Pain in the fingers: What's it, causes, symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, prevention

Finger pain; Pain – finger

What is finger pain?

Finger pain is a common problem, that affects people of all ages and professions. It is characterized by pain, sensitivity, soreness or burning in one or more fingers and can vary from mild to severe in intensity. Pain may be localized or spread throughout the hand, wrist and forearm. Finger pain can be caused by a variety of factors., including excessive use, trauma, infection and health.

Causes of finger pain

Finger pain is often caused by overuse or injury.. Examples of overuse injuries include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and bursitis. These injuries (along with some diseases) more common in people, who often perform squeezing or pushing movements with their hands (eg, seal). Other potential causes of finger pain include nerve irritation, fractures, arthritis and Raynaud's disease.

In some cases, finger pain can be caused by an infection.. These infections may be bacterial, viral or fungal in nature and usually treated with antibiotics or antifungals.

Most common causes of finger pain:

Injuries are a common cause of finger pain. Finger injury can be caused:

• Playing sports, such as football, basketball, volleyball
• Recreational sports, such as skiing or tennis
• Using technology at home or at work
• Doing household chores, such as cooking, gardening, cleaning or repair
• Drop
• Consequences of a fight or punch
• Performing repetitive movements, such as typing

Injuries, which can cause pain in the fingers, include:

• crushed fingers, eg, hit by a hammer or a car door.
• compartment syndrome, which is severe swelling and pressure in the muscle area, nerves and blood vessels. Compartment syndrome can be dangerous to health and requires immediate medical attention..
• Hammer toe, when a non-human can't straighten a finger. Sports injuries are common.
• Finger tension, dislocations and bruises.
• Broken finger bones.
• Skier's thumb, thumb ligament injury, eg, as a result of a fall while skiing.
• Cuts and stab wounds.
• Dislocation.

Certain conditions can also cause finger pain.:

• Arthritis, destruction of cartilage in a joint, causing inflammation with pain, stiffness and swelling.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure on a nerve in the wrist or other nerve problems, causing numbness and pain in the hand and fingers.
• Raynaud's phenomenon, state, which leads to blockage of blood flow to the fingers, when they are cold.
• trigger finger, when a swollen tendon in the finger makes it difficult to straighten or bend the finger.
• Contracture Dюpюitrena, in which the tissues in the palm become denser. It makes it difficult to straighten the fingers.
• Tenosynovitis De Quervena, which is pain in the tendons along the thumb side of the wrist due to overuse.
• Infection.
• Tumors.

Finger pain symptoms

The most common symptom of finger pain, of course, is pain or tenderness in the affected finger or fingers. Besides, pain may be accompanied by swelling, stiffness, redness and fever. In severe cases, finger pain can lead to decreased range of motion., as well as tingling, numbness and weakness in the affected area.

When to see a doctor

If finger pain is accompanied by swelling, redness, fever or fever, it is important to seek medical attention. Besides, if the pain is severe, does not improve with rest or medication, or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as tingling, numbness or weakness, should seek medical attention.

Questions, that your doctor may ask

When seeking medical attention for finger pain, the doctor, probably, ask some or all of the following questions:

• When the pain came?
• Where the pain is felt?
• What actions exacerbate/relieve the pain?
• Are there other symptoms?
• Have you had a recent injury or illness?
• Have you ever had this kind of pain before??
• What medications do you take?

Diagnosis of finger pain

To diagnose the cause of finger pain, the doctor usually asks some of the above questions. Besides, your doctor may order additional tests, such as visualization (eg, X-ray or MRI), blood tests or nerve conduction tests.

Treatment for finger pain

Treatment for finger pain will depend on the cause.. Treatment examples include:

• Give to affected finger, peace of mind
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Injections of corticosteroids
• Splinting or fixation
• Physiotherapy
• Surgery
• Antibiotics (from infections)

home treatment for finger pain

If the pain in the finger is mild and not accompanied by any other symptoms (t. it is. redness, edema, temperature increase, fever), then home treatment may be enough. Examples of home treatments include:

• Give to affected finger(mouth) rest
• Applying cold or warm compresses.
• Taking over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Massage of the affected area
• Doing stretching exercises.
• Avoid actions, that aggravate the pain.

Prevention of finger pain

Finger pain is often caused by injury or overuse of the fingers., therefore, preventive measures can help reduce the risk of developing this type of pain. Examples of preventive measures include:

• Using the Right Technique when performing manual actions, e.g. when typing or playing musical instruments. This may include frequent breaks and proper hand positioning..
• Regular stretching, to keep fingers and hands flexible.
• Using the right tools and equipment, e.g. ergonomic keyboards and mice.
• Maintaining good general health through a balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate rest.

Used sources and literature

Donohue KW, Fishman FG, Swigart CR. Hand and wrist pain. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell Jr, eds. Firestein’s & Kelly’s Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 53.

Stearns DA, It IS the peak. Hand. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 43.

Stockburger CL, Calfee RP. Digit fractures and dislocations. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR. eds. DeLee, The sink, & Miller’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 74.