What is Thumb Arthritis?
The thumb is one of the most common parts of the body to experience arthritis. Thumb arthritis refers to changes to the joint cartilage in your thumb, usually at the base of your thumb, leading to pain and loss of function.
Thumb arthritis is seen in between a quarter to a half of the population by the age of 75. However, it can start much earlier in life.
It can be caused from the type of work that you do, previous injuries that haven’t been managed well in the past, or just from use throughout life.
Thumb Arthritis Symptoms:
The most common things that people feel with thumb arthritis are:
- Pain in the joint of the thumb, often described as an ache but can be sharp pain with certain activities
- Difficulty with opening jars, turning taps or opening doors
- Loss of strength in the thumb
- Swelling or changes to the look of the thumb
How is Thumb Arthritis Assessed?
Your Hand Therapist will ask you about your symptoms, including when it is aggravated and how it impacts you day to day. Then, your hand therapist will perform an examination to diagnose your thumb arthritis. These include:
- Looking at your hand and thumb
- Palpating the joints of your thumb and wrist
- Assessing the movement of your thumb
- Measuring the strength of your thumb and hand
How do we treat Thumb Arthritis?
Treatment for thumb arthritis is very successful in helping people reduce their pain and increase their ability to participate in the activities they want to. There are different methods to manage thumb arthritis, and your hand therapist will discuss different methods that will most work into your life, these include:
- Splinting or bracing the joint to reduce inflammation and pain
- Paraffin wax treatment and soft tissue massage
- Home exercise program to support the joint
- Advice and equipment to support day to day activities
- Group Arthritis Management classes
- Cortisone Steroid Injection
- Surgery
On average, people are at a stage of drastically reduced symptoms, return to full function and confident in managing their symptoms within 6-8 weeks of Hand Therapy. In some instances, ongoing management is indicated which will be discussed with your hand therapist.