Arthritis Osteoarthritis Knee Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis of the Hands By Carol Eustice twitter linkedin Carol Eustice is a writer who covers arthritis and chronic illness. She is the author of "The Everything Health Guide to Arthritis." Learn about our editorial process Carol Eustice Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Kashif J. Piracha, MD on April 10, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Kashif J. Piracha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 14 years of experience treating patients in acute care hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Learn about our Medical Review Board Kashif J. Piracha, MD Updated on January 11, 2021 Print Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body, including the hands. Osteoarthritis of the hand most commonly affects three parts of the hand: the base of the thumb, the joints closest to the fingertips, and the middle joints of the fingers. In order to manage your symptoms effectively, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. Jose Luis Pelaez Inc. / Getty Images Causes Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, meaning that the cartilage covering the ends of the bones that form a joint gradually deteriorates. Mechanical wear and tear that builds up over time is the most common cause of osteoarthritis, but it can also develop due to an injury. When an injury changes the alignment of a joint, it can damage the cartilage more rapidly. In the hands, this damage causes enlarged joints and crooked fingers. Symptoms of Hand Osteoarthritis Many symptoms of hand osteoarthritis are similar to the general symptoms of arthritis. They include: Stiffness Swelling Pain Limited range of motion Bony nodules Aching at the base of the thumb If you suffer from hand osteoarthritis, you may notice that it has become more difficult to grasp objects or make a pinching motion, like the one you'd make to pick up a penny. Manual dexterity, fine motor control, and physical function are compromised, making usual daily tasks, such as turning keys, opening doorknobs, and writing, difficult to perform. Diagnosis of Hand Osteoarthritis A diagnosis is made based on a physical exam and an X-ray. Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms, including when they began. Your description of pain, stiffness, swelling, and limitations in joint movement will help your doctor assess your condition. Hand osteoarthritis also has visible characteristics, including bony nodules. Small nodules and swellings that develop near the middle joint of the fingers are referred to as Bouchard's nodes. When the nodules are located at the fingertip, they are referred to as Heberden's nodes. Carpal bossing most commonly appears as a bump on the back of the hand. It is created by a small area of osteoarthritis occurring at the junction of the long hand bones and the small wrist bones. An X-ray will be taken to further examine the physical damage. It will reveal any cartilage loss, bone spurs, and joint damage. However, what shows up on an X-ray may not necessarily correlate to the amount of pain and/or disability you are experiencing, and early osteoarthritic damage may not be detectable with an X-ray. Based on the physical evidence and X-ray evidence, your doctor will have enough information to detect and accurately diagnose osteoarthritis. There are no blood tests used to diagnose osteoarthritis. Blood tests would only be ordered to rule out other types of arthritis. Treatment With hand osteoarthritis, early intervention is essential. Acknowledging your symptoms early and treating them promptly is important to prevent irreversible joint damage and progression of the disease. Treatment for hand osteoarthritis is meant to relieve pain and improve function. Treatment options include: Oral medications such as NSAIDs or analgesics Steroid injections Splinting Physical or occupational therapy A clinical trial showed that participants who complied with a structured rehabilitation program exhibited improved dexterity and range of motion compared with those who underwent traditional occupational therapy. Surgery is also an option, but it's typically considered a last resort if the aforementioned treatment options are ineffective. Surgery to treat hand osteoarthritis includes procedures that: Remove cysts or excess bony growths Fuse the joint Replace the joint Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn tips for managing arthrits pain, medications, and daily challenges. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Arthritis Foundation. Osteoarthritis of the hands. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Arthritis of the hand. Updated December 2013. Pérez-Mármol JM, García-Ríos MC, Ortega-Valdivieso MA, et al. Effectiveness of a fine motor skills rehabilitation program on upper limb disability, manual dexterity, pinch strength, range of fingers motion, performance in activities of daily living, functional independency, and general self-efficacy in hand osteoarthritis: A randomized clinical trial. J Hand Ther. 2017;30(3):262-273. doi:10.1016/j.jht.2016.12.001 Leung GJ, Rainsford KD, Kean WF. Osteoarthritis of the hand I: Aetiology and pathogenesis, risk factors, investigation and diagnosis. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2014;66(3):339-346. doi:10.1111/jphp.12196 Vieweg H, Radmer S, Fresow R, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic carpal bossing. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015;9(10):RC01-3. doi:10.7860/JCDR/2015/14820.6606.