Finger arthritis treatment

What is finger arthritis treatment?

Finger arthritis treatment is available at Circle Health to treat arthritis affecting the fingers. There are two main types of arthritis that affect the fingers: rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. 

Rheumatoid arthritis can cause inflammation in the finger joints, often making the finger knuckles stiff and painful to move. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of finger arthritis. It involves the cartilage between the finger joints to gradually wear away, causing pain and restricted movement.

What are finger arthritis symptoms?

Common symptoms of finger arthritis include:

• Finger swelling
• Stiff fingers
• Finger joint pain
• Decreased finger motion
• Finger joint deformity

What causes finger arthritis?

The exact causes of arthritis are unknown. However, it often affects people as they age and while it affects both men and women, women are more likely to suffer from this condition. 

Finger arthritis treatment options:

For early stage to moderate finger arthritis, non-surgical treatments may be recommended. 

Non-surgical treatment options for finger arthritis include:

• Hand therapy - Often performed by an occupational therapist, hand therapy can reduce pain and stiffness caused by finger arthritis
• Medications - Your GP may prescribe medications to you. These can reduce the pain and the joint inflammation caused by the arthritis
• Cortisone injections - This is an anti-inflammation medication that can be administered by injection
• Splints - Splints help to support the fingers affected by arthritis and reduce joint stiffness

Finger Arthritis Surgery

There are several surgical options to treat finger arthritis. These include the small joints of the finger digits being replaced using either a silastic or a metal like implant. This can take the pain away and restore function of the hand to a large extent. This treatment operation is usually performed as a day case under a general anaesthetic.

Another option is known as finger joint fusion. This involves fusing the joints together so that they are set in a permanent, fixed position. Although this means the joint will no longer be able to bend, it should relieve the pain caused by the arthritis.