Basilar joint arthritis
Basilar joint arthritis is arthritis of the thumb. The thumb joint receives a vast amount of stress especially with pinching motions. The thumb joint generally wears out and has manyarthritic problems the most common arthritis in the thumb are: Rheumatoid arthritis(autoimmune disease), traumatic arthritis (by injury), and osteoarthritis (degenerative disease). One’s physician will perform several test including; manipulation of the joint,physical examinations, x-rays, MRI, and bone scans in order to determine if one has basal joint arthritis and what can be done to fix the problem. How much pain the patient is in usually determines whether he or she must have Hand surgery Los Angeles.
Basilar joint arthritis symptoms;
- Pain at the base of the thumb as one uses it.
- Tenderness at the base of the thumb
- Deformity of the thumb at the
- Arching joints at the base of the thumb that continues to be bothersome even after discontinuing use
- Swelling at the joint
- Severe pain when gripping/pinching
- Decreased strength at the joint
- Decreased movement
- Difficulty performing tasks that involve the use of ones thumbs
- Enlarged bony appearing joint at the base of the thumb
Cause
Like all arthritis there is no exact cause; however, there are several things that many Los Angeles hand surgeons factor into the cause including;
- Repetitive use
- Injury
- Stress
- Aging
- Obesity
- Muscle weakness
The cartilage that cushions the joints slowly wears down causing the bones to rub together; the joint friction causes damage which then causes pain.
Reduce pain
Leading hand surgeon Los Angeles say, the best way to reduce any arthritis pain is to limit the use to the damaged joint. Most physicians help their patients limit the use of the joint by providing a splint that provides proper positioning. Often times a combination of pain medication and a splint are used to relieve some pain. Corticosteroid injections can be used for pain relief as well. Manipulation of the joints through natural movement has also shown improvement; this should be done carefully several times daily. Allowing the joint to heal by using other joints when doing household chores or daily activities is key. Apply heat and sometimes cold can also, help to alleviate pain. Ice does sometimes help; however, it often increases other arthritic pain. If one finds no relief of pain in about six weeks after commencing treatments they should seek out surgery
