Arthritis of the finger joints: symptoms and appropriate treatment

The content of the article:

• • The symptoms of the disease
  • The causes
  • The treatment
  • The prevention

Many of us have seen the elderly with disfigured fingers. And probably many of us thought that it was because of an advanced age. But, alas, this is not entirely true. What are the causes of such terrible deformities of the joints? And can this be avoided? Let's see it!

Arthritis is an inflammatory process in the joints. It affects one of them, but most often the small joints of the fingers suffer. Women suffer from arthritis twice or three times more often than men, and statistics indicate that every seventh citizen in the world feels all the "delights" of this disease. But patients with the problem of arthritis of the finger joints can have a successful treatment if it is started in a timely manner, performed quickly and comprehensively. This attitude can save the patient from impending immobility and, therefore, from a disability. Therefore, at the first signs of the disease, do not treat with self medication, but it is urgent to consult a doctor.

Signs of arthritis of the hands

Arthritis is a very insidious disease because it can enter your body. completely unexpected life, in the context of relative health. This is his acute form. But chronic arthritis, which unfolds almost imperceptibly, slowly and can progress for years even worse. Symptoms of the disease:

• Acute arthritis accompanies severe pain, high fever and swelling of the joints;
• rheumatoid arthritis manifested symmetrically, with numbness and tingling of the wrist
• malaise, prolonged morning pain and stiffness;
• appearance of subcutaneous nodules;
• cracking of the joints;
• Deformation of the joints.

First, the disease affects a small number of joints, most often the fingers on the hands and feet. The fingers can acquire several typical forms of rheumatoid arthritis: spindle-shaped fingers, type of gooseneck and contracture of the fingers with cutaneous necrosis. With such curvatures of the fingers, a person sometimes can not even attach the buttons or hold a glass in the hand.

In the arthritis of the fingers, the symptoms depend on the type of the disease. Inflammatory pain can be very pronounced and strengthen with all movements in the joints, often occurs in the second half of the night. With the inflammation of the surrounding tissue, it appears in certain movements, and "starting" pains also appear. The shapes and contours of the joints change, they become swollen, the skin on them becomes hot, sometimes reddish.

Causes of Disease

The causes of the disease may be the following:

• metabolic disorders infectious arthritis. This form of the disease more often affects people of the older generation who have occupational diseases, disorders of the endocrine glands with micro-trauma
• infectious diseases: brucellosis and gonorrhea, influenza and scarlet fever, syphilis and tuberculosis , dysentery and chlamydia as well as small focal lesions, such as chronic tonsillitis. The causative agents are staphylococci and streptococci
• . One can not neglect the hereditary predispositions, but it is wrong to say that arthritis is hereditary

  Treatment

  Arthritis of the joints of the hands is very important to diagnose at an early stage and for select the individual treatment. Only in this case, the patient can be cured. A correct diagnosis will determine the cause of the disease and the type of arthritis (and there are up to 150).

  If you have infectious arthritis, then a course of antibiotics, vaccines, corticosteroids will be prescribed. The treatment is directed to the process that caused the arthritis. For the elimination of inflammation and pain in the acute form of the disease, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics with spasmolytic action are used. Stopping the development of the degenerative process and restoring the cartilaginous tissue will help the chondroprotectors. If these funds do not produce the desired result, basic anti-rheumatic drugs and biological response modifiers are prescribed.

  The progression of the disease is closely related to the violation of the blood supply in the joints, therefore to the correction of diseases. blood vessels (vasospasm, normalization of blood pressure) is performed. In the short term, appearing after the considerable loads and the "starting" pain, it is appropriate to prescribe nitrates.

  The serious course of the disease accompanies irritability, crying, trouble sleeping. To improve the patient's psyche, sedatives and hypnotics are used, as well as medications that relieve feelings of anxiety, anxiety and "improve the quality of life".

  Also, the treatment of arthritis of the fingers involves the use of distractions. are analgesics and anti-inflammatory ointments, creams, tinctures and rubs.

  It must be remembered that arthritis also affects the nerves because the body must be supported by vitamins. The most effective of these is thiamine or vitamin BI, which is a catalyst for metabolism. Most often it is prescribed in the form of injections, but you can use it in tablets or use brewer's yeast, rich in this vitamin.

  When arthritis of the hands treatment should be done in conjunction with physiotherapy methods. This can be electrophoresis, through which antibiotics, novocaine and various complex drug compounds are introduced into the body through the skin, the dia-namic therapy is carried out by pulse currents at low frequency, UHF, magnetotherapy, ultrasound. Also used in the remission phase are applications of hydrotherapy and mud.

  When the exacerbation is suppressed, the doctor prescribes a therapeutic gymnastics, usually while lying down or in the pool, because in the water, the greatest relaxation of the muscles is obtained. But in this case, no exercise should cause discomfort and much less pain. The abnormal metabolism of 90% is due to malnutrition. Therefore, you must enrich your body with vitamins E and D, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. All this can be obtained from fresh vegetables and fruits, salmon and herring, liver, nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower, bran.

  With pharmacotherapy, it is possible to treat with folk remedies. These are compresses and ointments with mustard, blue clay, mummies and, of course, infusions and herbal medicinal herbs, turpentine baths. However, before using it, always consult a doctor.

  In particularly neglected cases, when conservative treatment can no longer give positive results, resort to surgery and joint prostheses.

  You must also add rules of conduct. during the disease, which will help to transfer it more easily:

  • not self-medication,
  • reduce the burden on the finger joints,
  • do daily exercises and stretching exercises, but without load
  • objectively evaluate their condition, without fear and without hysteria
  • perform punctually all prescriptions of the doctor
  • you can not lift weights and make sudden movements, jump and run;
  • to ensure a good night's rest;
  • use special assistive devices to facilitate movement;
  • limit the consumption of food and liquids – this is natural in the acute conditions of the entire animal kingdom.

  Prevention

  Exercise and temper the body. Do not overload the joints, for that, watch your own weight. Reduce consumption of salt and sugar, alcohol and tobacco. Use several cloves of garlic a day. Black tea and coffee are replaced by green tea or herbal drinks. Ginger tea is very good for arthritis. Avoid hypothermia and joint injuries.

  Remember that movement is life and that abandonment of excesses reduces deprivation!