Cracking | Pain in the thumb end joint

Cracking

Joint noises such as cracking or rubbing can be an accompanying symptom of arthrosis. Often the thumb saddle joint, rhizarthrosis, is affected. The thumb end joint can also cause pain, swelling, instability in the joint and restricted freedom of movement in the context of arthrosis. In addition to joint noises, a visible deformation of the joint can rarely be seen.

Diagnosis

Pain in the thumb end joint is a symptom that can be attributed to various causes. First of all, the treating physician and the person affected conduct a detailed anamnesis discussion about the character of the pain and possible accompanying symptoms. This is followed by a physical examination of the hand.

Depending on the doctor’s assessment, a blood sample and/or imaging, e.g. X-rays, may be necessary to make a diagnosis. The therapy of pain in the thumb end joint depends on the cause of the complaints. Arthrosis is typically treated conservatively at first and only as an ultima ratio surgically.

In the case of an acute attack of gout as well as chronic gout, diet and drug therapy play a decisive role. In psoriatic arthritis, on the other hand, various light to strong medications are used, including cortisone and immunomodulating drugs such as methotrexate. If therapy is not successful, the treatment regimen can be escalated to address the symptoms as effectively as possible at each stage.

In the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, treatment is dependent on the stage of the disease. Mild to moderately severe cases are typically initially treated conservatively, for example with immobilization of the hand, pain medication and, if necessary, cortisone. In severe stages, carpal tunnel syndrome can be surgically removed.

In addition, inflammations that cause pain in the thumb end joint are treated with painkillers, cooling and immobilization. In case of bacterial inflammation, antibiotics are necessary to eliminate the inflammation and prevent blood poisoning. A bandage can help to relieve the pain of various diseases of the hand that occur with pain in the thumb end joint.

A bandage serves to stabilize the hand so that possible painful movements in the thumb end joint are limited.Immobilization of the affected joint is a typical conservative means of allowing the joint to heal. Tape can be used similar to conventional bandages to immobilize a joint or muscle. While Tape is very well suited for injuries to the thumb saddle joint, it often helps less well with complaints of the thumb end joint. Because the thumb end joint is a very small joint that is far from the trunk, taping can be difficult. Nevertheless, you can try a kinesiotape without doing more harm to the joint.