Finger joint pain just may be the most annoying chronic ailment that can befall you. Virtually everything you do involves your hands and fingers, from eating to combing your hair to…well, you get the idea. Having to live with constant pain in your finger joints can serve to make life miserable.
Finding an effective remedy for your particular joint pain can be problematic, due to the fact that there are so many causes of the condition. In people over the age of forty, the most common cause is the development of one of several forms of arthritis, and a lot of people naturally assume that this is their problem. That’s not always the case, however, as there are a number of other things that can cause finger joint pain that have nothing to do with disease.
Other possible causes of pain in your finger joints include injury, some type of deformity, blood circulation problems, and repetitive damage from constantly having to perform a certain task (ie: data entry, etc). There are even more, of course, but, outside of arthritis, these are the most common.
People that suffer finger joint pain from an injury (slamming their hand in a door, for instance) already know the reason for their pain. Other causes, such as deformities or blood circulation problems, are best left to your doctor to diagnose and treat, although some of the pain relief methods we will discuss later in this article may offer some relief.
Repetitive injuries are the number one cause of pain in the finger joints of younger people. These injuries are the result of doing the same task over and over for a long period of time. Some examples may be cell phone texting, playing video games, typing on a keyboard all day at your job, or working on an assembly line for a long time. These activities can slowly wear on the joint cartilage leaving your bones subject to inflammation from friction.
Relieving Finger Joint Pain
As always, RemedyScribe.com recommends that you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis of the cause(s) for your pain. There are just too many possibilities for a self-diagnosis to be feasible. In the mean time, however, there are some things that you can do that will ease your pain sufficiently to allow you to go about your daily activities.
Assuming that you are not suffering from an acute injury (broken bone, torn ligament, etc), your pain is likely the result of inflammation in the joint. Some of the most effective non-prescription treatments for inflammation include:
- NSAID pain relievers: These are common over-the-counter pain relievers including aspirin, naproxen sodium, and ibuprofen. Most people with all types of joint pain find these remedies very effective, and, at recommended dosage levels, they are totally safe to use.
- Heat & Ice: Applying an ice pack to painful joints will relieve some of the inflammation, and thus, the pain. Heat, on the other hand, relaxes your muscles and increases blood flow. Anecdotal evidence suggests that applying heat will provide faster pain relief, but the duration of the relief is short once the heat is removed. The pain relief from the loss of inflammation due to ice may last longer, but will also take a bit longer to take effect.
- Glucosamine/Chondroitin Supplements: As part of a long-term treatment therapy for finger joint pain, many people choose to take a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. Glucosamine is used by your body to build a “cushion” around joints. Chondroitin is derived from shark cartilage. Taking this supplement provides your body with additional materials it may need to rebuild and re-cushion your joints over time, removing the root cause of your pain.
As we said before, finger joint pain can be a serious problem. While these remedies are effective treatments, nothing will replace the advice you get from your doctor.
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