Arthritis of the hand and wrist

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that affects more than 10 million people in the UK. It can be painful and debilitating, often resulting in swelling and decreased mobility.

The condition causes a variety of symptoms that often vary in levels of intensity for different people, but many find living with arthritis immensely challenging. Arthritis can occur in many joints, including your shoulders, hips, knees, and hands. It causes symptoms such as:

• Swelling in your joints
• Immobility and stiffness in your joints
• Pain that gets worse at night
• Pain that doesn't improve with painkillers
• Warm, red skin over your affected joint

There are two main types of arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is when the smooth cartilage across the surface of your hip joint wears down over time. You'll sometimes hear it referred to as wear and tear arthritis, and it's more common the older you get. The wear and tear can make your joint very painful and stiff and can really reduce your mobility. This is the most common type of arthritis both in the UK and worldwide.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) currently affects more than 400,000 people in the UK. It is an inflammatory joint condition caused by an autoimmune process, which happens when your body attacks its healthy cells by mistake. This often causes pain, swelling, and inflammation in your joints. Joints affected by RA are commonly surrounded by inflamed tissue, which often results in chronic pain.

Arthritis in your hands

According to the Arthritis Foundation, around half of all women and one-quarter of all men will experience the stiffness and pain of osteoarthritis (OA) in their hands by the age of 85.1

Arthritis of the hands typically occurs later in life as a result of wear and tear (an overuse of the joint through everyday activities and exercise – otherwise known as osteoarthritis). You can also have rheumatoid arthritis in your hands, causing similar symptoms such as pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Arthritis typically affects three main parts of your hand, which are:

• The base of the thumb, where the thumb and wrist join (this is called the trapeziometacarpal [TMC] or carpometacarpal [CMC] joint)
• The joint closest to your fingertip (also known as the distal interphalangeal [DIP] joint)
• The middle joint of your finger (called the proximal interphalangeal [PIP] joint)

If you have arthritis in your hands, your fingers might become larger and lose their natural shape as a result of the condition. This happens for many reasons, including bone changes in your fingers, cartilage loss, unstable or loose ligaments, and swelling.

Arthritis in your hand can make it difficult to complete everyday tasks that we take for granted. From lifting shopping bags, writing or cooking, to playing sport and driving, your hands play an important and often overlooked part in your ability to function.