Your doctor or hand therapist can tell you about the different options and help you decide which one is best for you. Depending on your work and needs, the braces can be worn as a resting splint at night or used with activities. The braces can be soft and made of neoprene or rigid with plastic frames. There are a number of different braces and splints that support the thumb, which places the joint in a resting position and provides significant pain relief. Long-term usage in high doses can lead to serious side effects including gastric ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, and kidney damage. NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and several others that are prescription strength. In an acute flare-up, it can be helpful to take scheduled doses of NSAIDs for 5-7 days. NSAIDs have the added benefit of decreasing inflammation and swelling. Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be taken for pain relief.
As the thumb joint is often stiff in the morning, you could try morning showers or soaking the hand in warm water first thing in the morning.
Heat can be helpful in loosening joints and relaxing stiff muscles. Treatment of Thumb Arthritis Initial TreatmentĪ number of conservative measures are helpful to decrease pain and maintain function of the thumb. Hyperextension instability can also occur in the adjacent joint (metacarpophalangeal joint). In advanced stages, bone spurs, or osteophytes, can form in the joint, causing the thumb metacarpal to slide out of the saddle. With progressive wear and tear (degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis), the cartilage becomes thinner and there is direct contact between the bony surfaces (bone-on-bone).
The thumb basal joint is a specialized joint that is saddle-shaped and allows for significant amount of motion for everyday activities involving pinching and grasping. In the normal joint, cartilage covers the ends of bones to allow for smooth glide with movement of the thumb and act as a shock absorber. The exact cause of thumb arthritis is unknown, but researchers have postulated that it’s a combination of factors including joint ligament laxity, deformed joints, prior fracture or injury to the thumb, and repetitive load to the joint. Causes of Thumb Arthritis and Risk Factorsīasal joint arthritis of the thumb is more common in females over the age of 40. Stiffness and decreased motion of the thumb can be minimal or significant, depending on the severity of disease. The base of the thumb may look enlarged and out of place. In severe cases, even holding a pen or utensil can be very painful. Patients find that it becomes increasingly difficult to twist open jars or even turn a doorknob. Initial symptoms of thumb arthritis include pain and swelling around the wrist and the base of the thumb as well as progressive weakness.
The thumb basal joint is subjected to a tremendous amount of force with pinching and grasping activities. The thumb is the single most important digit in the hand, accounting for 40% of hand function. Due to the stresses with everyday activities, basal joint arthritis is very common. Thumb arthritis is sometimes referred to as basal joint arthritis. Thumb arthritis is most common in the thumb carpometacarpal joint, between the base of the thumb metacarpal and a wrist bone (the trapezium). Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Bulletin.Resident Research - Intake and Travel Award Forms.Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Interest Group.Residents Portal and Digital Curriculum.