Hand and Wrist Arthritis

What is hand and wrist arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. When it affects your hands or wrists, it can involve the thumb, knuckles, or the joints near the tips of your fingers.

As arthritis worsens, it can be hard to perform daily tasks, such as holding a pen or buttoning a shirt. Nonsurgical treatments such as medications, braces, and steroid injections help many people manage arthritis symptoms. If these do not provide enough relief, surgery may be an option.

At Mass General Brigham Orthopedics, you’ll have access to a dedicated team of hand and arm orthopedic specialists who are committed to helping you manage hand and wrist arthritis. You’ll benefit from a collaborative approach that brings together fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, experienced rheumatologists, and skilled rehabilitation specialists. Together, they tailor a treatment plan to help you stay active and control your symptoms.

Call 857-282-3300 to schedule a consultation, or find a hand and arm specialist.

Types of hand and wrist arthritis

Many types of arthritis can affect your hands or wrists, including:

• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It develops when the smooth, protective covering at the ends of bones (cartilage) wears away. Hand and wrist osteoarthritis is most likely to affect the base of the thumb, the small joints of the first and second fingers, and the wrist joint.
• Psoriatic arthritis: Psoriatic arthritis develops in people with psoriasis, a skin condition. It’s an autoimmune disease that causes joint pain and stiffness. If you have psoriatic arthritis in your hands, you may get sausage-like swelling in one or more fingers.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes joint inflammation and swelling. It usually affects both hands and can damage cartilage over time.
• Juvenile arthritis: A rare autoimmune disease in children that causes joint inflammation, and pain.

Hand and wrist arthritis symptoms

Usually, the first symptoms of hand and wrist arthritis include:

• Joint pain that may be dull or aching and worsens with activity
• Stiffness
• Swelling in the hand joints

As arthritis progresses, you may experience:

• Difficulty fully opening and closing your fingers
• Enlarged or bent finger joints
• Small bumps on the finger joints
• Tenderness around the joint

What causes hand and wrist arthritis?

The specific cause of hand and wrist arthritis depends on the type. Some factors can increase your risk, including:

• Age: Many types of arthritis are more common in certain age groups. For example, juvenile arthritis develops in childhood, while osteoarthritis usually occurs after age 50. Rheumatoid arthritis usually develops between ages 35 and 50.
• Family history: If you have an immediate family member with arthritis, you’re more likely to develop it. Some inherited genes also cause arthritis.
• History of injuries: Past injuries like a broken wrist or finger can increase your risk of hand or wrist arthritis.
• Sex: Hand and wrist arthritis is more common in women than men.

Diagnosing hand and wrist arthritis

Diagnosing hand and wrist arthritis starts with discussing your symptoms. Your provider may ask:

• Is there anything that worsens or relieves your symptoms?
• What symptoms bother you most?
• When did symptoms develop?

They also perform an examination of your hand and wrist joint. You may get tests, including:

• Imaging, such as an X-ray, to look for cartilage loss in your joints
• Blood tests to diagnose or rule out rheumatoid arthritis

If joint pain is interfering with your daily life, call 857-282-3300 to request an appointment.

Hand and wrist arthritis treatment

Your treatment plan depends on the type of arthritis and how advanced it is. The goals are to relieve pain, improve function, and protect joint health.

Arthritis splints or braces

You may wear a splint or brace to protect and stabilize the joint. Your provider may instruct you to wear the brace at certain times of day or for certain lengths of time.

Arthritis medications

Sometimes, over-the-counter medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) relieve pain and swelling. Topical NSAIDS such as diclofenac gel are also available. For inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, your provider may refer you to a Rheumatologist, who may prescribe medications such as:

• Biologic agents to prevent joint damage
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to slow the development of rheumatoid arthritis

Steroid injections

Your provider delivers steroid medication directly to the affected joint. The injection can reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

Hand therapy

A hand therapist teaches you exercises to strengthen and stretch the affected joint. They may also give you tools to help with daily tasks, such as dressing or cooking.

Hand and wrist arthritis surgery

If nonsurgical treatments don’t provide relief, your provider may recommend surgery. Your options may include:

• Joint fusion: Your surgeon uses small screws and plates to join (fuse) your bones together. Your joint will be less flexible, but more stable and less painful.
• Joint replacement: Your surgeon removes the damaged joint and replaces it with an implant.
• Tendon transfer: Sometimes, the inflammation from arthritis can cause tendons (tissues connecting muscle to bone) to tear. A tendon transfer uses a healthy tendon from elsewhere in the body to perform the function of damaged tendons in your wrist or forearm.

FAQs about hand and wrist arthritis