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Posted on September 1, 2008 by Camie Ibara | Posted under Health
Thumb Joint Pain: Remedies
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This kind of pain is caused by thumb arthritis and it is more often encountered in women over forty then in men of the same age. You can tell that you are suffering from thumb arthritis if you experience pain when you try to grab different objects that involve applying force with your thumb. You will notice how simple things, like opening a jar, or turning a key, become really difficult and painful. You will also notice other manifestations, like swelling, stiffness and tenderness in the thumb. A decrease in the strength of the thumb will appear, and you will see how large your thumb will become if you try to force it. Researchers cannot say, for now, which is the cause for thumb arthritis, but some factors have been identified as being involved in its appearance. As a result, if you are a female over forty, that has a job in which the use of the thumb is very much involved, if you have previous fractures of the thumb, if you have some hereditary conditions like defective cartilage, or you already have rheumatoid arthritis, then you are prone to developing thumb arthritis, too. Here is how your thumb functions. The joint at its base allows for all its movements and it is comprised of three components: the trapezium - which is the small bone at the base of the thumb - , the first metacarpal and the wrist joint. Healthy joints are covered with cartilage, and this cartilage lets the bones slide one over the other without any pain. When arthritis comes into play, we have to deal with deteriorated cartilage that does not protect the joints anymore. To remediate the problem, your body will try to grow more bone, but that will result in spurs on the joints; this will cause even more pain, which is very common in this condition. If you search for remedies that will cure the condition, you are out of luck, as they do not exist. But you can take some measures to alleviate the pain and to make it easier to cope with. Splints, some medication and corticosteroid injections may help, and surgery can be the last measure to take in some cases. Arthritis of any kind, not only thumb arthritis, is hard to treat, as its exact causes are not known. If you discover it in its early stages, there is still chance to avoid experience so much pain. The pain makes it impossible to go on with daily tasks and that is why thumb arthritis is a debilitating condition. If you manage to avoid involving your thumb in your every day activities, there is a high chance to keep it away from harm. Exercising the affected joints and taking care of the thumb will help in the process. You will have less pain in the joint and the condition will not prevent you from carrying on with your life. When you suspect that your body develops arthritis, it is recommendable to visit your doctor and ask them for help. About The Author: Camie Ibara is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com |
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