When arthritis of the thumb becomes more than just a pain in your hand
Have you noticed pangs of discomfort when signing a check, buttoning your shirt, opening a jar or even snapping your fingers? If the answer is yes, you may be living with thumb arthritis — a condition that can impact everyday life.
Arthritis is joint inflammation, which can affect any structure inside a joint. And, here’s a bit of trivia for your next dinner party: there are more than 100 different types of arthritis!
While osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common forms of arthritis, thumb arthritis, also known as basal joint arthritis, affects the base of your hand — specifically, the part of the thumb that’s next to your wrist.
Thumb arthritis occurs when the cartilage in the small joint at the base of the thumb starts to wear away. Cartilage acts as a shock absorber and without that cushioning, simple movements and daily tasks can become a challenge.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of thumb arthritis include pain, tenderness, stiffness or swelling felt at the base of your thumb. The more you use your hands to grip, turn, pinch and open objects the more noticeable the symptoms, which can also lead to decreased strength, restricted range of motion and bone spurs along the joint.
While anyone can develop arthritis of the thumb, chances are higher for those over the age of 50 — especially women — or those with a family history and or previous fractures or injuries to their hand and thumb.
Diagnosis
If over-the-counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medications or icing the joint area doesn’t provide relief, it’s time to see a doctor or orthopaedic hand and wrist specialist. At Wake Orthopaedics, our experienced specialists can determine the type of arthritis and help develop a personalized treatment plan that’s right for you.
During the evaluation, our providers often perform the “grind test” by gripping the metacarpal bone of the thumb and moving it around to pinpoint any arthritis in your hands. X-rays can also identify areas of inflammation to confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment
Because thumb arthritis is typically part of the aging process, treatment options vary based on the severity of the symptoms. Non-surgical treatments including medications, splinting, injections, occupational hand therapy or physical therapy can often alleviate arthritis symptoms. When nonoperative treatment options fail, surgery may be recommended. For most patients, surgery involves removing part or all of the trapezium (one of the bones in the thumb joint) and stabilizing the thumb joint through various techniques. Fusing the thumb joint is also an option. Your orthapaedist can help determine which treatment options, from conservative solutions to minimally invasive procedures, are most appropriate.
The goal of any arthritis treatment is to improve quality of life and help decrease pain and discomfort.
Treatment is essential to help ease your symptoms and get you back to day-to-day activities.
If you think you may be suffering from arthritis, whether in your thumbs, knees, hips or feet, contact Wake Orthopaedics for an evaluation.
About Okechukwu Nwoko, MD
Dr. Okechukwu Nwoko is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with further certification in upper extremity surgery. His clinical and research interests include complex fractures, pediatric deformities, arthritis, joint replacements, ligament reconstruction, arthroscopy, as well as nerve injuries of the upper body.
He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and attended medical school at Temple University School of Medicine, graduating with honors. He completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, with training at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital and Ben Taub Hospital trauma center. He then went on to complete a fellowship in hand and microvascular surgery from Duke University.
Dr. Nwoko has published research on ligament reconstruction of the elbow, treatments of the upper extremities in children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, and shoulder function in brachial plexus injuries. He has also presented locally on the management of upper extremity trauma, as well as rheumatoid arthritis of the hand.
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