Do you experience pain in your hands, without any obvious reason? Perhaps you get sharp shooting pains, stiffness in the fingers or a deep ache in the thumb joint? Whatever kind of pain you have in your hands, you may be surprised to know that there is a link between hand pain and chronic illness. It may sound strange, but stay with us on this. Here, we take a deep dive into the question: Could hand pain be the start of chronic illness?

Demystifying the causes of hand pain

Before we jump head first into fixing your hand pain, let us talk a bit about why hand pain emerges in the first place. Any kind of joint pain is often associated with old age and arthritis, but the truth is that it can affect people of any age – even those who are seemingly healthy! If you have hand pain, you may immediately jump to assuming it is the early onset of arthritis, but it’s important not to make assumptions when it comes to joint health. Without diagnosis from a healthcare professional, determining the cause of hand pain can be harmful and might lead to worsening of the condition.

One of the most commonly observed causes of hand pain is acute injury. It is no surprise that as humans, we are prone to getting into accidents – the world around us is not perfect, and neither are we. When it comes to hands, they are not only some of the most used and most complex parts of the body (with 54 bones in total), but are remarkably delicate, making them susceptible to injuries. If you lift heavy objects at the gym, or compete in sports, as a hobby or otherwise, the risk of injuring yourself and damaging muscles, tendons and ligaments increases. In most cases, it will be obvious if you have an acute injury as you likely would have been aware of it happening or can trace the pain back to a particular moment. If you have an injury you should in the first instance visit your GP, unless it is an emergency, in which case you should seek help from A&E.

A condition you may be familiar with is carpal tunnel syndrome. The nerves that control movement and sensation in our fingers and hands all run through a small channel (the carpal tunnel) in the wrists. Repetitive motions such as typing and writing can contribute to swelling of the carpal tunnel which then compresses the nerves and leads to feelings of numbness, tingling sensation or pain in certain specific areas of the hands. People such as bank cashiers and factory workers who use repetitive hand movements, often face this issue. But individuals with inflammatory health conditions can also experience it. Treatment involves a minor surgical procedure where the carpal tunnel ligament is cut to alleviate the pressure.  

Unfortunately, some causes of hand pain are chronic and need careful and considered management. 

Chronic causes of hand pain

Although not super common, lupus is an autoimmune disorder which results in extreme swelling, rashes and stiffness where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. This condition results in inflammation around the joints which cause flare-ups. And one of the areas of the body that is commonly affected is the hands and fingers. Multiple celebrities suffer from Lupus too, including the likes of Paula Abdul and Selena Gomez, but with the help of a rheumatologist, lupus can be effectively managed with anti-inflammatory medications.

We can’t really talk about hand pain without touching on arthritis. There are three types of arthritis that are known to impact the hands in particular:

• Osteoarthritis: This degenerative disease occurs when the cartilage and cushioning that keeps the joint moving smoothly and comfortably wears away over time. It can cause the bones to rub against each other, causing extreme pain, stiffness – and you guessed it – inflammation. It’s common for people to get osteoarthritis as they get older after a lifetime of using their joints, but younger people can get it too. Every person’s body and lifestyle is different. For someone who may be doing a lot of high impact exercise regularly, like athletes or physical labourers, the wear and tear of joints can occur much sooner than the average person working a desk job. A combination of painkillers and exercise are usually combined with weight management to help address the symptoms and keep the pain under control. In severe cases, sometimes surgery is needed to fuse the joint(s).
• Rheumatoid arthritis:  Hand pain is a common early sign of rheumatoid arthritis and often occurs on both sides of the body. Symptoms include redness, swelling, stiffness, pain and burning in the affected joint(s). Sufferers may also notice fatigue. This inflammatory condition is caused by the immune system attacking itself. It results in inflammation of the lining of the joints and can result in permanent deformity. Management requires the help of immunosuppressants called DMARDs.
• Gout: Gout is a chronic disease which means it does not have a cure. Most people are unaware of it until they have a flare-up. A flare-up may result in pain and swelling in the joints of the hand and you may also notice redness around the affected joints. It also commonly affects the feet. Gout occurs as a result of a build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints. Although it can be managed with a series of lifestyle changes and medication there is every chance it could return. 

Getting help for hand pain – what to do

The big answer to ‘Can hand pain be the start of chronic illness’ is a resounding yes. If you are experiencing pain, tingling sensations, numbness, swelling or any kind of hand pain, seeking advice from Hand Specialist Near Me can give you peace of mind by ruling out anything serious. We recommend consulting a rheumatologist in London as their expertise can make a huge difference. For accurate diagnosis, an experienced rheumatologist may suggest a series of X-rays, MRIs and blood tests, all of which can help them accurately pinpoint the cause of your discomfort. 

Based on the results, they can suggest effective treatment options such as joint injections, medications, physiotherapy, and even surgeries in severe cases, so you can get relief from pain as early as possible. Early diagnosis can prevent any unnecessary degradation of the joints and can get you pain-free and back to your normal activities quickly.

Tip: If you are concerned about arthritis, cutting back on alcohol may be beneficial. Bones are living things and many studies have shown alcohol’s detrimental impact on bone development and maintenance.