Every single day we use our hands for many different reasons.not only do they provide precision for delicate tasks when we cook or when we clean. They allow us to complete heavier and more physically demanding jobs such as lifting around the house, changing beds or simply just clicking the remote.
As you get older, you expect that your hands will stiffen. We look to our own elders to see what we deal with in elderly age, which means that arthritis is something that most of us are very familiar with. There are 29 joints in our hands and these are all very common areas for arthritis. When those joints become arthritic, as we get old, those everyday activities that we don’t think twice about become more difficult. Companies like Sana Health are there to help when this happens, but you still need to know what is muscle pain and what’s arthritis. While not everybody with arthritis in their hands all experience the same symptoms, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for which symptoms will signify a bigger issue.
Symptoms to watch out for:
Some of the symptoms that you should look out for to show you that your hands may be arthritic include:
- Joint pain. Usually this is experienced as a dull burning pain and.After a particularly busy day, this can get worse. As the arthritis in your hands advances, it will become more common for your hands to experience joint pain.
- Grinding or grating feelings. This is known as crepitus, and it’s a crunchy sound in the wrists or the hands whenever they are moving.
- Your hands feel weaker. If you’re trying to grip an object or even shake somebody’s hand, you might find it much harder to do when your hands are arthritic.
- You notice swelling. Swollen joints in your fingers, hands and thumbs are common and can lead to a much puffier appearance.
How to manage arthritis pain:
Once you have determined that you are arthritic and you have spoken to your healthcare provider, you need to know how to manage the arthritis in your hands. Some of the suggestions from your healthcare team may include:
- Medications to reduce pain and swelling.
- Injections into the joints of your hands to relieve the swelling and the pain.
- Treatment for inflammatory forms of arthritis.
- Physiotherapy and exercises to increase your flexibility and strength.
- Creams and gels.
- Splinting so that you can rest your hands.
- Surgery in some cases, some people can’t manage with just a conservative approach and they need something more permanent and this can mean surgery on your hands to help to relieve the pain.
Dealing with arthritis isn’t the easiest thing to do, but when you understand the signs of arthritis, you are better equipped to be able to get on top of it and manage it early. Booking an appointment with your doctor will help, and they’ll be able to determine whether arthritis is definitely what you are dealing with.