Pain in the thumb end joint

Definition

The thumb is put under a lot of strain during numerous everyday movements of the hand. When grasping or lifting, the thumb is basically involved. Various causes can lead to overloading and/or damage to the thumb end joint. The thumb end joint is a small joint that connects the base of the thumb with the thumb end and provides mobility in this area. Diseases in the thumb end joint, such as inflammation or signs of wear, can cause pain in this tiny joint.

Causes

Both inflammatory and degenerative diseases can cause pain in the thumb end joint. Frequently, arthrotic joint changes are caused by wear and tear. The widespread rhizar arthrosis in the area of the thumb saddle joint can be accompanied by arthrosis of the thumb end joint.

Other possible causes include an acute attack of gout, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism). Rheumatism typically affects other finger joints, but can also affect the thumb end joint. In addition, pain in the thumb end joint can be a late consequence of carpal tunnel syndrome, in which a nerve (median nerve) is anatomically constricted and causes pain in the thumb, index and middle finger area.

Furthermore, various acute inflammations can be considered as a cause of pain in the thumb end joint. Bacterial and viral inflammation play a role, in severe cases even a phlegmon can develop, as well as an inflammation of the tendon sheath, which radiates into the thumb end phalanx. Arthrosis is a joint disease that is caused by wear and tear of the joint.

All joints of the body can be affected by arthrosis, as well as the thumb end joint. The thumb saddle joint is more often affected than the end joint, the clinical picture is called rhizarthrosis. Typically, several joints are affected by the wear and tear at the same time.

Symptoms are pain when the joint is strained, limited joint mobility, thickening of the joint and, in the case of acute, activated arthrosis, signs of inflammation such as swelling, overheating, redness and severe pain even at rest in the area of the affected (thumb-end) joint. The metabolic disorder gout is a painful inflammation in joints. In addition to various other joints, the thumb end joints can be affected and cause severe pain to the sufferer.

In gout, there is too much uric acid in the blood, which is deposited in the form of crystals in the joint skin. High uric acid levels are often accompanied by an acute attack of gout. The sufferers suffer from pain, reddening and significant swelling in the area of the affected joint.

Psoriatic arthritis, also known as psoriasis arthropathica, is a chronic joint inflammation that occurs in connection with psoriasis. The thumb end joint is a typical location of the joint inflammation in psoriatic arthritis. Frequently, the inflammation of the joint at the end and middle joints of the fingers occurs symmetrically in both hands.

This is the peripheral, more common type of the disease. More rarely, a central type is present, in which the spine and larger joints are affected. Psoriatic arthritis can cause pain in the thumb end joint and other finger joints.

In the course of the disease, irreversible damage to the affected joints with joint destruction and osteoporosis characteristically occurs. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also a possible cause of pain in the thumb end joint. In this syndrome, there is a bottleneck in a tendon compartment in the area of the wrist, which leads to a constriction of the median nerve.

As a result, the affected persons suffer from sensations, paralysis and pain in areas of the hand. Typical early symptoms are nocturnal pain and sensation in the thumb, index and middle finger. As the carpal tunnel syndrome progresses, the muscles of the ball of the thumb degenerate and pain can occur at rest. The pain mainly affects the thumb, index finger and middle finger. Accordingly, the thumb end joint can sometimes cause severe pain in carpal tunnel syndrome.