Arthritis (Wrist, Fingers & Hand)

Living with arthritis can become increasingly difficult. The persistent stiffness and pain in your joints often put limits on your life and interferes with your ability to get the exercise you need to support joint health.

If you’re living with arthritis in your hands, fingers, or thumbs, protecting your joints is so important. The 29 joints in our hands are common areas for arthritis, and when these joints become arthritic they can make every day activities very difficult and even painful.

What is Arthritis?

Multiple small joints work together within the hand and wrist to provide our range of motion.

Arthritis refers to changes in our joints that cause pain and stiffness. There are many types of arthritis. The most common form that most people think of is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs because of ‘wear and tear’ to the joint cartilage over time, causing it to thin out and reduce the cushioning effect within your joint. This is very common in joints such as the knees and hips. 

What causes Arthritis?

There is no single answer to this question – different types of arthritis have different causes; and these causes often act together.  That being said, the most common forms of arthritis are the result of ‘wear and tear’ of the joints, trauma or immune system dysfunction. Some people are genetically predisposed to develop the disease due to their genetics, whereas other cases are triggered by environmental conditions such as overuse or injury.

Can you get Arthritis in your hand at a young age?

Arthritis can affect people of any age, but is more common in people over the age of 60. It’s estimated that over 80% of people over the age of 75 have arthritic joint damage. Although arthritis affects both men and women, women are more likely to develop the disease.

Symptoms of arthritis in hands and fingers

While not everyone with arthritis in the joints in hands will experience all of these symptoms and some people may not even have any symptoms at all, below are some common symptoms for hand arthritis:

• Joint pain.  This is initially experienced as a dull, burning sensation after a particularly busy day. As arthritis advances, the pain becomes sharper and more constant, even occurring at rest.
• Joint stiffness. This is common in the morning but also occurs after a long day of work or activity involving the hands
• Crepitus. This is a grinding, grating feeling or a crunchy sound in the hands or wrists on movement.
• Weakness. It can begin to get difficult to grasp an object or maintain a strong grip or pinch.
• Warmth or redness. It is common to feel warmth or redness where the joint, ligaments or tissues have become inflamed.
• Swelling. Swollen joints in fingers, hands and thumbs are very common and can lead to a puffier appearance.
• Loss of movement.  Particularly as arthritis progresses, you may notice loss of movement in the affected joints.
• Joint shape. You may notice changes in joint shape, or a slight turn in the direction of a finger or thumb. This is usually caused by uneven wearing of cartilage or weakness surrounding tissues or ligaments.
• Knobbly or crooked fingers. Bone spurs can give a knobbly or crooked appearance to fingers and thumbs, and in some cases can also reduce the function of fingers or thumbs.

What to expect after arthritis surgery

Immediately after surgery, you may feel some numbness in your hand and fingers. This is due to the lasting effects of local anaesthesia. As it wears off, you may feel some stiffness and soreness.

You may need to keep your hand elevated and apply ice packs to reduce swelling. This is not the case for all patients.

Our office is always available for questions via email or text message should more questions arise.

Book a Consultation

To learn more about Arthritis, or to book a consultation, please contact our Clinic today!

Dr Arash Izadpanah is one of the best Arthritis surgeons in Montreal. He will work closely with you to help you achieve your ideal results.