Many different diseases cause pain in hands and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis are common diseases that affect your hand, but they are distinctly different conditions. If your hand or finger is painful, swollen or tingling for more than a few days or affects the ability of your hand to use, consult your doctor for accurate diagnosis.
span= "article-image_u caption-inner"> close-up shot of the doctor holding the patient's hand. (Image: Katarzynabialasiewicz/istock/getty images)
carpal tunnel syndrome
carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve at the bottom of the palm. The nerve passes through a small passage, along with nine tendons that move the fingers and thumbs. The carpal canal is composed of small bones on the wrist and ligaments forming a roof above the carpal canal. The median nerve senses the middle part of the thumb, index finger and ring finger. It also provides muscles for moving fingers and thumbs. Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, tingling and possible numbness in these fingers. Over time, the muscles supplied by this nerve become weak. Swelling is not a common symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome.
h3>rheumatoid arthritisp>When rheumatoid arthritis occurs, your immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy joints of the whole body. The disease often affects the joints of the hands and fingers. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, joint swelling, redness and fever in affected areas. Unlike carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis affects all fingers and usually does not cause tingling or numbness.
In contrast, carpal tunnel syndrome is usually caused by repeated use of tendons that bend fingers and wrists, or by prolonged awkward position (complete forward or backward bending) of the wrist. This may also be due to the frequent use of vibration tools. Rarely, carpal tunnel syndrome develops as a result of direct injury to the wrist. Symptoms of this condition develop over time, usually on the one hand. Initially, you may feel occasional pain or tingling on one of your fingers, especially at night, when your wrist is in a position for a long time. As the condition deteriorates, symptoms become more frequent. On the contrary, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often affect both hands at the same time. In this case, finger stiffness develops early, especially in the first thing in the morning. The severity of other symptoms varies with the degree of arthritis and with each individual. However, progressive wrist and finger deformities are not uncommon for rheumatoid arthritis. Because rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disease, the whole body will be affected by this disease. Other symptoms may include fatigue, loss of appetite and physical pain. The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is usually based on symptoms and physical examination results. When the wrist is bent in extreme position, symptoms increase - usually forward, but sometimes backward. To test carpal tunnel syndrome, the wrist was completely bent for one minute, and finger pain, numbness or tingling were monitored. Doctors also tap the median nerve on the wrist to see if symptoms occur. EMG, the current from a small needle along the median nerve pathway, is usually used to measure signal intensity to assess the severity of carpal tunnel syndrome. Ultrasound is sometimes used to detect inflammation or swelling of the median nerve. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on joint pain, swelling, fever, swelling and stiffness. Unlike carpal tunnel syndrome, the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is not based solely on clinical symptoms. Blood tests are measurements of protein levels in the blood called antibodies. Abnormal levels of a specific antibody (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody) often occur in rheumatoid arthritis because the disease mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue. Rheumatoid arthritis can also form hard masses called nodules in bony areas of the body, including finger joints. X-ray is usually used to determine the degree of joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis.
In the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, first of all, we should keep the treatment, rest and avoid activities that worsen the symptoms. In this case, physical or occupational therapy is usually required. Treatment includes splint fixation of wrist, ultrasound, massage, exercise and enhancement of range of motion. Severe nerve compression may require surgery. Make a small incision above the tunnel and cut the top of the tunnel to relieve the pressure on the nerves. Rheumatoid arthritis is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aleve and advil. Steroid drugs, such as prednisone, are sometimes used to treat symptoms of this condition. Antirheumatic drugs such as methotrexate (rheumatism, triazole) are sometimes used to slow down the progression of the disease. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can also be treated by resting and avoiding aggravating activity. Physical or occupational therapy is usually used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, including heating or paraffin to increase blood flow; exercise to reduce stiffness and improve exercise; and educational activities to adjust to make daily work easier.
