What are the common causes of stiff and painful fingers?

Any abnormality in any part of the body is an "alarm" that there is a problem with your health. For example, stiff and painful fingers. Under normal circumstances, everyone's fingers should be flexible and free to move. If stiffness and pain occur, and this symptom often recurs or occurs for a long time, it is very likely a precursor to a stroke or other disease, so you must be vigilant.

So what conditions can cause pain and stiffness in finger joints? The most common ones are as follows:

Upper limb nerve compression

One is numbness and pain in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often with a history of waking up from numbness at night, which improves after waking up and moving around. In severe cases, there may be atrophy of the hand muscles, affecting the fine movements of the hand. This is because the median nerve is compressed in the wrist, the so-called "carpal tunnel syndrome"; the second is numbness and pain in the ring and little fingers, and there may also be a history of waking up from numbness at night. In severe cases, there is muscle atrophy and decreased flexion strength of the ring and little fingers, affecting fine movements. This is because the nerve becomes pinched at the elbow, a condition known as "cubital tunnel syndrome."

Cervical Spondylosis

The most common disease causing numbness in the hands is cervical spondylosis, which is one of the common diseases among middle-aged and elderly people. When people enter middle age, some organs tend to undergo degenerative changes. When the cervical intervertebral disc degenerates, it often leads to cervical disc herniation or hyperplasia or hypertrophy of the articular processes. Once these protruding cervical discs or hyperplastic articular processes compress the adjacent cervical nerve roots, cervical spondylosis occurs. In addition to numbness and abnormal sensation in the fingers, cervical spondylosis is also accompanied by other symptoms, such as: soreness in the bones and muscles of the neck and shoulders, radiating pain in the upper limbs or movement disorders. It is not difficult to diagnose cervical spondylosis, all you need is an X-ray. There is also a simple method to check cervical spondylosis. One person supports the affected side of the head and holds the affected upper limb with one hand, abducting it 90°, and pushes and pulls in opposite directions with both hands at the same time. If there is radiating pain or numbness, it can be preliminarily diagnosed as cervical spondylosis.

Stroke

Another common disease that causes numbness in the hands is stroke. The book "Health Treasure Book: Stroke" once said: "Anyone who initially feels numbness or loss of function of the thumb or index finger will suffer a stroke within three years." It is necessary to prevent it: be careful in your daily life, eat in moderation, stay away from sex, and be emotionally relaxed. Although numbness in the fingers does not necessarily lead to a stroke, if you often experience symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, heavy head and light feet, numbness of the limbs, and swelling of the tongue, and if you also have diseases such as hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and cerebral arteriosclerosis, you should pay more attention and be alert to the occurrence of stroke.

For people who suffer from pain and stiffness in finger joints, they should exercise their arms in time in daily life to avoid stiffness in the nervous system. Appropriate exercise can relieve some fatigue. Once the pain is severe, you should consult a doctor and receive treatment in time to ensure your health.