Arthritis in Hand - Signs and Symptoms

Did you know that arthritis in hand can be caught and treated early so that you don’t have to deal with a future filled with crippling pain and possibly even the inability to use your hands?

Arthritis of the hand often gives the patient warning signs long before they even realize that there is a problem. The misconception that arthritis is limited to the older population is to blame for many cases going undiagnosed until they’ve already progressed.

Knowing what to look for can help you determine whether or not you’re on the road to arthritis or not. And since arthritis affects millions of people long before they’re ‘old’, it’s certainly something that you should take not of as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance at catching and dealing with it, before arthritis in hand affects you and starts to wreak havoc on everyday activities involving the most used part of the body.

Early Signs of Arthritis in Hand

• Heberden’s Node: This is the name given to the common deformity of the finger joints that often accompanies arthritis. Look for changes in the shape or size of the joint located nearest the top of your fingers. A ‘boney’ or ‘knobby’ appearance is often reported long before the pain or stiffness of arthritis ever sets in. (Click here to read about finger arthritis, or click here to read about thumb arthritis.)
  
  
• Stiffness: Since many other conditions and injuries can cause some stiffness in the hands, this symptom is often brushed off and left untreated. Stiffness of the joints in the hands and fingers is a common early sign of arthritis in hands.
  
  
• Swelling: Swollen hands and fingers often happen as a result of things like carpal tunnel syndrome or even just overuse of the hands, which is a part of everyday life for some, depending on their occupation. Swollen extremities are also often related to other conditions of the heart or diabetes, so associating it as a sign of arthritis may be the last thing one does, especially when it comes to mild swelling. But, in reality, inflammation is a very common symptom during the onset of arthritic hands, and one that should be acknowledged and diagnosed right away.
  
  
• Pain: This is definitely one of the telltale signs of arthritis and certainly one that you would think would be quite obvious, but anything from using the computer all day to sleeping on your hand could cause pain in your hands and fingers. This is why few people actually bother to do anything about pain in the hands until it begins to be a real problem and more severe. If you can’t relate pain in your hands to anything specific, or if you find that you’re having the pain more frequently, even if only mild, then you need to have it checked out.

Arthritis in hand can be better treated if found early on, using remedies like dietary changes, special movements or exercises, and even some herbs that contain natural anti-inflammatory agents. Pain is your body’s way of cluing you in that something is wrong, and listening to your body is your best defense in keeping it healthy and working at its best. Take note of these signs and do all you can to keep arthritic hands at bay.

Click here to read about finger arthritis, or click here to read about thumb arthritis.

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