Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are among the most common types of arthritis that affect the joints in the hand and wrist. Both types cause pain, numbness in the fingers, stiffness, swelling, and crepitus (cracking or grinding sound), among other symptoms.
Hand arthritis, as with that of any other part of the body, has no known cure. Its treatments are only geared toward slowing its progression. There’s also no surefire way to prevent its onset. Nonetheless, there are things you can do to either reduce your risk or delay the onset of the disease.
The modifiable risk factors (factors you can control) for arthritis include dietary intake, repetitive hand movement, joint injury, and smoking. Taking full control of them ultimately translates into lowering your risk of developing arthritis.
Let’s learn about how you can keep your hand joints healthy and limber and keep arthritis at bay.
o Load up on healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient known for their anti-inflammatory benefits. Studies show that eating salmon or other fatty fish, such as mackerel and trout, at least once a week reduces a person’s risk of rheumatoid arthritis by approximately 52 percent.
o Avoid hand injury.
Sports injuries can damage the cartilage in your hand joints. When your hand joints get injured, they are more likely to develop arthritis, though symptoms may not manifest until many years after you sustained the injury. Approximately 15 percent of people living with hand osteoarthritis might have gradually acquired it due to an injury.
Whether in sports, in recreational activities, or at work (if your job requires a lot of pushing, lifting, and pulling), take the necessary precautions to protect your hands from injury. Use gloves, wrist guards, or sports tape, whichever is necessary. Enough rest and routine stretching can help mitigate the severity of and avoid overuse hand injuries.
o Get your hand joints moving.
Constant hand movement and exercises boost the circulation of synovial fluid in your joints, which in essence keeps your joints “well-oiled.”
Try simple hand exercises, such as bending and flexing your fingers. You can also try fist and wrist stretching exercises, hand clenching, finger walking, and thumb stabilization. Ideally, do these exercises several times in a single sitting, starting with five repetitions and gradually increasing them as you get more comfortable. Be careful, however, not to overexert your hand.
o Make daily habit adjustments
If your job involves working on the computer, getting an ergonomic keyboard and mouse can help you reduce the strain that you place on your hand and wrist joints. If it’s not possible to avoid repetitive activities, at least take quick breaks in between to rest your hands.
o Don’t smoke.
The exact connection between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis isn’t clear, but experts believe smoking somehow triggers faulty immune system functioning in people who are genetically predisposed to the condition. This is one of the many reasons why you shouldn’t start smoking and quit it if you’re already doing it.
Hand Arthritis Treatment in Maryland
If arthritis has already crept into your hand joints, don’t let it keep you from doing the things you love—schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified hand doctors here at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder.
Our providers have the highest level of expertise, and we offer an extensive range of effective nonsurgical and surgical treatment options for not only hand arthritis but for the entire spectrum of conditions and injuries that affect the upper extremity. It is our priority to consistently deliver exceptional treatment outcomes for all of our patients.
For more information about our services or to arrange a consultation with one of our hand doctors, feel free to call us at (410) 296-6232, or you can book an online appointment today.
