Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand
Arthritis is derived from the Greek work which literally translates to Joints Inflammation. If I have to define a joint in layman’s terms, it is like a layer cartilage and bones which fit together like a jigsaw. If the joint is infected, then the there is damage to these layers and they do not fit together, hence causing difficulty in movement of these joints. It can infect any of the joints in the human body, but when joints in hands are affected, it causes a great deal of pain and inability to perform daily activities. Though there are multiple forms of arthritis, the most common ones which affect the hands are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The former one is caused as a result of some physical injury.
At every joint in our body, to ease the movement of the bone, there is a lining of synovial tissue which acts as the lubricant in this process. Rheumatoid arthritis causes the inflammation of these linings which in turn results in the erosion of bones and cartilage tissues. It also causes difficulty in stretching the muscles as the tendons which connect the bones and muscles rupture due to the inflamed tissue.
Diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis is at the right time is very essential to receive the right treatment. Here are some symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis so that you can get the required medical help at the right time. One of the profound systems is the external swelling seen on the wrist joints and knuckles. This is the first response to the infected joints by our immune system. Then there is the cracking sound which comes when you try to move the fingers. Due to rupture of tendons, there might be difficulty in bending the thumb and other fingers. Other mild symptoms are unstable joints, drifting finger positions, hyper extension of joints among others. It can be diagnosed with the help of an X-Ray and some simple blood tests. Besides, the physical condition of the hand is quite sufficient by itself for the determination.
The treatment plan for Rheumatoid Arthritis basically consists of managing the pain, decreasing the inflammation and recovering the damage which has occurred to the joints so as to bring them back to normal functioning. Cortisone injections, oral steroids, anti inflammatory drugs among others may be used as a part of this treatment. Since, these drugs have a great deal of side effects; they need to be constantly monitored by a Rheumatologist. Apart from these drugs, there is also physical therapy including the paraffin wax baths and exercises to relieve the pressure in the right angles to recover the joints.
Apart from these, there is always surgery which is suggested for severe cases. When the tendons are affected, the muscles often mal function leading to the restrictions on the degree of movement. In such cases, there are preventive surgeries which will basically avoid the damages caused to tendons and the nodules. There are replacement surgeries done to replace the joints and some parts of the tissue as well. But unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. The best option is to slow down the infection and manage the pain.