Finger Joint Pain Causes: Common Reasons and How to Find Relief
Dr. Ritu Sethi
Dec 19, 2024•3 min read
Finger joint pain causes a lot of distress in your daily life. From mild distress to throbbing pain, joint pain can affect your mobility and flexibility. The real cause of finger pain may vary from person to person depending upon their lifestyle and health history. However, getting to the root cause of the pain in your joints is essential as you can improve your quality of life tremendously. Through this blog, understand the finger joint pain causes, some of the common reasons why it happens and ways to combat it.
Finger Joint Pain Causes
Finger joint pain is the stiffness and inflammation occurring in your finger joints. Like any other joint pain, this pain can be mild, lasting for a few hours or days or debilitating; lasting for weeks or coming in regular intervals. Listed below are some of the common reasons for finger joint pain along with their symptoms.
Pain accompanied by swelling
The most common cause of finger pain is swelling or inflammation caused in the joints. Inflammatory responses in your joints can be caused by a variety of reasons like injury, infection or bone conditions like arthritis. People suffering from persistent swelling can consult their healthcare provider to understand the actual reason behind the swelling. To aid the pain, doctors may suggest some painkillers or pain relief tablets.
Throbbing pain or pain when moving
One of the primary finger joint pain causes may also include throbbing pain due to strains, dislocation, or fractures. In such cases, if you try to move your fingers you may experience throbbing pain that is extremely distressing. One must consult an orthopaedic doctor as soon as possible as this would reduce the chances of your condition getting worse.
Sharp shooting pain
Sharp shooting or current-like pain is another type of pain experienced by many people. This type of finger joint pain causes intense shooting pain that comes and goes and may last a second or two but has a peak point. The cause of finger joint pain in this condition can be cysts, inflamed tendons, or even Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a condition where due to inflammation the median nerve in your wrist compresses causing pain in your fingers.
Pain at the site of injury
Another most frequent finger joint causes include pain due to injuries or trauma. When your body experiences trauma it causes inflammation and discomfort at the site of injury. Thus, contributing to one of the reasons for finger joint pain. One must consult a doctor at the earliest to eliminate the possibility of severe conditions like fractures. In case of sprains or strains, you can apply pain relief ailments for faster recovery.
Pain accompanied by lumps
Among the many finger joint pain causes, pain caused by lumps or tumours is another less common possibility that can be surprising if left undiagnosed. In auto-immune diseases like Rheumatoid arthritis, or Gout, accumulation of uric acid crystals near the joints can cause swelling and pain. This cause of finger pain needs thorough inspection and timely treatment for effective management.
Arthritis
Age-related degenerative changes in joints like arthritis are common finger joint pain causes. Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints in the body, causing stiffness, inflammation, warmth and sensitivity around joints. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two common forms of arthritis that can be a reason for finger joint pain. Finger joint pain treatment in this condition can revolve around taking the right diet for arthritis, medications and physiotherapy.
Dupuytren’s contracture
Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition where a thick fibrous tissue grows in the palm of your hand disrupting the connective tissue of your hand. This leads to the curling up of the two fingers; your ring and pinky. This is most commonly experienced in the morning. Affected person may feel nodules in the palms of their hands. This cause of finger joint pain may affect the movement of those two fingers or restrict them from straightening.
Finger Joint Pain Treatment
Early diagnosis and finger joint pain treatment are crucial as they would eliminate all the other possibilities and give faster relief to the pain. For mild finger joint pain, one can try doing some home remedies like the application of ice, warm compressions or pain relief ointments. If the pain is persistent and not fading away, reaching out to a doctor is advisable as they may diagnose the exact condition, escalating the finger joint pain treatment. They may suggest medications like painkillers or tablets to ease the pain. In severe cases, doctors may even prescribe stronger medicines like corticosteroids.
Other effective finger joint pain treatment methods also include mild exercising, stretching and lifting of fingers. In case of injuries, one must use splint support or brace around the affected finger to give support. People suffering from bone-related issues can also take herbal medicines or supplements for better management of their condition. Check out the three60+ range of products that help you in the effective treatment of bone diseases like arthritis.
Conclusion
Finger joint pain causes may be different in every individual but one thing that stays the same is the discomfort. Some of the common reasons for finger joint pain include injuries, bone-related conditions like arthritis, and tissue or nerve damage. Home remedies may help you relieve the pain in most cases but seeking professional help is always advisable. One must carefully observe their symptoms and consult a doctor when the pain is growing and restricting finger movements.
FAQs
1) How do you stop finger joint pain?
Reasons for finger joint pain may vary from person to person. However, in most cases, it’s either because of a bone condition like arthritis or from trauma. To stop finger joint pain in these cases one can use painkillers, pain relief gels or herbal pain relief tablets.
2) What causes finger pain without injury?
The most frequent finger joint pain causes except injuries include arthritis, Carpel tunnel syndrome, tumours, and Dupuytren’s contracture.
3) Is finger pain serious?
In most cases, finger joint pain is not serious and caused due to some injuries or minor inflammation as a result of overuse. But if the pain in your fingers is persistent and throbbing you must consult a doctor for better management.