Treatment of finger osteoarthritis
Synonyms
Arthrosis of the finger joints, polyarthrosis of the finger joints, arthrosis of the ankle, mid-finger joint arthrosis, polyarthrosis, polyarthrosis, finger joint arthrosis
Medical: Heberden arthrosis, Bouchard arthrosis
English: polyarthrosis
Treatment of finger osteoarthritis
Arthrosis of the finger joints are usually only treated if the disease occurs strong pain prepares or movements become impossible. Functional disorders are then often an indication that joint deformations are present.
- Medical therapy (conservative form of therapy)
- Natural remedies, especially here is the Devil's claw to call. The devil's claw can be used alone for mild pain and to support the existing therapy for more severe pain. The devil's claw is said to reduce the symptoms of finger arthrosis.
- Laser therapy
- Joint injection (conservative form of therapy)
- Operative therapy
As a rule Not If surgical intervention is carried out, the sequence mentioned above is usually also the therapeutic consequence. This usually means that initially medicinal is treated and only if this does not lead to an improvement in the symptoms, the laser is used (here got to It should be mentioned that laser therapy is not paid for by the statutory health insurance) and only then are joint injections carried out. The third measure, i.e. surgical therapy, is usually only considered when the other two have not led to the desired goal.
All four therapy options are shown below.
Medical therapy
The medical finger osteoarthritis treatment usually implies one locally applicable ointments (e.g. Voltaren Emulgel)which in more severe cases by the administration of medication such as Voltaren®
(Diclofenac) or Ibuprofen can be supported. The attending physician can decide individually with you which medication is best for you. Any medication use can have side effects.
Therefore, a “cost-benefit calculation” should always be carried out. Unfortunately, drug procedures do not lead to lasting success.
One can support the therapy of a finger osteoarthritis Homeopathic medicines. Various homeopathic medicines can alleviate symptoms in osteoarthritis therapy.
You can find out more about this topic at: Osteoarthritis and Homeopathy
Appointment with a hand specialist?
I would be happy to advise you!
Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)
In order to be able to treat successfully in orthopedics, a thorough examination, diagnosis and a medical history are required.
In our very economic world in particular, there is too little time to thoroughly grasp the complex diseases of orthopedics and thus initiate targeted treatment.
I don't want to join the ranks of "quick knife pullers".
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.
You can find me at:
- Lumedis - orthopedics
Kaiserstrasse 14
60311 Frankfurt am Main
Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, appointments can only be made with private health insurers. I ask for understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Lumedis - Dr. Nicolas Gumpert
Laser therapy
The word laser is the English abbreviation for L.ight A.amplification by S.timulated E.mission of R.adiation. From a physical point of view, a laser is only light of a certain wavelength, which cannot be perceived by the human eye, but is nevertheless highly energetic and therefore very effective.
At is exclusively with a Soft laser worked.
Of the laser owns one on the irradiated district
- pain reliever
- anti-inflammatory
- decongestant
- tissue healing and
- circulation-promoting effect
The laser also has a self-healing stimulating effect and also accelerates the lymphatic drainage. Of course, there is no skin or tissue damage.
Of the laser influences the metabolic processes of the irradiated area and thereby solves reparation and Self-healing processes out.
The laser light is said to have a harmonizing effect on the irradiated tissue and is practically free of side effects when properly handled and the safety rules are observed.
Usually about 10 sessions are necessary for one hand.
Unfortunately, the laser is not shown in the statutory catalog of benefits and must therefore be borne by the statutory insured patients themselves.
Injections into the joint
As part of a Joint injection the attending physician has two different active ingredients available:
- Cortisone
- Hyaluronic acid
In injection therapy, the doctor injects a small amount of the drug into the affected joint.
Cortisone Has a pain relieving and swelling effect on site. Patients who fear side effects typical of cortisone can be reassured, because due to the small amount injected, these side effects typical of cortisone can be almost ruled out. Nevertheless, cortisone therapy should not be carried out more than once.
In addition, there is a Cortisone injection does not necessarily bring about permanent pain relief or freedom. There are patients whose typical symptoms appear after a certain period of time.
An alternative is that which occurs naturally in the cartilage Hyaluronic acid to disposal. Hyaluronic acid improves the existing cartilage, whereby the inflammatory reaction stops and the pain is reduced or stopped.
Unfortunately, due to the cost of hyaluronic acid therapy of the fingers, they are not shown in the statutory catalog of benefits of the health insurance companies, so that the patient with statutory insurance has to bear the costs of the therapy themselves.
in the Orthopedicum Frankfurt (Dr. Nicolas Gumpert) is often a combination of one Laser therapy with hyaluronic acid carried out.
However, this form of conservative therapy cannot be offered to all patients. This is related to the fact that the basic prerequisite for the success of the therapy is that the joint gap in the joint area must still be open so wide that the treating doctor can still reach the diseased area with a needle.
As an alternative to the injection into the diseased joint, the so-called Radiosynoviorthesis should be considered as a form of therapy. In principle, the form of therapy is very similar to injection therapy. The difference is that instead of cortisone / hyaluronic acid, a short-acting radioactive substance is injected into the affected joint. This substance causes the changed synovial membrane in the diseased area to be irradiated and thus eliminated.
Homeopathy for finger osteoarthritis
In addition to conventional medicine, the homeopathy at a Finger osteoarthritis Provide relief.
Have proven themselves at arthrosis Calcium fluoraticum D6, Silicea D12, Rhus toxicodendron D12 (Poison oak) and Dulcamara D12. Calcium fluoraticum also occurs naturally in our body.
It is involved in processes that are responsible for the elasticity and hardness of cells and support structures such as bones. It is part of the bone surface and protects it. This protects the bone from damage, which can be helpful in osteoarthritis.
Silicea strengthens that connective tissue- and supporting fabric. Dulcamara D12 is used when osteoarthritis symptoms worsen in cold weather, as osteoarthritis is often sensitive to the weather.
In addition to these preparations, there is also often Zeel comp. N for use. It is a homeopathic combination preparation that contains many different active ingredients. The active ingredients include:
- Arnica root
- Toxicodendron radicans
- sulfur
- Bittersweet nightshade and
- Poison oak
Zeel comp. N is mainly used in chronic inflammatory conditions. It encourages the body to heal itself naturally. It relieves inflammation and leads to a reduction in osteoarthritis symptoms. In addition, there is a delay in the next phase of inflammation. Also Medicinal plants can be used for finger osteoarthritis, especially in the early stages of it. Mainly anti-inflammatory natural remedies are used. These include the African devil's claw, dandelion, Nettle, Comfrey, Willow bark, Cayenne pepper and rose hip.
The use of these medicinal plants usually takes place over a longer period of time. Nettle has an influence on the inflammatory messenger substances in the joint capsule. Nettle often leads to reduced pain and increased mobility. Willow bark is used for mild pain caused by osteoarthritis. The willow bark is synthetic with the one aspirin related, but mostly better tolerated than aspirin. The root of the Devil's claw improves the typical stiffness in the morning and the arthritis pain. For these natural remedies to work, they must be administered in high concentrations.
Which doctor treats finger osteoarthritis?
First of all, in the case of joint complaints, the attending family doctor can be visited, who can classify the complaints and possibly start therapy. Usually the referral to a specialist takes place. This specialist is usually an orthopedic surgeon, who then completes the clinical examination and orders an imaging. If you suspect a rheumatic disease, you will be referred to a rheumatologist again.
Find out all about the topic here: Pain in the interphalangeal joints.
Figure finger osteoarthritis
I - finger joint line - green
II - mid-finger joint line - blue
III - saddle thumb joint line - purple
- Distal phalanx - Phalanx distalis
- Phalanx - Phalanx media
- Phalanx - Ph. Proximalis
- Metacarpal bones - Metacarpals
- Trapezoidal leg - Trapezium
- Trapezoid leg - Trapezoid bone
- Scaphoid bone of the hand -
Scaphoid bone - Articular surface with articular cartilage -
Articular facies - Joint capsule - Articular capsule
a - Healthy joint
b - arthritis (inflammation of the joints)
c - osteoarthritis
A - Back of the right hand
B - osteoarthritis of the finger joint
= Heberden osteoarthritis (green line)
Mid-finger joint arthrosis
= Bouchard osteoarthritis (blue line)
C - Thumb saddle joint arthrosis
= Rhizarthrosis (purple line)
You can find an overview of all Dr-Gumpert images at: medical illustrations
