Have you been feeling a dull pain in both of your hands that seems to be getting worse? You might have a medical condition that is called hand osteoarthritis, which can occur when the cartilage between your joints begins to wear out. It is not possible for hand osteoarthritis to be cured, but a specialist can assist with helping you to manage the pain better. Take a look at the information in this article for more insight about hand osteoarthritis.
How Hand Osteoarthritis is Diagnosed
A specialist can use different methods for diagnosing hand osteoarthritis. He or she will begin diagnosing the condition by finding out if anyone in your family suffers from arthritis. You will be asked questions about your medical history. The specialist will also examine your hands by feeling around on the joints and look for any signs of swelling. An x-ray will likely be performed so the specialist can get a good look at the condition of your joints. A bone scan that detects damages earlier than an x-ray can be administered if the x-ray is inconclusive.
Symptoms of Hand Osteoarthritis
Other than pain, hand osteoarthritis can lead to your joints feeling stiff. The stiffness and pain can get to the point in which it is difficult for you to perform simple tasks like opening jars and using a computer keyboard. Cysts filled with mucus can also develop at near the ends of your fingers from hand osteoarthritis. Some of the other symptoms that you can experience include sounds coming from your joints when using your hands. Your pain can become much worse if you don't seek treatment from a specialist in a timely manner.
How a Specialist Can Assist with Pain Management
Pain management can be achieved in numerous ways based on severity, such as by placing splints on your hands to reduce the amount of stress on joints. Anti-inflammatory drugs are often prescribed for pain relief, as they can also prevent your joints from becoming swollen. Steroid injections are also used for treating hand osteoarthritis pain, and they can provide relief for a long time before more injections are needed. A specialist can perform surgery to get rid of damaged joints and replace them with artificial ones if other methods of pain management do not work. Get in touch with a specialist so he or she can diagnose and treat you for hand osteoarthritis as soon as possible.
For more information on pain management, check out websites like http://www.pottershouserx.com.
Share26 May 2016
