Rheumatoid arthritis can be described as a chronic inflammatory condition that is normally accompanied by joint swelling. Persistent inflammation is what usually leads to deformity and destruction of joints in the affected areas.
The symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands may be mild or severe depending on how long the patient has been experiencing the pain and swelling. The severity usually worsens in the long run.
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| What are the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands? |
Unfortunately, the root cause of rheumatoid arthritis still remains unknown in many medical circles.
However, researchers suspect that susceptibility factors such as gender and genes, and initiating factors such as infection and cigarette smoking play an important role in development of this autoimmune disease.
Susceptibility factors
Genes: Certain people with a specific variant of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are more likely to develop the disease than those with other gene variants.Gender: Gender appears to play a very important role in development of rheumatoid arthritis. According to medical statistics, women are three times more likely to develop this disease than men.
Heredity: Although this disease is not inherited, some factors due to heredity may affect the risk of its development.Initiating factors
Infection: Researchers suspect that certain strains of bacteria and viruses aid the development of rheumatoid arthritis. However, this evidence is still not conclusive.
Stress: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often exhibit signs of stress preceding a diagnosis of the disease. Studies have shown that those who have gone through very stressful episodes in their lives such as divorce, bereavement, accidents and depression are more likely to develop the disease compared to those who haven’t.
Cigarette smoking: Cigarette smoking is one of those vices that is associated with myriads of health problems. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, smokers are more likely to develop the disease than non-smokers. Also, those who smoke are more likely to develop severe cases when they contract the disease.
Some areas with symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, include hands, the wrists, knees, ankles and feet. The wrist joints and finger joints closest to the hands are usually the most common targets.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands include:
• Pain the in the hand which may go all the way up to the fingers. The excruciating pain may be accompanied by swelling and stiffness. Morning stiffness and pain is usually the earliest sign of arthritis. The stiffness may also occur after long periods of napping or sitting.If the stiffness lasts for hours on end, especially in the smaller joints such as those on the hand, then RA is probably the main cause.
• A drastic reduction in the range of motion of your hands and shoulder movements. As ligaments become more unstable and deformed, ones range of motion also decreases.
One may find that they are unable to bend or straighten their finger and hand joints, to a degree, at which they were used to. In a severe case, one may not be able to bend their wrist backward at all.
• A flue like feeling such as a fever of which the root cause is unknown. If you have a fever which is accompanied by joint pains and stiffness, then you probably have the infection.
• A regular feeling of being fatigued. One may feel unusually fatigued before any of the other RA symptoms become obvious.
In some cases, the fatigue may be accompanied by a general feeling of ill health and depression.
• If one already has carpel tunnel syndrome such as numbness and tingling of the hands, then there may be a possibility that they may be developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Unusual deformities in the hand or fingers
• Finger joints or hand joints that may feel warm and tender to the touch. These joints may also appear bigger or swollen. These flare-ups may persist for days or even weeks with a pattern that is expected to increase over time. In the early stages of RA, the most common areas that one will experience pain in include the fingers and the wrists.
• Finger joints that squeak or make a crackling noise when moved. The noise is usually produced when damaged cartilages grind against joints as you move your fingers.
• Inflammation and stiffness of other related symmetrical joints such as the jaws, neck, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and shoulders may be a good indicator that one has rheumatoid arthritis.
Watch this video about treatment and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands
Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
There is no known cure for RA, however one can reduce the joint inflammation and pain by maximizing joint function. Maximizing joint function will also reduce the rate of joint deformity and destruction.Medical experts use a number of medications and hand exercises to reduce the rate of progression of the disease.
Hand exercises
To reduce the pain experience in the wrist and finger joints before you perform the exercises, you can soak your hands in a bowl of warm water or dip then in warm paraffin wax. You may even opt to perform the exercises submerged in a heated pool.
Wrist bends
With your arm outstretched you can bend your wrist backward and forward successively.
Finger touch
Here you can start with an open hand, then touch the tip of your pinkie finger with your thumb. You can also touch the tip of your index and middle finger.
Thumb stretches
To perform this exercise you will need to bend your thumb towards the base of your pinkie finger.
Wrist turns
With your hand outstretched and open, you can turn it in such a way that the palm faces the celling then the floor. You can repeat this movement a couple of times for a period of 10 to 20 seconds.
Muscle strengthener
You can try crumble a number of pieces of paper with your hand as fast as you can. This exercise can repeated a number of times during the day.
Finger curls
In this exercise one can extend their wrist and spread their fingers then make a light fist. Successive similar movements will help reduce pain in the wrists and fingers.
Now you know the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands and what you can do about it. Hope you can use the excersises to relief your symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis in hands.