Osteoarthritis is a rheumatic disease that can often be confused with arthritis. However, both have unique characteristics that allow one to be differentiated from the other. Are you interested in knowing which of these diseases is causing the pain and limitation of your hands? Then you should read the content that our orthopedic and traumatology specialists have prepared for you!
We can define osteoarthritis as a benign degenerative process that affects the different joints of the human body, specifically causing the progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage and the deformation of the underlying bones.
Osteoarthritis of the hand most often occurs in the cartilages within the trapeziometacarpal, metacarpophalangeal, distal interphalangeal, and proximal interphalangeal joints of the hands.
This pathology usually manifests itself in people between 40 and 50 years old, with women being the most likely to develop hands with osteoarthritis.
Symptoms of people with osteoarthritis of the hands include:
Predominant and visible deformity in the phalanges of the hands.
Pain that disappears with rest and returns when you make movements.
Loss of functionality.
Inflammation.
Rigidity.
The orthopaedics and traumatology specialist will be in charge of carrying out an examination to identify:
How the joints behave when pressed and given mobility.
Whether or not there are creaks in the face of movements.
How advanced the deformity is.
What is the degree of joint inflammation.
Your doctor will probably need to take some X-rays of your hands to check how much cartilage has lost, how much space between your bones is, and how far the deformity has progressed.
In general terms, we could say that osteoarthritis of the hands is the product of the wear and tear of the joints. However, in osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints it is different, since it has been proven that most of these people carry with them a hereditary burden of the disease.
Hands with osteoarthritis can also result from previous injuries, fractures or inflammatory diseases. On the other hand, the involvement of the metacarpophalangeal joints is closely related to the execution of intense manual work for a long time.
The first part of treatment for hands with osteoarthritis consists of applying measures to relieve pain, slow its progression and improve the patient’s quality of life. In this sense, medical treatment may include: Medications (analgesics and anti-inflammatories), mobility exercises alternating with rest and the placement of splints to prevent deformities from having a greater development.
In certain cases, the specialist may recommend corticosteroid injections directly into the joint as a fast-acting method in palliating pain and regaining the range of joint mobility that had been lost.
If none of the above options work, surgery to surgically fuse or reconstruct damaged joint tissues may be evaluated, especially when it comes to osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb, which has a fundamental anatomical function for the performance of many of the daily tasks.
To this day there is no cure for osteoarthritis, so the disease must be constantly treated and monitored in order to assess its progression. Although osteoarthritis reduces the functioning of this important part of the body and can occasionally lead to disability, the patient is never at risk of dying from the disease.
People with osteoarthritis in their hands should NOT:
Osteoarthritis in the hands has a gradual evolution; Generally, it first appears on one finger of the hand and then spreads to other fingers until a large part of them begin to thicken and deform. It is very important to see a doctor when you notice symptoms such as pain or swelling in your fingers; In this way, the specialist will be able to intervene in time and recommend an appropriate treatment that stops its progression.
Osteoarthritis that is caused by the overuse of the hands can be avoided by reducing the intensity of activities and the excess weight that leads to joint wear. On the other hand, hand osteoarthritis from inherited antecedents is almost impossible to prevent. However, to maintain joint health at any age, it is advisable to practice daily stretching exercises that encompass the structures of the hand and wrist, this can work as a method of prevention of this and many other degenerative diseases of the hand.
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