What Is Hand Arthritis And How Can It Be Treated?
Have you noticed that you’ve been having difficulties in playing the guitar or using a kitchenaid hand mixer? Have you been feeling pain and stiffness in your hands? One of the possible reasons can be arthritis of the hands. But don’t panic just yet. With the aid of a doctor and some treatment, getting back to your normal life is possible.
Arthritis is a disease of the bone joints, in particular the cartilage in them. Factors including an injury, heredity and others usually cause the development of this problem. Age may also be the culprit, such as in the case of osteoarthritis. Also known as degenerative arthritis, it’s due to the wearing and tearing of cartilages through the years.
Aside from the hands, large weight-bearing joints are also at risk of getting arthritis. It’s not uncommon for the shoulders, back, hips and knees to develop it. Arthritis of the hands can cause pain and swelling, which limits normal movements. A grinding or clicking sound may be observed when moving the hands. It’s also possible for bony knobs to appear in the joints of the fingers.
A doctor will take your health history, as well as do a physical examination to diagnose arthritis. Structural changes in your hands’ joints may be revealed by an x-ray. Blood testing is important for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, a form of autoimmune disease. The degree of the disease will tell the types of treatment the doctor is likely to recommend.
There are topical arthritis creams for relieving the common signs and symptoms. Your doctor may also prescribe oral Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, or NSAIDs, for pain and inflammation. However, there are also those which are administered through injections. Splints are sometimes applied to provide a stable resting position for the hands. But in extreme cases, surgery may have to be performed.
Application of liniment or anything similar is effective for relieving minor signs and symptoms. The same is true with applying a cold compress on your hands. Hand exercises are helpful in maintaining normal hand or finger functions. You may spread your fingers apart, have each of your fingers touch the tip of the thumb, or make a fist. Such practices enable efficient using of a keyboard, flipping of switches beneath the custom LCD of a device, or other similar activities at work.
With proper activity modification and following the doctor’s orders, hand arthritis need not get in the way of your daily living. Soon enough you can resume your passion in life, be it using a Canon digital SLR camera or gripping a tennis racket. Having arthritis of the hand need not cause you lifelong pain and joint immobility.
