Osteoarthritis of the fingers - symptoms and treatment

Pain sensations in the joints of the fingers can indicate the development of a serious disease - arthrosis. This disease is often accompanied by inflammatory processes, deformation of bone tissue. What is arthrosis of the fingers - symptoms and treatment will help in a timely manner to diagnose and prevent this pathology.

Osteoarthritisthis is

Osteoarthritis is a common group of diseases that is associated with deformation of the cartilage and joints. Dystrophic process takes place against the background of inflammation, there are growths, osteophytes. The shell of the joint becomes thicker, and fluid begins to accumulate in the interstitial space. Pathology affects primarily the fingers. The disease affects people of advanced age, women are 10 times more likely than men. Most often the joints become inflamed on the thumb - this disease is called rizartroz.

Late stages of the disease are always accompanied by strong degenerative processes that affect all the fingers. Therefore, the disease is called deforming arthrosis.

The main cause of the pathology is the lack of nutrients, which leads to drying of the joint lubrication, cracking of the cartilaginous tissue

Causes:

• strong permanent loads on the hands and fingers, hypothermia;
• diabetes mellitus, thyroid problems;
• gout;
• infection, allergies;
• excess weight.

Osteoarthritis is a hereditary disease, with a genetic predisposition it is necessary to constantly deal with the prevention of the disease. Often the disease develops in women during menopause.

Important! Started arthrosis causes loss of working capacity, disability.

Symptoms of

At the initial stage, arthrosis can occur without any special symptoms, discomfort after a short workout, rest. But there are certain signs that you should pay attention to in time to begin treatment.

The main symptoms of arthrosis:

• fingers often crunch when moving;
• appears more painful, which is becoming more protracted;
• joints thicken, there is swelling;
• periarticular muscles are all the time in suspense.

As the disease develops, the cartilaginous tissue begins to thin out and deform, the synovial articular membrane becomes inflamed. The pain becomes strong and permanent, the fingers lose mobility and sensitivity, the affected areas turn red, the temperature rises.

At the last stage the cartilage is completely destroyed, the pain becomes unbearable, the length and shape of the fingers vary.

How to treat arthrosis of the fingers

Arthrosis therapy requires an integrated approach, it uses a variety of methods that are aimed at eliminating inflammation, pain syndrome, restoration of cartilage tissue.

The basic methods of treatment:

1. Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Rofecoxib, Nimesulide, ointments Diclofenac and Ibuprofen. They help to eliminate pain, but negatively affect the functioning of the digestive system. The duration of therapy is no more than 14 days.
2. Drugs that improve the synthesis of cartilage in the joints. Contain chondroitin, hyaluronic acid derivatives and glucosamine. They help to restore cartilage, eliminate pain syndrome and inflammation. Treatment is long - 4-6 months.
3. Percussion massage. Tapping of joints with gradual increase in intensity. The procedure improves blood circulation, nutrition, accelerates the healing process.
4. Physiotherapy. It is carried out only if the disease is not in an aggravation stage. To improve the state of cartilage, electrophoresis is used with paraffin and ozocerite, and magnetotherapy.
5. Physical exercises and water procedures to improve the condition of the periarticular muscles.

It is additionally necessary to fix the patient joints with the help of calipers and bandages. At the last stage of the disease, it is necessary to regularly take anti-inflammatory drugs together with proton pump inhibitors - this will help to avoid the development of ulcers. Do warming and cooling compresses, with severe pain apply ointments based on glucocorticosteroid hormones. With a complete loss of mobility of the fingers resort to surgical arthroplasty and prosthetics.

Important! To cure deforming arthrosis of the joints of the fingers, it is possible to restore the cartilaginous tissue only at the initial stage of the disease development. In the later stages irreversible processes in tissues begin - the therapy is aimed at preventing the spread of pathology to bone tissue.

Proper nutrition for arthrosis of the joints of the fingers

In addition to the basic methods of treatment, you must adhere to a special diet, which is aimed at restoring cartilage tissue, normalizing body weight. Take vitamin complexes with a high calcium content. You can not starve, apply strict diets - food should be balanced, contain all the useful trace elements.

Basic rules for nourishment with arthrosis:

• fried food, fast food - dishes must be boiled, baked, stewed and steamed;
• the food should be fractional, portions small;
• after eating you need to move a little - to make a minimum of 100 steps at a slow pace;
• limit the amount of salt - add food after cooking;
• use more dairy products of medium fat content;
• to give up fast carbohydrates, sweets, fatty meat
• in the diet should be a sufficient number of complex carbohydrates - whole grain bread and cereals;
• fats should come into the body with products of plant origin, fish.

Well restored cartilaginous tissue of jelly, jelly and jelly - these dishes contain a lot of gelatin and collagen, which is very useful for joints. It is necessary to observe the drinking regimen - to drink at least 2 liters of pure still water a day.

Treatment with folk remedies

It takes a long time to eliminate the symptoms of arthrosis, so patients often ask how to treat the disease at home, can you use non-traditional methods?

Most alternative treatments are not aimed at eliminating symptoms, but on restoring metabolic processes, strengthening protective functions. Cure arthrosis in the late stages will not help, but greatly alleviate the condition, increase the mobility of the joints.

Important! Folk treatment can be started only after a preliminary consultation with a doctor - many innocuous herbs do not combine with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Decoctions, compresses and trays with medicinal herbs and other useful products give a good anti-inflammatory effect.

Honey-salt compress - mix 150 ml of liquid honey with 75 g of fine salt, mix a small piece of gauze, fix on the affected joints, leave for the whole night. The duration of therapy is 1-2 weeks.

Ordinary cabbage copes well with pain and inflammation. You can apply fresh sheets to your fingers at night - beforehand, slightly repel them, grease them with honey. Or to prepare juice, use it for compresses and take it inside - the drink contains a lot of potassium, calcium, iron, ascorbic acid.

Willow bark contains salicin, which has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. To prepare a decoction of 5 g of minced raw material, boil 500 ml of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Take 50 ml 4 times a day. To prepare a solution for the baths, 120 g of crushed bark pour 4 liters of water, simmer for 30 minutes. After cooling, pour 400-450 ml into a convenient bowl, immerse the brush for a quarter of an hour.

Gymnastics for fingers

Therapeutic exercises help improve blood circulation, improve the amplitude of movements. Perform the complex several times a day, at least 10 minutes.

Exercises for treatment and prevention of arthrosis:

1. Drum with your fingertips on the table - the hand should be straight and relaxed. Knock for 2 minutes with each hand.
2. Hands bend at the elbows, palms forward. Intensively compress and unclench the brushes, alternately hide the thumb and place it on top of the index finger.
3. Rotate with brushes in different directions - hands are straight.
4. Bend and unbend fingers in the middle joints.
5. Use the thumb pad to touch the tips of the other fingers, doing the two-handed exercise at the same time.
6. Hold the palm firmly to a level surface, alternately remove fingers from it.

Important! The complex of exercises must be agreed with the attending physician.

Osteoarthritis leads to the curvature of the fingers, in the latter stages is accompanied by severe pain. Prevent the disease will help moderate physical activity, the regular intake of chondoprotectors, vitamin complexes. To prevent the disease must always keep your hands warm, eat right, give up alcohol.