What can I do for arthritis in my thumbs?
Treatment
- Ice the joint for 5 to 15 minutes several times a day.
- Take an anti-inflammatory medication, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, to help reduce inflammation and swelling.
- Wear a supportive splint to limit the movement of your thumb, and allow the joint to rest and heal.
Can you reverse arthritis in your thumb?
Outlook. While there is no cure for arthritis in your thumb, there are various simple treatments that can help relieve symptoms for many people. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about which treatments might work best for you.
How does osteoarthritis cause pain in the hands?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage between the joints wears down. Bones will rub together due to diminished cushioning. That rubbing leads to inflammation, stiffness, and pain. Any joint can be affected by OA, including those in your hands.
How to prevent arthritis in hands and fingers?
Make sure you are using appropriate safety equipment, using tools correctly, and practicing lifting safely. Avoiding lifting heavy items and any lifting that puts a strain on hands and fingers. Practicing good ergonomics: Computer jobs can also put a strain on your hand and finger joints.
What are the signs and symptoms of arthritis?
Common signs and symptoms. Pain and stiffness. Restriction of movements and limited mobility of joints. Swelling. Crunching sounds in joints when walking specially occur in osteoarthritis. Deformities of joints occur in rheumatoid arthritis. Fever and body pain in case of rheumatic and septic arthritis.
What are the symptoms of reactive arthritis in the UK?
Around 1 in every 10 people in the UK carry this gene. The first signs of reactive arthritis are often: painful and swollen joints, usually in the ankles or knees puffy, sore, red eyes, often with a mucus discharge – known as conjunctivitis You may notice that your knees, ankles or toes suddenly become swollen, stiff and painful to move.
What to do if you have arthritis in the thumb?
Trapeziectomy: This involves removing one of the bones in the thumb joint and reconstructing the surrounding ligaments and tendons. Joint replacement: A third option is a joint replacement, in which the affected joint is removed and replaced with a prosthetic joint.
What causes swelling and pain in the thumb?
However, basal thumb arthritis also is caused by rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that causes joint swelling, or post-traumatic arthritis, a condition that sometimes follows a joint injury. Basal thumb arthritis is common in women age 40 and older, but men also are affected.
What kind of arthritis does the thumb have?
The most common type of arthritis that affects the thumb is osteoarthritis, which is damage to the joints of the thumb due to normal “wear-and-tear” of the joints over time. The thumb joints are normally covered with cartilage, a substance that acts as a cushion and allows the bones to glide smoothly past each other.
When does cartilage wear away in the thumb?
Thumb arthritis. Overview. Thumb arthritis Thumb arthritis occurs when the cartilage in the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint wears away. Thumb arthritis is common with aging and occurs when cartilage wears away from the ends of the bones that form the joint at the base of your thumb — also known as the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint.