Our hands are some of the most active parts of our bodies, and they are vital in our daily lives. They are made of integrative, delicate structures and allow us to do a myriad of things, like grip and manipulate objects, feel our surroundings, and even communicate with one another.
The possibility of losing or damaging function in our hands is quite scary to consider. Unfortunately, the likelihood of that increases with time due to everyday wear and tear and aging. When you begin to experience frequent pain and stiffness in your hand or wrist, you should be cautious. If you don’t take proper care of your hand and continue to strain it, you could very well be on your way to developing hand osteoarthritis.
What is Hand Osteoarthritis?
Hand osteoarthritis is when the protective cartilages that cushion the joints in your hands start to wear off. When this happens, your bones rub each other directly, causing pain and inflammation.
To give you an idea of what to look out for, hand osteoarthritis normally occurs in the base of your thumb, the middle joint of a finger, or one of the joints just before the fingertips. And since we use our hands every day, even mild discomfort or pain could seriously inconvenience us.
What Are the Risk Factors?
Given that this condition is a branch of osteoarthritis, the most common risk factors of hand osteoarthritis are joint overuse, aging, and hand injuries. Other factors include:
- Inherited defects in the joint cartilages
- Obesity
- Joint infections
- Loose ligaments
And as is usual for all osteoarthritis conditions, health providers diagnose hand osteoarthritis by examining the function of the hands, analyzing the patient’s family history, and conducting X-rays. In some cases, MRIs and blood tests may be necessary to better determine the extent of the damage and the kinds of arthritic symptoms sustained.
Treatment
The standard treatment for hand osteoarthritis often involves prescribed medications such as cortisone shots, acetaminophen, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to manage and ease the symptoms. Take note, however, that these medications don’t promote lasting recovery and can even pose risks of tissue damage and infection.
If the medications are no longer effective at managing the pain and symptoms, health providers would then normally recommend surgery. Though effective at easing symptoms for a time, it’s important to note that surgery also does not initiate lasting recovery and poses the same, if not more, risks. Most importantly, surgery can be costly.
Luckily, Coastal Regen offers full-scale non-invasive and non-surgical alternative treatments that can help restore functionality and mobility within your body by making use of your natural healing processes.
If you wish to learn more about our alternative treatments for osteoarthritis, click here: https://www.coastalregen.com/appointments
So, What’s Your Plan?
When it comes to chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, simply enduring is not the solution. You must acknowledge the warning signs that your body is giving you while you still have time. Don’t wait until you’re left with no other choice but to take high-risk steps to manage the pain and discomfort.
If you’re suffering from osteoarthritic symptoms, reach out to Coastal Regen today! We’re always prepared to help our patients make the most out of their retirement years through our alternative and regenerative treatments!