the problem area and rub the mixture until you feel a tingling sensation and warmth. Then they wrap them in something warm.
Knowledgeable people advise taking up to 10 teaspoons of ordinary apple cider vinegar with food. It helps restore joint mobility and reduce pain.
You can use boiled bay leaf. You need two teaspoons of it per two glasses of boiling water. Let it brew until morning, strain and take 50 ml. three times on an empty stomach. The duration of treatment is 14 days.
Compresses of onion, tar, wax, sour cream, liquid honey, taken equally, are applied to problem areas until noticeable relief occurs. When preparing the composition, you need to mix it using a water bath.
Fir oil applied to swollen hand joints effectively relieves inflammation.
In severe cases, arthritis of the thumb is treated with reconstructive surgery, where one gouty bone is removed and replaced with a piece of rolled tendon from the forearm of the same hand. The procedure eliminates pain while maintaining a good range of motion and restores finger function.
Multiple arthritis of the hand and wrist joints is treated with artificial ankylosis or arthrodesis. The tip of the finger is often affected by disease, and combining it with the joint of the lower phalanx stabilizes, straightens and eliminates pain. But the available range of motion is reduced.
Endoprosthetics treat rheumatoid arthritis of the hands involving the joints at the base of the fingers to improve mobility and relieve pain. However, dentures wear out over time, so they are recommended only for older people.
The main goal of the operation is to reduce pain and restore the functionality of the limb. Sometimes surgical treatment is also provided for rheumatic lesions, if the intervention is able to stabilize the joints and prevent tendon injuries.
The essence of any arthritis lies in damage by pathogenic factors to the structural units of the joint, which ultimately leads to a change in the shape and functionality of the affected joint.
Therefore, treatment of arthritis of the hand joints should be started in a timely manner, far before the formation of gross deformities, when it is no longer possible to reverse the pathological process.
Symptoms of the initial stage of arthritis of the fingers appear:
Treatment of arthritis of the hands at this stage stops the pathological process, leading the course of the disease to clinical and laboratory remission.
Treatment of arthritis of the fingers is a long, painstaking process, with individual selection of medications, their combinations and dosages.
In addition, treatment for finger arthritis is not limited to taking medications alone. A serious illness always requires an integrated approach to its treatment. So, for example, if traumatic arthritis develops as a result of professional activity, then the pathological process cannot be stopped by any means as long as the human hand continues to receive its portion of the damaging factor every day.
Despite the general treatment plan, you always want more specific proposals. So, how to treat arthritis of the hands, what medications are used to stop this or that pathological process? First-line drugs prescribed for any arthritis include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, both with selective inhibition of the inflammatory enzyme and general action.
If you plan to take NSAIDs for a long time, then you should opt for a number of selective drugs (Celebrex, Arcoxia). A new word in anti-inflammatory therapy has become a drug - artrodarin. It is prescribed for a long term without the risk of side effects from the gastrointestinal tract. More serious therapy includes the prescription of steroid hormones and, often, cytostatics.
The remission caused by taking such a combination of drugs can often be accompanied by the development of a number of side effects, which forces one to retreat and continue treatment of the pathology with NSAIDs and non-standard methods of therapy.
The last word in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis was the development of monoclonal antibodies against inflammatory enzymes and pathologically activated B lymphocytes. In the treatment of gout, leading importance is given to drugs that regulate purine metabolism.
In case of rheumatoid and psoriatic joint lesions, drug treatment of arthritis of the fingers undoubtedly becomes the leading treatment, but auxiliary methods of influencing the disease cannot be neglected. Specially designed gymnastics for fingers for arthritis helps prevent joint stiffness and maintain fine motor skills by maintaining the tone of the interosseous muscles of the hand and neuromuscular interaction. How to do gymnastics - watch the video:
There is nothing complicated about gymnastics for arthritis of the fingers. It consists of 6 exercises, each of which is designed to activate blood circulation, increase muscle tone and prevent articular surfaces from growing together. An approximate set of exercises for arthritis of the fingers:
You can purchase a hand expander, roll a multifaceted pencil between the table and the palm of your hand, turn it through your fingers, and knead the plasticine.
You can do anything that uses your wrist joints. And the more varied the movements, the better the therapeutic effect will be.
Exercises should not be performed through overcoming pain; movements should be soft and not cause discomfort.
Despite the severity of the pathology, patients with damage to the wrist joints are rarely hospitalized and undergo treatment for arthritis of the fingers at home. While at home, in addition to the mandatory course of drug therapy, you can try additional treatment for arthritis of the hands with folk remedies. You should not resort to alternative medicine without first trying all the possibilities of official healthcare.
Time always works against the patient. Let herbal decoctions, rubs and turpentine baths be better catalysts for therapeutic intervention than a means of despair.
In the treatment of arthritis of the fingers with folk remedies, great importance is given to essential oils of coniferous trees, paraffin applications, burdock leaves and natural vinegar. The latter contains chemicals whose effects on the body resemble those of NSAIDs. The use of turpentine and paraffin is based on the effect of deep heating of tissues with activation of blood circulation in the affected area. The use of certain herbal infusions relies on the positive centuries-old experience of people suffering from arthritis, when local herbalists were the only hope for returning health.
If you have arthritis in your fingers, it would be right to adjust your diet. In order for everything to help in the fight against the disease, you should introduce foods rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids into your diet. This includes fatty sea fish, and maybe lamb, and cold-pressed vegetable oils. The fatty acids they contain contribute to the development of an anti-inflammatory effect and modulate the cellular response to irritating factors.
It is not recommended to eat a lot of meat, especially red and chicken, or drink alcohol and cocoa beans. Fried and spicy foods can also cause an exacerbation of the disease. For the rest, wishes for healthy eating to improve overall well-being.
How to treat arthritis of the fingers? You can achieve positive results and cure only if you start at the initial stage of the disease.
It is based on relieving the inflammatory process and pain relief. The conservative approach includes both drug and non-drug treatment. Traditional medicine and alternative treatment have also shown their effectiveness.
The most intense pain and inflammatory manifestations are characteristic here. Therefore, patients at this stage are shown anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids: both hormonal and non-steroidal (nimesulide, diclofenac, ibuprofen, movalis, voltaren, piroxicam).
It is also permissible to use various ointments, injections into the joint (glucocorticoids) and tablets. If arthritis is viral, an additional course of antibiotics is given. Judging by the pathogen, the doctor selects the necessary drug. It is important to complete the course of antibiotics completely, otherwise you can develop a chronic form of arthritis.
Usually there are no signs of the disease, but treatment is still necessary. During this period, efforts should be made to restore joint functions and eliminate the causes of arthritis. If you have gout, you need to take medications that normalize purine metabolism (allopurinol).
If the arthritis is rheumatoid, then the immune system should be restored. This is why you need to take cytostatics (sulfasalazine, methotrexate) and immunosuppressants (cyclosporine, azothioprine).
In addition, you need to undergo monoclonal antibody therapy. Cartilage tissue is restored with the help of chondroprotectors, which can also prevent cartilage destruction in the future. Physiotherapy is used to restore motor function. It includes:
It would be useful to review the patient’s diet; it should contain foods rich in vitamin E. You can additionally resort to traditional medicine, which offers a variety of lotions, compresses, mixtures and ointments with turpentine, blue clay, mustard and mumiyo for the treatment of arthritis.
The disease usually affects the psyche, the patient becomes tearful, irritable, and sleeps poorly, which is why doctors often use sleeping pills and sedatives. The nervous system is also affected by arthritis, which is why it should be strengthened with vitamins, for example, thiamine (B?). It is prescribed in the form of tablets or injections. There is a lot of it in brewer's yeast.
This is the most severe stage of the pathology. At the destruction stage, only surgical intervention is used, which involves atroscopy and endoprosthetics. Every patient with arthritis should make every effort to prevent the disease from reaching this stage.
During the treatment period, in order for it to give positive results, several points must be strictly observed:
There are always many answers to one question. And how to treat arthritis on the fingers will depend on the sophistication of the questioner. In matters of restoring health, it is still important to adhere to the traditional approach. Properly selected drug therapy will, if not cure, then stop the course of the disease and bring its manifestations under medical control. But against the background of systemic treatment, which is bearing fruit, you can try options for a different therapeutic approach.