Hand Arthritis

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It can affect any joint in the body, including the wrist, fingers and thumb, which can profoundly affect daily life including sleep, self-care and regular activities. Being diagnosed with osteoarthritis doesn’t mean your condition will get worse and there’s a lot you can do to improve your symptoms.

It affects the cartilage within the joint. This cartilage acts as a natural cushion within the joint. Gradually over time, the cartilage can thin and the bag (capsule) which surrounds the joint can become irritable. Interestingly, these changes can occur with pain but often cause no symptoms at all. What triggers the joint to become painful is still a topic being researched. 

Osteoarthritis is common and can affect people of any age, but it usually starts in people over the age of 45. Patients who have had previous trauma or surgery are more likely to develop osteoarthritis in later life. 

While many people with osteoarthritis of the hand won’t have any symptoms, those who do can have a wide range of experiences. Symptoms include swelling, stiffness, aching and sharp, stabbing pains. The pain may feel worse at the end of the day, or when you move your joints. Your joints might feel stiffer in the morning for the first half an hour or so. You might hear some crunching or crackling noises, especially when moving your fingers, but this usually isn’t anything to worry about and we encourage people to still move despite the noises to keep the joints moving.