Osteoarthritis most often affects the joints of the hands, knees, hips, lower back, and neck. When this happens, the tissues that normally cushion the joint space wear out. Over time, a person will begin to experience joint pain, stiffness, and even visible enlargement of the joint.
Symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint tenderness, increased pain and stiffness when the joint has not moved for a while, and the joints appear slightly larger than normal.
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A grinding or crunching sensation or sound in the joints, muscle weakness and wasting are also symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Arthritis symptoms can also appear in the fingers.
Osteoarthritis can cause bumps to form on the fingers.
Bouchard’s nodes form on the middle of the fingers, while Heberden’s nodes form on the tips of the fingers.
Bouchard’s nodes are bony enlargements of the middle joints of the fingers, also known as the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints.
These are the first joints immediately above the knuckles.
Heberden’s nodes are small bony growths that appear in the joint closest to the fingertip.
Bouchard’s nodes are less common than Heberden’s nodes, which are bony enlargements of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints closest to the fingertips.
They can cause pain and limitation of movement in the hands.
There are a number of treatments for osteoarthritis including lifestyle measures, medications, and supportive therapies.
Experts recommend that exercise is one of the key treatments for osteoarthritis patients, as it builds muscles and helps strengthen joints.
In addition, exercise can help a person lose weight and therefore take weight off the joints so less stress is placed on them.
A doctor can prescribe a personalized exercise regimen that best helps treat their patient’s arthritis.
There are no blood tests to help diagnose a person with osteoarthritis.
Your health care professional will perform other tests to rule out rheumatoid arthritis and gout as possible causes of your unusual finger symptoms.
These tests may include blood tests to check for rheumatoid factor (RF) and cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies that are seen in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Blood tests can also detect elevated uric acid levels if gout is suspected.
Joint fluid may also be obtained to detect uric acid crystals associated with gout.