Conventional Treatment of Arthritis in Fingers - Health - Diseases and Conditions

Arthritis is possibly one of the most feared diseases today. It is not that it is life-threatening, though definitely it is a disease that is, at the very least, life-changing. Arthritis can affect you so badly that your quality of life is lessened, and you are not able to perform the tasks you have previously been able to routinely do.

There is no greater example of this than arthritis in fingers. When arthritis affects the joints of your fingers, the use of your hands, one of the most important ways we interact with the world around us, is affected. With arthritis in fingers, you begin to have difficulty with the most basic, common tasks that any person would do daily.

Arthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints; in the case with arthritis in fingers, it affects the joints of your fingers. This usually occurs over a long period of time, as wear and tear eventually adds up, and permanent damage affects the cartilage in your finger joints. Even though your body does have the ability to compensate and heal the damage caused by daily wear and tear, eventually your joint is no longer able to do so, and the symptoms of arthritis appear.

The most common symptom for arthritis is joint pain, and this is no different when the pain is in the finger joints. Inflammation and swelling may follow, and in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, actual physical deformity may occur. This means regular function is no longer possible with your fingers and hands.

There are a number of treatments available for this form of arthritis. Nonsurgical methods include anti-inflammatory medications for any swelling and analgesics for the pain. Cortisone, for example, can provide temporary relief when injected into the joint ? usually a few weeks or months of pain-free living. Occupational therapy is also one treatment to rehabilitate your arthritic fingers, the goal being restoration of as much mobility as possible.

In more severe cases, you may require a finger brace or splint to support your fingers, in order to reduce pain or even prevent deformity. Even more severe cases may require surgery to alleviate the pain and restore mobility.

Two forms of surgery are performed to treat arthritis in fingers. A fusion of joints may be used, allowing the bones of the affected joint to grow together or fuse to become one bone, essentially removing the joint. Artificial joint replacement replaces the finger joint with a plastic or metal prosthesis, allowing for a restoration of mobility and relief from pain. After surgery, rehabilitation is performed in order for you to recover your fine motor skills.

The conventional treatment of Arthritis In Fingers is just one way to relieve the symptoms of pain, inflammation and stiffness. Learn more about the alternative methods of treating arthritis in fingers by checking out ArthritisNaturalRemedies.com.