The following symptoms and complaints may indicate Heberden’s arthritis:
Leading symptoms
- Partially nodular swelling/reddened nodules (Heberden nodes: bicuspid, cartilaginous-bony growths on the extensor side of the base of the finger distal phalanges) ulnar and radial (“located on the side of the forearm facing the ulna (ulna) or radius (radius)”) of the finger distal joints in the early stages
- Painful movement restrictions and redness in the finger end joints* * (distal interphalangeal joints, DIP) [common: index finger and little finger].
Later, a painless ulnar deviation and flexion contracture of the distal phalanx (= joint malposition (contracture) caused by tissue shrinkage, in which the affected joint is fixed in flexion) is often seen.
If the finger middle joints (proximal interphalangeal joints, PIP) are also affected, this is called Bouchard’s arthrosis, also known as Heberden-Bouchard arthrosis. If the thumb saddle joint is affected, it is called rhizarthrosis. If other joints or the spine are also affected, it is called polyarthrosis.
Heberden’s arthrosis usually occurs symmetrically. It usually progresses in episodes.
