Why does this occur so frequently with a Heberden arthrosis?
Similar to Bouchard’s arthrosis, siphoning arthrosis is a degenerative wear and tear disease of the finger joints, but it affects the posterior joints (distal interphalangeal joints, DIP). Why these two types of arthrosis often occur together is not clinically clear. It is assumed, however, that the simultaneous movement of the rear and front finger joints puts equal strain and wear on both. A movement of the back finger joints alone is relatively rare.
How can we distinguish siphoning arthrosis from rheumatism?
Unlike arthrosis, rheumatism affects not only the joint but also the surrounding tissue. One speaks also of a rheumatoid arthritis. This is often characterized by a strong inflammation, according to which inflammation-specific complaints such as heat, redness and swelling occur more frequently, which are less common in osteoarthritis.
Often not only the joints are affected, but also the tendons, ligaments and joint capsule. A good distinction between rheumatism and arthrosis can be made by localizing the symptoms. While Bouchard arthrosis only affects the anterior finger joints and Heberden arthrosis affects the posterior finger joints, rheumatoid arthritis mainly affects the joints of the wrist and the metacarpophalangeal joints.
You can recognize Bouchard arthrosis by these symptoms
The typical symptom of Bouchard arthrosis is pain in the affected finger. This pain occurs mainly when the patient tries to grasp something hard with his fingers or tries to open a bottle. Palpable nodules, so-called osteophytes, on the finger joints are also often a sign of osteoarthritis, and over time the fingers become malpositioned.
The degeneration leads to a loss of strength and restrictions in movement, for example in the form of a reduced ability to bend. This leads to a certain stiffness in the fingers. Some patients also report a swelling of the finger joints, which is usually due to a swelling of the joint capsule.
The characteristic pain for a finger joint arthrosis is load-dependent pain. This means that they occur mainly when rotational movements are performed. In chronic arthrosis, where the cartilage has already been completely degraded, pain at rest can also occur.
As a rule, the pain gets worse in the course of the day and is only relieved by rest or heat treatment. This is also known as fatigue pain. Typical for osteoarthritis, regardless of the joint affected, is the occurrence of pain in relapses.
In some cases, acute pain can be accompanied by pain-free intervals lasting for months. An arthrosis episode is usually characterized by morning stiffness and a painful start. During a flare, redness and joint effusion may also occur. This is often accompanied by joint swelling and a complete loss of function. In severe cases, osteoarthritis can also lead to inflammation in the finger joints, although this must be distinguished from rheumatoid arthritis.
