There are a number of joints present in the hand that function together in order to allow you to move you hand. These joints are pretty important to hand and wrist function, and if you get arthritis in hands, it can seriously impact your daily functioning. There are different kinds of arthritis and depending on which one you get, the impact and effect can be different.
With adult arthritis it is in one in every five adults today with about 50% of that figure being under 55 years of age. It is a key issue in adult life which can cause limitations; it can come from surgery or just be a debilitating condition like rheumatoid arthritis. Every joint is cushioned with a thing called cartilage which acts as the joint's shock absorber as you move around.
As time passes, your gliding layer in the joint wears down, and the cartilage gets damaged by wear and tear. Illness or injury can also cause damage. A joint that's damaged gets limited in movement and can be very painful. The body will try to compensate and produce synovial fluid within the joint lining, and tries to use it as a cushion. This limits motion and causes swelling. Swelling increases over the joint covering also called the pill. This causes more pain in the joints, and over the course of time, If the arthritis goes untreated, the bones might lose their general shape and cause more pain and limiting in the motion area.
Diagnosis of arthritis in hands is made by a doctor who takes x-rays, compares symptoms and runs tests. Some of the latest equipment can also be used like a magnetic resonance imaging machine or MRI, although this is not always done. In the early stages, it can be missed by x-rays, so using a scan can be helpful.
Looking inside the joint via a tiny camera is considered the direct examination method used for diagnosis. Also called arthroscopy, it's a procedure that is less invasive. While this procedure is not always called for, it is one of the tools doctors sometimes use in the diagnostic process.
Another diagnostic tool available for diagnosing arthritis in hands during the earlier stages is the bone scan. X-rays are limited in what they can demonstrate in the early stages, but a bone scan shows more and gives the doctor a look inside the joint. Giving the doctor as much information as possible allows them to make a correct diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment is immediately available once a person is diagnosed. Treatment for arthritis in hands can include splints, medications and injections, and if that doesn't work, there's also an operation. Depending on how far the issue has progress and the joints involved determines the course of action prescribed. As well, a doctor will take into account the patients level of activity, overall health and age.
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