Arthritis of the Hand

 

 

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Arthritis of the Hand

by | Jul 24, 2015 | Dr Stephanie Barrett, London Rheumatologist, rheumatologist, Rheumatologist in London, Rheumatology

Managing Arthritis of the Handarthritis of the hand

Once you have received a diagnosis of arthritis of the hand, it is understandable that you want to find ways of treating the condition and making it easier to live with. Getting help with arthritis pain in your hands is never going to find a cure unfortunately but you may be able to use different methods of treatment and strategies to alleviate some of the pain and make it easier to live with the condition.

Help with Arthritis Pain in your Hands

Arthritis pain can be treated in a number of ways with the main goals of treatment usually to alleviate the pain but also return some of the lost mobility if possible. There are both surgical and non-surgical methods of treatment and lifestyle changes and exercises you can incorporate into your life when living with arthritis of the hand.

Firstly, you can try a number of different hand exercises, most of which will be recommended by your doctor. One such exercise would be to practice slowly making a fist and gently squeezing the best you can. The next step is to open up the hand again and stretch out the fingers and then repeat, to help loosen up any stiffness.

Secondly, there are a range of medications available too. Most doctors prescribe regular analgesics and anti-inflammatories but you may also be offered the further option of what doctors called neutraceuticals, rather than actual drugs and these are the building blocks that make up cartilage which is usually damaged as arthritis progresses.

Some arthritis in the hand is managed through injections which are usually a combination of long lasting anaesthetic combined with a steroid which can provide pain relief for weeks or even months. Injections are not a long term solution for most sufferers though.

There are further surgical treatments for arthritis of the hand, which are usually considered a final resort of the non-surgical treatments don’t work. The most common surgical treatments include joint fusing and joint reconstructions, both of which can help with the pain as well as the mobility of the hand.

Would you like to make an appointment to discuss your arthritis?

If you have any questions about arthritis or would like to book an appointment with Dr Stephanie Barrett then please get in touch here.