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Hand Osteoarthritis
The hand is made up of a number of
small joints. Consequently, osteoarthritis is quite common to this
body part, particularly among the elderly. Early symptoms of the
condition include a dull or burning sensation in the joints,
especially after increased use of the joint. Stiffness and pain in
the morning will become commonplace. The pain may even be severe
enough to wake you up at night. The joint pain seems to get worse
with rainy weather.
People with osteoarthritis of the hand
may have to adjust the way they use their hand in order to reduce the
pain. If mobility is lost in the base joint of thumb, the next joint
may become more mobile to compensate for the arthritic joint.
Non-surgical treatment options for
osteoarthritis of the hand include medication, splinting and
injections. A splint helps support the affected joint to ease the
stress placed on it by activities. Splints are typically worn during
periods when the joints hurt. Injections typically contain a
long-acting anesthetic, similar to novacaine but longer lasting, and
a steroid that can provide pain relief for weeks to months.
If non-surgical treatment fails to
bring relief, there are many surgical options that can be considered.
The first priority is to preserve the joint. Where this is not
possible, a joint replacement or fusion (arthrodesis) is performed.
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