Contents:
- Medical Video: Treating Basal Thumb Joint Arthritis - Mayo Clinic
- What are finger injuries?
- What are the common disorders of the finger?
- What are the treatments and diagnoses for finger injuries and disorders?
Medical Video: Treating Basal Thumb Joint Arthritis - Mayo Clinic
Almost all of the daily activities that we do involve hands. Therefore, it is only natural that the fingers are susceptible to injury because we expose the fingers in doing many activities.
What are finger injuries?
Our fingers are coated with more nerve endings than other body parts. Finger injuries can easily damage the nerve. Many types of finger injuries are common, including:
- Scratched - sliced fingers may only affect the skin or damage blood vessels, nerves, and tendons located just below the skin.
- Avulsion - similar to a finger that is sliced but more severe. This condition can cause parts of the skin or soft tissue to tear.
- Amputation - the skin tissue is completely sliced or removed from the finger.
- Broken fracture or finger bone - usually associated with injury to tendons, ligaments, nails, or other soft tissue.
- Dislocation - injury to the joint that causes the bone to shift out of its normal position. The surrounding ligaments are often stretched and damaged even after the bones are put back in place.
- Sprained - an injury that attacks the ligament. Ligaments may be torn due to stretching or strong impact, so the joints are unstable and prone to more severe injuries.
- Tendon injuries can also occur due to collisions on the fingers. Tendon injury may refer to the tendon injury itself, or tendon sheath. The tendon attached to the bone may be torn.
- Nerve injury will reduce palpable sensitivity to the finger. Damaged nerves can cause numbness in the fingers.
What are the common disorders of the finger?
In addition to injury, the hands and fingers may experience disorders that affect the function of the tendons and finger joints. Disturbance of the tendon is finger trigger / thumb and De Quervain’s syndrome.
In trigger finger, the finger will lock before straightening when you try to bend the finger. This condition causes the movement of your fingers to be limited because the finger will not change position when you try to straighten it. This is caused by swelling of the tendon which prevents you from controlling your own fingers.
In De Quervain’s syndrome, the tendon outside your thumb will experience interference. This causes pain when your wrist is moved or when you try to reach an object. This syndrome is thought to be caused by tendon swelling, but there is no definite cause for this condition. Repeated movements can make the pain worse.
Swelling is very common in the fingers. Sometimes, temperature is also a factor that triggers swelling. At high temperatures, your blood vessels can enlarge and release more fluid in the soft tissue causing swelling. Some conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or osteoarthritis, can cause swelling accompanied by pain, stiffness and possibly numbness in the fingers. A common cause of swelling in the fingers is ganglion cyst, fluid filled cysts that gather on your finger. This cyst is classified as benign even though it can re-emerge after treatment.
What are the treatments and diagnoses for finger injuries and disorders?
When you experience a hand or finger injury, tests such as movement tests and sensitivity tests may be needed to determine the condition of the injured tendon, ligament or nerve. In some cases, x-ray examination may be undertaken to see the condition of the bone.
Treatment for hand and finger injuries can be done by using a bandage or sanitary napkin for more serious cases of fractures. If there is too much finger damage, amputation may need to be done. Loss of fingertip sensitivity is a common symptom and can last for months. In some cases, abnormalities and stiffness in the fingers may be the result of treatment.
