Arthritis of the hands and fingers causes painful inflammation and swelling of the joints of the wrists and fingers, making activities like gripping, grasping, and pinching very challenging and painful. Over time, arthritis can cause noticeable deformation of the finger joints. Medications, cortisone injections, splinting, physical therapy, and activity modification can all be used to help manage symptoms.
If arthritis affects the thumb joint and conservative measures fail to improve symptoms, a trapeziectomy may be performed to decrease joint pain and inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis RA is an autoimmune condition where the body produces an immune system response to attack its own joints, causing pain, inflammation, and swelling. Over time, the cartilage breaks down, narrowing the space between bones, and joints can become unstable or stiff.
If left untreated, rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent and irreversible joint damage. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is more likely to develop on one side of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is usually symmetrical affecting both sides of the body, most commonly in the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles.
Rheumatoid arthritis is also more likely to affect multiple joints of the body, can cause systemic body symptoms like fatigue and weakness, and produces prolonged morning stiffness more than osteoarthritis.
Women are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis than men. Psoriatic arthritis can affect the joints of the entire body and result in permanent joint damage if left untreated. While there is no treatment to cure the condition, medications may help reduce symptoms like joint pain and inflammation and prevent disease progression.
Treatment is aimed at promoting remission and preventing joint damage. The prognosis for those diagnosed with arthritis becomes worse the longer the condition goes undiagnosed, so it is important to seek medical attention if you think you might have symptoms of arthritis. A physical examination combined with a review of your medical history and X-ray imaging are used to confirm a diagnosis of arthritis and identify the affected joints. Blood tests that examine levels of rheumatoid factor , anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, erythrocyte sedimentation rate , and C-reactive protein can help confirm a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis since these substances are typically elevated in these inflammatory conditions.
Symptoms of arthritis can worsen over time if left untreated. If you have been experiencing chronic joint pain, stiffness, decreased mobility, or swelling for more than three months, it is important that you see a doctor to address your symptoms.
Arthritis symptoms can vary from mild discomfort to significant disability that can limit everyday activities. It is important that you seek medical attention if you have been experiencing joint pain, stiffness, or swelling for more than three months.
Inflammation and degradation of joints can be lessened and prevented if arthritis is diagnosed and managed early. Physical therapy can also help manage your symptoms by improving your joint mobility, range of motion, and strength, as well as teach you activity modifications to lessen strain on painful joints.
Dealing with chronic inflammation? An anti-inflammatory diet can help. Our free recipe guide shows you the best foods to fight inflammation. Get yours today! Arthritis Foundation. Updated Spinal Arthritis Arthritis in the Back or Neck. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Osteoarthritis of the Hip. Updated July Cervical Spondylosis Arthritis of the Neck. Updated August Arthritis of the Shoulder. Updated January Arthritis of the Hand. Updated December Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
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When the knee is affected by psoriatic arthritis, the knee may feel painful, stiff, swollen, and tender. Other joints are often affected, particularly joints in the fingers and toes. Other common symptoms include fatigue and eye pain. See What Is Psoriatic Arthritis? Psoriasis is a skin condition. See Psoriatic Arthritis Causes. Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that can cause a build-up of uric acid crystals monosodium urate crystals in the knee joint. These needle-like, microscopic crystals collect in the soft tissue of the knee joint, causing pain that can be excruciating, as well as swelling, redness, and warmth.
About half of all gout cases affect the big toe joint metatarsophalangeal joint , but other cases affect the knee or another joint. Pseudogout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that results from the buildup of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joints of the body. While less common than gout, pseudogout is more likely to affect the knee.
Like gout, pseudogout is caused by a build-up of microscopic crystals in a joint and can lead to sudden, severe knee pain, swelling, warmth, and redness. Pseudogout is less common than gout but more likely to affect the knee joint. The microscopic crystals that cause pseudogout are called calcium pyrophosphate crystals. Doctors often refer to pseudogout as calcium pyrophosphate deposition CPPD. Reactive arthritis can result in inflammatory joint pain, most commonly in the knee, fingers, or low back.
Other possible symptoms include problems involving the urinary tract, eyes, and skin. Reactive arthritis commonly affects the knee, though it can affect any joint.
See Reactive Arthritis Symptoms. Reactive arthritis develops as a reaction to an infection, such as a stomach bug or a sexually transmitted disease STD. Some alternative or complementary therapies might also help to relieve pain and other symptoms. Some people use a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS machine to relieve pain.
The machine applies a weak electrical current to points on the skin. However, the American College of Rheumatology and the Arthritis Foundation do not recommend this treatment because there is not enough evidence to show that it helps. If home and self-help options do not work and symptoms get worse, a person may need medical treatment. All of these drugs can have adverse effects. A person should speak to their doctor about which one is suitable for their condition.
Capsaicin creams and ointments may cause redness and pain when you apply them. People should not use them if they have another health condition. People with RA, an auto-immune disease, may need drugs that affect the whole system, and not only the knee joint.
A doctor may recommend one of a new class of drugs, known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs. Doctors can also use corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation in the knee joint. However, these usually offer only short-term pain relief, and long-term use can have adverse effects. Examples of these procedures include :. Arthroscopy : A surgeon inserts small instruments into the knee to find out about possible areas of damage.
At the same time, they can remove any damaged bone fragments from the knee or flush out the joint in an attempt to reduce pain. If there is a tear in the meniscus or ligaments around the knee, the doctor may be able to repair these areas at the same time. Cartilage grafting : A doctor may take cartilage from another area of the body and graft it around the knee bones.
Total or partial knee replacements : The surgeon removes the damaged knee joint and replaces it with a metal or plastic joint, which should work as the original knee joint would.
Corticosteroid injections can affect multiple organ systems and cause osteonecrosis, the death of bone tissue. They might also weaken the protective cartilage around the knee joint. It may have anti-inflammatory effects. Learn more. A knee brace may be helpful for arthritis, although there are limited studies, and positive results are often not robust. New technologies may provide…. This article explores what Voltaren is, how it works, where to get it, how to use it, side effects, and how it compares to other painkillers.
Tricompartmental osteoarthritis is a type of osteoarthritis that affects all three compartments of the knee. Learn more about this condition here. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a progressive disease that develops in several stages.
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