Pain in fingers - what kind of arthritis could this be ?

[evewisewoman]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to this forum. As this is the arthritis forum, I thought this would be a good community
to post these comments. I get pain in my fingers from time to time. The fingers in my left hand
seem to be more afftected than in my right hand. Today it's the index finger in my left hand.
I'll describe what I'm feeling right now. First of all, my index finger feels like it's throbbing.
It's especially painful in the lower part of my index finger. I'm pretty sure it's arthritis.
I haven't been to my family doctor to discuss this yet. Does anyone know based on my post,
if this is infact arthritis and if it is arthritis, what kind of arthritis do you think it is ? I will tell you
that my mom has arthritis in her fingers too. She's in her early eighties. I don't know if arthritis
can be inherited ? If it is arthritis, what sorts of things can one do to relieve the pain ?
Any suggestions about possible pain medicaiton whether over the counter or possibly homeopathic
would be gladly received. Thanks in advance for your feedback. Eve :)

[evewisewoman]

Hi Jakesm001,

Thank you also for replying to my post. I'm starting to think it is OA
and I will be discussing this with my family doctor the next time I see
her. I appreciated the reply though. Eve :)

[evewisewoman]

Hi Carolanivey,

Thank you for replying to my post. Yes, it definitely does help. I think the next time I go to see my family doctor I will discuss the pain in my fingers with her. Up to now, I haven't said anything about it.  Based on your
description of RA, I think it may be OA., because so far my fingers don't
swell, redness or heat in the joints. Your reply is most appreciated. Eve :)

[jakesm001]

I agree, this is rheumatoid arthritis. My mother is also a patient of RA and is having pain in fingers, especially in the right hand. It has become difficult for her to do her household chores also since some time.

[carolanivey]

Hi Eve,

I have had the autoimmune type of arthritis (rheumatoid) most of my life and it definitely runs in my mother's side the family. However I know many people who have it that have no one else in their family that does.

My mother was just diagnosed at age 78, I've had it since I was 5, so it can strike at any age. Her fingers are greatly affected, I think one reason is that she has used her hands a lot throughout her life as a professional seamstress and quilter.

At any rate if it is mainly your hands involved, it might be RA or it might be osteoarthritis (OA), which is the "wear and tear" type of arthritis typically associated with aging. OA itself isn't inherited, but the way your joints are built IS inherited, so any structural anomalies you inherited from your mother could lead to similar pain down the road.

Among the hallmarks of RA, in addition to pain, are swelling, redness, and heat in the joints. You may run a low-grade fever and have the feeling you're coming down with a virus.

The only way to tell is to visit you doctor, who may refer you to a rheumatologist,  who is qualified to treat RA, OA, and a number of related disorders. He or she will most likely examine your hands visually, take x-rays, and probably draw blood for a number of tests.

In the meantime, you might get some relief from paraffin dips, and compression/arthritis gloves from Isotoner or IMAK.

Hope this helps!