Osteoarthritis pain is caused by inflammation due to wear and tear of the joint. “The ends of our bones are covered in cartilage that allows the smooth movement of our joints,” explains Dr. Jonathan Winston, Hand Surgeon, ORA Orthopedics. “Over time, as it wears thin, the bones may rub together and cause bone-on-bone pain.
“The cartilage that you are born with is basically what you have. So as we age, the joints wear out,” he explains. “Arthritis can happen in your shoulders, hips and knees. And as a hand surgeon, I also see it in fingers, wrists, and elbows, too.”
Dr. Winston says that if you are having pain, it’s important to see a physician, especially if you are not able to do your routine activities of daily living.
He says treatments for arthritis begin with conservative measures such as splints, anti-inflammatories, general exercises, or injections; through surgical options such as total joint replacement for fingers, wrists and elbows. He says hand joint-replacement surgery can be a very successful option for those with debilitating pain that cannot be relieved any other way.
