Arthritis of the Hand

Arthritis is a debilitating disease that effects as many as 40 million Americans – nearly one of every 6 people. Approximately 21 million people have osteoarthritis, and another 2.1 million have rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that by 2020, 60 million people will suffer from the disease. Arthritis is a term that is used to describe the degeneration of cartilage. There are different types of arthritis:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): is a systemic disease that can affect all of the joints of the body. The disease attacks both the joint surface and soft tissues of the joints. There is currently no known cause for the disease.

Osteo Arthritis (OA): is a wearing away of the cartilage between the joints.

Post Traumatic Arthritis (TA): can develop after injury to a joint.

All forms of arthritis can cause inflammation, pain, deformity and lack of function of the joint involved. The prevalence of arthritis in the hand is high and can affect the MCP joint (knuckle), PIP joint (middle finger joint), and the base of the thumb. The causes of arthritis in the hand can be due to a previous injury, and wear and tear on the joint.

Arthritis in the Hand

The joints of the hand act as hinges between the bones of the hand. These joints are called metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints. These joints are important for gripping and holding things. A patient suffering from arthritis of the finger joints will suffer from pain, swelling, loss of function, and deformity.