How to treat arthritis in hands
Do you want to know how to treat arthritis in your hands? If you are one of the millions of people with arthritis in their hands, this article is for you.
Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling of the joints of your body. When arthritis affects your hands, it can feel like the pain will last forever.
Arthritis can cause joints to destruct, causing joint replacement to be necessary. Arthritis in the hands happens when there is inflammation in one or more hand or wrist joints.
Today, there are over 100 types of arthritis. Only a few of these types affect the hands. Osteoarthritis OA and Rheumatoid arthritis are the most common types that affect the hands.
Generally, Osteoarthritis in the hands is caused by wear and tear of the joints in your hands. This is because as we grow older, our body gets worn out.
Rheumatoid arthritis takes place when the immune system begins to attack the hand and its joints.
Four Areas that are Affected Most by Arthritis
There are four areas of your hands that are affected the most by arthritis.
These include the base of the thumb at the point where your thumbs meet, your knuckles, the middle joints of the fingers, and the top joints close to your nails.
If you think you may be susceptible to getting arthritis in your hands, see if you fit into these categories.
You are older than 50, and you are a woman. You’re white, overweight, have previous injuries to your hands and wrists, and inherited genes that cause arthritis.
These are the groups of people who get arthritis most often. This does not determine that you will get arthritis, but it’s always good to be prepared.
This article will inform you about arthritis in the hands and provide you with information on how to spot arthritis in your hands.
Knowing what to look for in your hands can get you treated for arthritis and get your hands to feel better. If you know what signs to check for, you can seek a doctor to help treat arthritis.
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What are the first signs of arthritis in your hands?
If you are having pain in your hands and it is frequent, you may have arthritis. Having persistent pains in your hands is one of the signs of arthritis, and another possible cause of pain could be carpal tunnel.
Arthritis can cause joint destruction if it is severe. Knowing the signs of arthritis will help you get your hands treated quickly. The faster you get it treated, the better.
Here are several signs of arthritis in the hands:
- Pain and stiffness in your joints, especially the hand and wrist, when you wake up in the morning.
- Swelling and pain in your hands and fingers as well.
- Decreased range of motion of your hands.
- The skin on your hands may be red and inflamed.
- It hurts to use your hands or muscles.
- Your hand pops or makes a grating sound when you move it.
- Loss of muscle mass on your hands.
- Little, bony bumps on your hands.
- The skin on your hands is warm.
- Deformed hands.
- Fever, if you have an infection.
- Psoriatic arthritis in your hands.
If you are experiencing any of these signs, it is advised to contact your primary care provider. They can discuss and diagnose arthritis, along with treatment options for you as well.
There are several treatments for those with arthritic hands. Arthritis in hands is not untreatable.
Can you do anything for arthritic hands?
There are a few things that you can try to help treat your arthritic hands. First, we advise you to seek medical advice before you do anything.
Your doctor may give you some exercises solely for your hands and wrists, and the exercises will help work small joints in your hands as well.
These exercises have been very helpful for many years.
You can simply get some rest. If you do not sleep often, getting a good night’s sleep will help arthritis tremendously.
Some wraps are sold at pharmacies and department stores. These wraps are great for those who have arthritis as well as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Now that you have a few treatment ideas, let’s look at what causes arthritis in hands to flare up.
What causes arthritis in the hands to flare up?
If you have been experiencing arthritis flare-ups, there may be a good reason as to why.
If you have any joint pain or stiffness, think about a few reasons why this is happening. It could be the weather in stress that is causing your flare-up.
Fatigue, fever, and too much activity may also be causes for arthritis in the hands to flare up tremendously.
If you have very bad flare-ups, you should contact your doctor. Things like weather, stress, food, and too much activity are bound to help you have a flare-up.
Anything that causes anxiety and stress on your body can be quite dangerous. Check your local weather every night before you go to sleep. This was if it is cold, you are already prepared.
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Treatments for Arthritis
If you have arthritis and have not gone to seek medical advice yet, we suggest you do. However, you may worry that there is no way to treat arthritis, and this would be false.
Indeed, there are treatment options available for those who are suffering from arthritis.
Your treatment options are determined by the type of arthritis you have, the stage of the disease, the number of joints affected, your age, which hand is affected, and any pre-existing conditions.
The main goal of treating arthritis in the hands is to decrease joint pain and stiffness, improve your mobility and function, increase your quality of life, and slow down the progression.
Some treatments include splinting, medicines, injections in affected areas, some non-drug ideas, and surgery.
If your pain and stiffness are not that bad and you can tolerate it, your doctor may tell you to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Splinting or braces are of the design to support and protect your joints, reduce deformity of your hands, joint stability, lessen strain, proper joint alignment.
Your healthcare provider can prescribe medications to assist in reducing joint pain and swelling. Currently, there is no medication to take for Osteoarthritis as of yet.
There are also steroid injections available as well. The doctor may want to try joint fusion if your joints are badly in pain. Joint fusion uses a plate and screws to keep the bones of the joint together.
The surgery will keep your pain minimal, sometimes nonexistent. However, your flexibility and movements are of limitation.
Other ways to treat arthritis in the hands are exercises, hot and cold packs, resting your hands, healthy eating and managing diabetes, weight loss, quitting smoking, and occupational therapy.
In Case You Missed It
Arthritis in the hands can be very painful and unbearable.
Keep in mind once you get treatment for any of the common forms of arthritis, you are to see a doctor who will be able to treat arthritis.
Seeking treatment for arthritis is the best action to take when arthritis hits.
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