Twenty-eight bones, 29 joints and an intricate network of ligaments, tendons and nerves in your hands make it possible to button a shirt, braid hair, slice a steak or give a thumbs-up. But when arthritis or a related condition affects the hands, the simplest tasks can be painful. Dori Neill Cage, MD, an orthopedic hand surgeon in San Diego, lists some commonarthritis-related problems that affect the hands.
Bouchard’s Nodes
Bone growths on the middle joint of the finger that can occur whenosteoarthritis (OA)-related cartilage loss causes bone to rub together, stimulating abnormal bone formation; joint may be painful and stiff.
Treatment options: rest, splinting, over-the- counter (OTC) pain relievers
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Compression of the median nerve in the wrist, leading to tingling or numbness of the thumb, index, middle and part of the ring finger.
Treatment options: splinting, OTC pain relievers, corticosteroid injections, surgery
Dupuytren’s Contracture (Or Disease)
手心结缔组织变厚的一种状况，使手指向手掌弯曲或卷曲。
Treatment options: corticosteroid injections, collagenase (enzyme) injection, needle aponeurotomy (“needling”), surgery
Heberden’s Nodes
Bone growths associated with OA; like Bouchard’s nodes, except that they form on the joint closest to the fingernail; joint may be painful and stiff.
Treatment options: rest, splinting, OTC pain relievers
Trigger Finger
A condition that occurs when finger tendons thicken or become inflamed, causing joints to get “stuck;” affected fingers may be painful and pop or click when extended.
Treatment options: splinting, corticosteroid injections, surgery
Signs of the following conditions will require a proper diagnosis and a treatment plan in partnership with a dermatologist, rheumatologist or orthopaedist
Dactylitis
手指疼痛、发炎和肿胀，所以手指看起来像香肠;a symptom ofpsoriatic arthritis (PsA), a type of inflammatory arthritis associated with the skin condition psoriasis.
Nail Changes
Pitting or crumbling nails or separation from the nail bed could be a sign of psoriatic arthritis, particularly if accompanied by joint pain.
Raynaud’s Phenomenon
A condition in which the small blood vessels in extremities constrict in response to stress or cold; fingers may change colors – from pale, to blue, to red – and be painful or tingle; may be associated with connective tissue diseases.
Rheumatoid Nodules
Rubbery or doughy bumps beneath the skin that form on forearms, elbows, fingers or thumbs, particularly at the knuckles; associated with aggressiverheumatoid arthritis; painful in some cases; may be movable or attached to underlying tissue.
Sclerodactyly
Hardening of finger skin, which may appear tight and shiny; fingers may be difficult to move; a sign ofscleroderma, a condition characterized by a buildup of collagen in the skin.
Ulnar Drift (Ulnar Deviation)
手腕和手指向小指方向逐渐移动;由类风湿关节炎引起的慢性炎症和损伤;可引起轻微至严重的疼痛，并影响手部功能。
Author: Mary Ann Dunkin
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Related Resources:
- Wrist, Hand & Finger Pain
- Arthritis & Diseases that Affect the Hand and Wrist
- What You Can Do When Handshaking with Arthritis Hurts
- Hand OA Risk Higher for Women, Caucasians, Overweight People
I an operation on my right thumb osteoarthritis ice the two infected bones out and put two titanium joints replacement put in tool nearly one year to be fully mobile it was in 2014 and this year had to have another operation on it because I had an accident and the bone that had the joint cracked so had some new thing put in to replace the bone that cracked will take another 4 months to be 100%
Thanks for going over some different problems that can occur in your hand and what it could mean. I didn’t know that having rubbery bumps under the skin of forearms, elbows, fingers, or thumbs could be associated with rheumatoid arthritis. It’s kind of amazing that there could be so many different things, so it sounds important to make sure that you can identify the difference between each of these so that you can get the right treatment.