Finger pain - pain in the fingers causes and effective treatment

Finger pain generally refers to those painful symptoms that occur in the area of ​​the fingers or finger joints. For these very different causes such as a strain, bruise or diseases such as Dupuytren's disease into consideration. Very often there is an inflammatory or degenerative disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Painful fingers can be extremely uncomfortable for those affected and, moreover, are usually associated with movement restrictions, which often increase after certain stresses such as bending, stretching or heavy wearing. As a result, finger complaints can complicate everyday life considerably and, for example, in the case of severe rheumatic diseases, sometimes lead to incapacity for work. Accordingly, these should always be medically clarified in order to be able to initiate timely treatment and avoid health risks if necessary.

contents

• definition
• Common cause of finger pain: joint wear
• Finger pain from thumb saddle joint osteoarthritis
• Cause arthritis / arthritis
• Painful fingers due to psoriatic arthritis
• Dupuytren's disease
• Other causes of finger pain
• Treatment for aching fingers
• Therapeutic measures in rheumatoid arthritis
• Therapy for Dupuytren's disease
• Naturopathy for rheumatic pains
• The right diet for aching fingers
• Exercise and stress reduction

definition

The finger (scientifically: "digitus") belongs as part of the hand to the so-called "Akren", with which the outermost ends of the organism are designated (hands, feet, toes, nose etc.). The bony support elements of the four fingers are formed by the finger bones, with each finger normally having three bones: the proximal phalanx, the phalanx media, and the phalanx distalis, which is translated as the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges. The thumb, on the other hand, consists of only two bones (proximal and distal phalanxes), forming the strongest of the five fingers.

The four fingers usually consist of three bones, the thumb is one bone less. (Image: Christian Schwier / fotolia.com)

The individual phalanx bone are connected to each other by the finger joints, whereby a distinction is made here between the so-called "finger base joints" to the metacarpal bones and the "finger end joints" between the phalanges.

The exception is the thumb, because this is connected by the thumb saddle joint with the carpal bone, which he can face the other fingers. In addition, it is possible by the flexibility of the thumb to include larger things by hand. The fingers form an elemental "tool" by making it possible to grasp, hold or support. In addition, they also fulfill other important tasks such as the keys or communicative or gesticulate functions such as pointing or sign language (thumbs up or down, outstretched middle finger, etc.).

Common cause of finger pain: joint wear

In most cases, a degeneration or colloquially "wear and tear" is the cause of pain in the fingers. Often it is a so-called arthrosis of the joint (polyarthrosis), as a result of which the cartilaginous layer of the joint gradually wears off.

A distinction is made between two forms: First, the primary osteoarthritis, which develops without apparent cause and is therefore usually considered as typical, age-related wear. Since menopausal and postmenopausal women are particularly affected by primary finger joint arthrosis, changes in the hormone balance are often assumed to be the cause. Likewise, genetic factors seem to play a role, because close relatives are affected, the risk of self-infection increases.

Secondary arthrosis is the result, for example, of congenital or accidental injuries, poorly healed fractures, infections or metabolic disorders such as gout. Also, changes in the bone such as osteoporosis (bone loss) or osteonecrosis (death of bone tissue) can cause secondary osteoarthritis, as well as rheumatoid arthritis and constant overload or constant lack of exercise.

The articular arthrosis most commonly occurs in the wrist joints ("Heberden's arthrosis") and more rarely in the finger-joint ("Bouchard's arthrosis"), whereas the finger-base joints are not affected. Regardless of the type, the signs of wear do not develop overnight, but gradually - so that often no symptoms occur at the beginning and the disease remains undetected for a long time ("silent osteoarthritis").

Typical of a finger joint osteoarthritis are stiff joints, pain and swelling. (Image: Astrid Gast / fotolia.com)

Later on, sufferers typically suffer from stiff joints associated with pain, swelling and the difficulty of clenching a fist or unscrewing a bottle. Later, the pain is no longer felt only during exercise, but instead in every situation, the joints are sometimes heavily swollen, reddened and overheated ("activated osteoarthritis").

Articular arthrosis of the finger end joints is characterized by articular cysts on the fingers ("mucoid cysts"), which are small bulges of the joint capsule filled with thickened synovial fluid, which gradually increase in size as the disease progresses.

However, whether or in which severity symptoms occur over time varies from case to case and also depends on exactly where the joint wear is. Accordingly, the Erkranung run completely painless and largely without consequences, but also take a serious course and lead to massive pain and malposition of individual fingers, which can lead to severe impairments in everyday life.

Finger pain from thumb saddle joint osteoarthritis

One possible cause of the condition is arthrosis in the thumb joint (rizarthrosis) - especially in women who are about ten times more likely to be affected than men. This form of joint wear is in most cases particularly serious, since the thumb is indispensable when gripping and holding and thus an injury often brings severe disturbances in everyday life.

The so-called thumb saddle joint is the joint between the first metacarpal bone and the "large polygonal bone" (Os trapezium), which lies in the ball of the thumb and allows the rotation and the opposite of the thumb to the other fingers. If there is any signs of wear, sufferers experience pain at the transition of the thumb to the carpal (thumb), which is often described as burning and accompanied by swelling and marked movement restrictions.

Since the thumb saddle joint is the most flexible joint of the thumb, this is in principle involved in all movements - resulting in problems in various everyday activities (opening large glasses, turning a key in the lock, holding objects, etc .).

In the further course of the disease it comes in addition to the thumb pain in addition to the thumb pain in addition to a noticeable malposition (subluxation) of the thumb in the thumb saddle joint due to the ossification of the joint capsule, also changes to the bone (osteophytes) with time are also felt.

In arthrosis in the thumb saddle joint even small handles, such. unlocking the front door, causing big problems. (Image: sarahdoow / fotolia.com)

Cause arthritis / arthritis

A common cause of finger pain is so-called arthritis, which is a chronic inflammation of the joints (from Greek "Arth-" for "joint" and "-itis" for "inflammation"). Such joint inflammation can have many different causes, such as infection with bacteria or other agents, and inflammation can also be transported from another infected site (e.g., herpes infection) in the body via the blood into the joint.

Metabolic diseases such as gout can be the cause of arthritis. Likewise, autoimmune diseases come into consideration, in which the immune system is "misprogrammed", which attacks and destroys one's own joints and tissues. These diseases include, among others, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis.

However, the most common form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, also referred to as "inflammatory rheumatism" or colloquially simply "rheumatism". Women are about twice as likely to be affected as men, the disease can occur at any age - in women, but it usually begins from the fifth and in men from the age of six decades, in rare cases, however, are already affected children (juvenile rheumatoid factor positive polyarthritis).

What causes the "dysregulation" of the body's defense system in rheumatism, is not yet clear - it is suspected that genetic factors or infectious agents (viruses and bacteria) could play a role, as well as smoking is attributed a central importance. In many cases, experts therefore assume that rheumatoid arthritis is triggered by the interaction of several factors.

The disease is very different: they begin very slowly on the small finger, hand and toe joints left and right, but it can also occur quite suddenly and initially only a few joints on one side. In most cases, however, first the left and right finger and wrist joints are affected, but usually with the exception of the finger joints. The inflammation leads to swelling of the joints, sometimes severe finger pain and redness, typical is also morning stiffness of the joints, which sometimes lasts for hours.

Many sufferers suffer from general illnesses such as tiredness, fatigue, fever and increased nocturnal sweating.

In the further course, the progressive destruction of joints and tendons leads to characteristic deformities ("90/90 deformity of the thumb", "buttonhole deformity", etc.). As a result, in many cases the hand pain increases and the gripping power of the hands continues to fall away, which means that many everyday activities can not be carried out easily.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect organs such as the heart, lungs or eyes, which can cause, among other things, chronic inflammation and dry eyes or mouth (sicca syndrome), as well as pulmonary fibrosis, pleurisy or pericarditis .

Although rheumatism is not curable so far, the disease is considered to be treatable if diagnosed early. The course can vary greatly, in most cases develops a chronic arthritis, which often leads to disability and disability. In addition, the risk of a number of other diseases is increased in those affected, which occur in parallel and thus can provide additional complaints in everyday life. Examples are arteriosclerosis and osteoporosis as well as fibromyalgia, also a heart attack or stroke are possible in an emergency.

Rheumatism can lead to massive deformities of the fingers. (Image: andifink / fotolia.com)

Painful fingers due to psoriatic arthritis

If the pain in the fingers in connection with psoriasis of the skin or nails on, may also be a so-called psoriatic arthritis (also called "psoriatic arthritis") cause. It is a less common inflammatory disease of the joints, affecting predominantly the hands, feet and / or spine, occurring in about 5% to 15% of all patients with psoriasis.

Characteristic features include painful swelling of the fingers and toes as a result of inflammatory changes in the joints, as well as changes in the fingernails or toenails such as pinhead-sized dimples in the nail plate ("spotted nails") or yellow discoloration ("oil nails"). The causes of psoriatic arthritis are not yet fully understood, but it is also believed here a genetic predisposition in combination with a "trigger", among other feverish infectious diseases (tonsillitis, measles, etc.), hormonal changes (puberty, menopause), certain Medication and mental factors such as stress are assumed.

Dupuytren's disease

Finger pain may indicate Dupuytren's disease (Dupuytren's contracture). It is a benign, scarring disease of the connective tissue (fibromatosis) of the palm and the long fingers. It is characteristic that the fixed connective tissue of the hand (palmar aponeurosis), which lies directly under the skin, changes, whereby more strands and nodules form in the palm and on the fingers, while at the same time the palmar aponeurosis shrinks.

Pressing the hard knots on the cavernous nerves, it comes to pain. The strand-like indurations cause that the affected fingers can no longer be actively stretched, whereby usually the fourth and fifth fingers (ring finger and little finger) are affected. Instead, they remained in a flexion position (flexion contracture), which in the further course can lead to the fact that the hand can no longer be placed flat on a surface.

Partly it comes through the curvature and finger pain, moreover, it is usually a great burden for those affected that the hands can no longer be charged or used properly. Dupuytren's disease occurs primarily in northern Europe, increasing in men over the age of 50 and, according to the German Dupuytren Gesellschaft e.V., is estimated to affect between 1.3 and 1.9 million people in Germany.

The exact cause of the connective tissue disease is still not fully understood, it is suspected hereditary predisposition in combination with a trigger of the disease such as the poor healing of an injury that leads to the formation of excess tissue. In addition to the familial accumulation, Dupuytren's disease also frequently occurs in connection with certain diseases such as diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, cirrhosis of the liver or elevated blood lipid levels (hyperlipidemia).

Other causes of finger pain

Other possible causes of painful fingers include, for example, a sprain, sprain, or finger fracture, which is usually accompanied by swelling and, in some cases, bruising under the affected fingernail (e.g., rupture of the finger end-member). Nerve damage as a result of diabetes is conceivable, because the disease destroys long and fine nerve fibers, which leads to sensory disturbances (ants, tingling) and pain in the fingers and feet.

Considered is a benign soft tissue tumor on the finger joint (ganglion), which is colloquially often referred to as "Überbein". It is a fluid-filled, elastic nodule that is often very sensitive to pressure and can sometimes cause massive pain when it presses on joints, nerves or blood vessels. Furthermore, an overbone often leads to impaired mobility and discomfort such as tingling or numbness.

The reason for the finger complaints can be, for example, a strain or a high leg. (Image: sebra / fotolia.com)

Treatment for aching fingers

There are a variety of options for treatment, depending on the cause. For example, if osteoarthritis is present, a central step is to avoid additional stress on the joints and instead relieve the fingers in everyday life as much as possible, for example, by grip reinforcements on pins or the use of a special rail for immobilization, especially in the thumb saddle joint arthrosis is used.

Various types of physical treatment, such as heat treatments, physiotherapy, electrotherapy or ultrasound, can be very helpful in alleviating the discomfort. In case of severe pain and / or restricted mobility, medication (eg non-steroidal anti-rheumatism, in short: NSAIDs, painkillers), which is either applied directly to the affected finger in the form of creams or gels, or directly into the joint, usually takes place first can be injected (cortisone, hyaluronic acid).

In the case of finger arthrosis, laser treatment is also possible. If the conservative measures are unsuccessful, there is the possibility of surgery - but this is usually only done if the symptoms are very long and the joints are severely deformed.

Therapeutic measures in rheumatoid arthritis

In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, it is crucial that the disease is detected and treated as early as possible - accordingly, should those affected suspected always seek medical advice or rheumatologist. The goal of the therapy is to inhibit the inflammatory processes as best as possible and to relieve the pain, but also to maintain the strength and functionality of the joint.

To achieve this, the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is usually based on three pillars: first, treatment with drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, basic therapies, etc.) to slow down the course.

Secondly, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and physical measures (e.g., cold and heat treatments, electrotherapy) are used to maintain the mobility and function of the joints.

The third pillar is surgical interventions, which, however, are usually only considered when the previous measures have not been effective enough. In principle, there are various possibilities, such as an arthroscopy or radiosynoviorthesis, in which inflammatory tissue can either be removed or obliterated by means of radiolabelled substances.

Therapy for Dupuytren's disease

If there is Dupuytren's disease, the therapy will also be based on the patient's existing complaints and limitations. Since especially in older people, the nodes usually grow very slowly and thus hardly cause any impairment, in some cases no treatment is necessary.

From a certain degree of flexion of the fingers, surgery is usually performed on the hand, removing the diseased connective tissue, allowing the tendons to move freely again. This is the case, for example, when the fingers can no longer be laid flat on the table or can only be bent less than 30 degrees. After the surgery physiotherapy is a good support to quickly achieve more mobility in the fingers or hand again.

Often, physiotherapy exercises are part of the treatment. (Image: Michael Schütze / fotolia.com)

As an alternative to surgery, non-surgical methods for the treatment of Dupuytren's disease can be used. An example is the so-called needle fistiotomy, in which the doctor destroys the hardened Dupuytren strands with pinpricks so that they can be stretched and torn. At the onset of the disease, irradiation with X-rays or gamma rays is also useful in some cases to inhibit connective tissue growth and thereby prevent progression of the disease.

Naturopathy for rheumatic pains

Since finger pain very often occurs in connection with rheumatic diseases, it is important to visit a rheumatologist at the first sign, because only this can decide competently, which treatment steps are appropriate in each case. The therapy of rheumatic patients includes on the one hand anti-inflammatory drugs, but also a variety of non-medicinal measures such as physiotherapy, massages or thermal applications in the form of cold or heat.

Here, for example, in many cases, the radon heat therapy in Gastein healing tunnel has been proven, which relieves pain in a natural way and without side effects, inhibits inflammation and also stabilizes the immune system. The "secret recipe" of this application consists of the combination of slight overheating, high humidity and the inclusion of the radioactive element radon, which has been used for over 100 years for the cure of rheumatism, but also of skin and respiratory diseases.

The right diet for aching fingers

In the treatment of rheumatic diseases, a healthy and well-balanced diet should be of central importance, as fatty foods in particular can exacerbate inflammatory processes. This is due to the so-called inflammatory mediators, which means biochemical substances which initiate or continue inflammatory reactions.

The starting substance for the formation of these inflammatory mediators is the "arachidonic acid", a polyunsaturated fatty acid, which is one of the essential omega-6 fatty acids and can be produced by the human body only in small quantities.

Accordingly, most of the food is ingested, primarily via meat and other arachidonic acid-rich foods such as egg yolk, lard, veal and pork liver. If too much Omega-6 is taken in, the inflammation becomes worse - but those who eat consistently or predominantly vegetarian can minimize symptoms such as morning immobility, swollen joints and pain, and sometimes even inflammatory levels in the blood.

In addition to the omega-3 fatty acids are of great importance, because they are able to promote anti-inflammatory substances and thus also have a positive effect on the inflammatory processes in the joints. One of the most effective omega-3 fatty acids is "eicosapentaenoic acid", which is found mainly in high-fat fish such as herring, mackerel, tuna or salmon - which is therefore on the menu at least twice a week for rheumatoid patients should.

The "alpha-linolenic acid" also belongs to the omega-3 fatty acids and can be very effective for pain in the fingers due to a rheumatic disease. This is primarily vegetable oils made from soya, rapeseed, walnut or flaxseed and can therefore be taken in a variety of ways, for example in lettuce or as an ingredient in morning cereals.

Rheumatoid patients should eat vegetables and fruits several times a day. (Image: Prostock-studio / fotolia.com)

Another option is a quark-linseed oil dish according to Dr. med. Budwig: For this, about two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed are placed in a bowl together with freshly cut small fruits and doused with a cream of quark and linseed oil. For the cream, 125 grams of skimmed quark are mixed with one tablespoon of milk and honey and one to two tablespoons of linseed oil; nuts, cinnamon or other spices can be added to taste.

It is also important to have sufficient free radicals (antioxidants). Because they are able to neutralize oxygen radicals, which are caused by the repeatedly recurring inflammation in increased form and promote the formation of inflammatory substances. These mainly include vitamin E and C, beta-carotene, the trace elements copper, zinc and selenium, as well as various phytochemicals such as polyphenols.

In order to absorb a sufficient amount of free radicals, care should be taken during rheumatic complaints to eat several servings of vegetables and fruits throughout the day and also to prefer whole grains. In addition, since many people are also at risk of premature bone loss (osteoporosis) through medications such as cortisone, care should be taken to ensure adequate calcium intake and milk and dairy products should be on the daily diet.

Exercise and stress reduction

In order to remain physically fit despite the illness, movement in rheumatic diseases is a key factor in addition to therapeutic applications and nutrition. These include above all physiotherapeutic exercises that stimulate the metabolism and thereby strengthen the stability of the bones.

Since stress is another factor that can cause inflammatory reactions, sufferers should pay attention to regular breaks and relaxation, sleep sufficiently and also do not overload or overextended in professional and private life. Here are supportive a large variety of exercises for stress relief available, helpful may be in this context specifically adapted to rheumatism patients yoga or autogenic training. (nr, last updated on 15.11.2017)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)