Arthritis in Hands

The disease arthritis can be described as a condition where acute or chronic inflammation occur in the body joints and the nearby tissues of these areas. There are 100 different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout and so on. Arthritis can affect any part of the body like knee joint, wrist joint, knuckles and so on. Arthritis in hands is a condition in which the wrist joint and the finger joint get affected.

Causes
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two of the most common forms of arthritis in hands. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative arthritis that results from deterioration of joint ligaments and cartilage. This is mostly found in elderly people whose joints get worn out due to natural process of wear and tear over a period of time. People may get it at an early age if the ligaments and cartilages of the hands joint wear out due to some traumatic injury, excessive use of the joint or some kind of joint infection.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory disease that destroys the bones and soft tissues of the joints. Initially, it attacks the peripheral joints and lead to arthritis in the hands and feet. Gradually, it starts affecting all other joints of the body. The exact cause of this autoimmune inflammation is not clearly known but it is strongly believed that it could be triggered by genetic factors. Women in their childbearing age are prone to this disease. One of the key cause of arthritis in hands during pregnancy is rheumatoid arthritis. Research studies have found that increase in body weight and growing size of the uterus puts an additional amount of pressure in the body joints causing inflammation. In some rare cases, underlying disease like growth of cyst on the hand can cause severe damage to the structure of the joint resulting in arthritis.

Symptoms
The most prevalent symptom is pain which is mainly confined to the wrist joint, finger joint and the adjoining areas. Some patients complain about a constant pain that refuses to go. Others experience it intermittently. It tends to intensify with the use of hands and it decreases when the hand is at rest. The typical characteristic of an arthritis joint pain is that it is accompanied by swelling and stiffness. Its severity of the selling also varies from case to case. When there is excessive joint swelling, then the skin turns red and tenderness can be felt when you touch the area. Gradually, the wrist and finger movements get restricted. In case the symptoms intensify, the fingers tend to become weak and may even get deformed. As a result, one loses the ability to grip or hold objects.

Treatment
Hand arthritis is diagnosed with the help of medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests like x-rays, blood test, etc. Initially, pain relieving medicines and anti-inflammatory medicines are given to provide temporary relief from the pain. Sometimes, topical creams or ointments are also given for pain management. If these medicines fail to bring about improvement in the condition, then cortisone injections are administered to reduce joint pain. In some cases, wearing of splints are also recommended as it provides adequate protection and support to the arthritis affected hand. Physical therapy has been found to be highly beneficial for hand arthritis treatment. Here, physical therapist suggest some hand exercises that strengthen the muscles and improve their flexibility. Thus the mobility of arthritic fingers and wrist joints is restored. When joint is severely damaged and deformity occur due to arthritis, then surgical option is availed. There are various surgical techniques used for this purpose. Here, the damaged portion of the arthritic joint is surgically removed.

Home Remedies
Here are a few helpful home remedies for arthritis that you can try out at home to bring down pain and inflammation of arthritis in the hands:

Heat Application
If you are looking for a soothing relief from persistent arthritic pain, then apply heat with the help of a heating pad.

Cold Application
In case there is a joint swelling and burning pain, then application of cold is more effective. Do not use ice on swollen hands and fingers for more than 15 minutes but you can repeat it several times.

Alfalfa
This is one of the most popular herbs for arthritis treatment. Prepare a herbal tea by boiling one teaspoon of alfalfa seeds in a cup of water. Have this tea 3 or 4 times in a day for at least two weeks.

Diet
When you are suffering from arthritis, you have to select the right kind of foods. An arthritis diet should include plenty of fatty fish, fish oils like cod liver oil, walnuts, avocado and other foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. Banana is a good source of vitamin B6 which is essential for treating arthritis and should be included in the diet.

Unfortunately, arthritis in hands cannot be cured completely. However, if the symptoms are diagnosed at an early stage, then with the help of proper treatment and therapies any further damage to the joints can be prevented and one can lead a good quality life.