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If you've been having problems with your hands, you might be wondering if arthritis is to blame. But which type of arthritis in your hands could be causing the problem? The solution isn't always evident.
Many symptoms are shared by the two most common types of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA, or degenerative arthritis caused by joint wear and tear) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA, an inflammatory type of arthritis caused by joint inflammation). Search “arthritis doctor near me” to get assistance in determining and treating your hand condition.
Different Types of Hand Arthritis
Both osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis can produce hand pain, stiffness (especially in the morning), swelling, and tenderness. However, patients with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, may experience additional symptoms not present in people with OA.
OA patients lack the warmth and redness in the hands that patients with inflammatory arthritis have. In addition, both hands are usually affected in those with inflammatory arthritis, while symptoms of OA are typically worse in the patient's dominant hand.
He adds that the length of morning stiffness can show which type of hand arthritis you have. Inflammatory arthritis usually causes persistent stiffness that lasts an hour or more, whereas OA causes stiffness that usually goes away in five to 15 minutes.
If your hand arthritis symptoms point to inflammatory arthritis, the most likely it is rheumatoid arthritis (which often begins in the hands), but it might also be psoriatic arthritis (PsA), which also commonly affects the hands. PsA also causes swollen fingers and toes that resemble sausages (a condition known as dactylitis), skin plaques, and pitted nails.
Your doctor will also want to know if your symptoms are caused by palindromic rheumatism (PR), an episodic form of inflammatory arthritis (though palindromic rheumatism is uncommon). PR can affect any joint, although the hands are the most usually affected.
Gout, a kind of arthritis characterized by elevated uric acid levels in the body, could also be to blame. While gout can affect the wrist and fingers, your big toe is more likely to be affected.
Other Potential Causes of Hand Pain
Hand pain can also indicate Dupuytren's contracture, a disorder in which the palm and finger tissue thickens and contracts, forcing the fingers to curl inward. It is unknown why Dupuytren's contracture develops, however those who smoke, drink a lot of alcohol, have seizures, or diabetes are more likely to acquire it.
RA can be a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, carpal tunnel syndrome happens when one of the principal nerves to the hand, the median nerve, gets squeezed or compressed as it travels through the wrist.
How Do Doctors Determine Arthritis Hand Pain?
Your doctor will use your medical history, a physical exam, imaging and blood tests, and imaging and blood tests to develop a diagnosis and determine what type of arthritic hand pain (if any) you have.
Imaging tests, such as X-rays or an MRI, can indicate joint erosion (common in individuals with inflammatory arthritis) as well as osteophytes and cartilage degradation (common in OA).
If your doctor suspects inflammatory arthritis, they will also conduct blood tests to determine the presence of certain antibodies that help identify RA and other types of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP.
How Is Hand Arthritis Treated?
If you have an inflammatory form of arthritis, you have more therapy options than if you have OA. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help manage the pain associated with both types of arthritis, the development of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics has vastly improved the prognosis of those suffering from inflammatory arthritis by reducing inflammation and preventing further joint damage.
Cortisone injections can help people with OA and other disorders like RA, but they're usually reserved for individuals whose inflammatory arthritis is limited to one or two joints. Injections of hyaluronic acid can help with OA discomfort (the material helps lubricate the joints), although these are better for treating pain in larger joints like the knees rather than the hands.
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