Symptoms of polyarthritis of the fingers: necessary information for the patients

Pain in fingers may be caused by a disease or an injury affecting any finger structure, including:

Pain in the joints can be the sign of arthritis accompanied by redness, edema, elevated skin temperature over the joint, pain and stiffness in movements. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis commonly affect finger joints. An injury or a toe damage, such as bruises, dislocations and bone fractures, are common causes of finger pains.

Certain conditions, such as diabetes, can damage the nerves, resulting in pain, numbness, or tingling in hands and feet. This phenomenon, known as peripheral neuropathy, can sometimes cause a finger pain. Infection of the skin or other tissues of the finger is a less common cause of a finger pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome initially causes numbness and tingling in a hand, but as it develops, it can cause cramping or burning in fingers.

Many forms of arthritis and related conditions affect different parts of hands. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, or numbness in the wrist and/or fingers. Here are some diseases that affect fingers:

The most common form of arthritis is caused by the destruction of a cartilage, the tissue lining that mitigates the stress on the ends of bones where they meet to form joints. Bones rub without a protective layer, causing stiffness, pain, and loss of motion in the joints. The hand joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis are the wrist, the joint at the base of the thumb, middle joints of the fingers, and the joints closest to nails. Osteoarthritis in finger joints may cause the formation of nodes (Heberden and Bouchard bone nodes).

Rheumatoid arthritis is the chronic inflammatory disease caused by the malfunctioning immune system that primarily affects joints (but can also affect internal organs) and is more common in young and middle-aged women. It may result in a pain in the joints, edema, inflammation, stiffness and functional depression. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects wrist joints, near finger joints (which connect the metacarpal bones to the near phalange), and middle finger joints. If left untreated, the disease can cause joint deformities that make it difficult to work with your hands.

Juvenile arthritis is the term used to describe the arthritis that affects children under 16 years of age. Various types of juvenile arthritis can cause pain and swelling in the wrist and hand joints. The most common type is juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Uratic arthritis is the form of arthritis that occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood. The acid forms gouty pearls in body tissues, including joints. The first symptom of uratic arthritis is usually a severe pain and swelling of the big toe. Future attacks may affect wrist and finger joints. After years of illness, lumps of uric acid (chalk stones) may form under the skin of the hands. The disease is more common in young and middle-aged men.

Lupus is the chronic autoimmune disease that makes the immune system of the body to produce antibodies that attack healthy tissues, including joints. A wrist and small hand joints are among the most commonly affected parts. In case of this disease there should be manifestations other than arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is the form of arthritis that usually affects joints, skin (psoriasis), nails of hands and feet. The entire finger may swell (dactylitis) and have the appearance of a sausage. About 80 % of people with psoriatic arthritis have nail changes, thickening and/or their separation from the nail bed. Skin rash in case of psoriatic arthritis may also affect the hands.

Reynaud’s Syndrome Reynaud’s Syndrome causes the blood vessels that carry blood to the limbs, usually the arms, to narrow when it gets cold or due to stress. When the blood vessels close, fingers become cold and white, then blue, numb, and painful. When the vessels are opened again, the hands turn red or purple.

Osteoporosis is the condition in which too much bone mass is lost, bones become brittle and more likely to break, even with a minor trauma. This condition is more common in elderly people and people who have inflammatory diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis), as well as people who are inactive, on a low-calorie diet, or take corticosteroids.

There are other causes of finger pain; talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms as soon as possible. Getting an accurate diagnosis will help to maintain joint mobility and your overall health. You may be referred to a rheumatologist or an orthopedist, the doctor who specializes in treating arthritis and related conditions. You can book an appointment on our website Dobrobut.com and discuss the issue of the pain in fingers with our specialists.

Article author - Irina Levada, M.D.

Publication date: 24.07.2020

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