A knuckle is afinger joint.
Like other joints, it can experience injury or be affected by a health problem.
Each of your fingers has three knuckles, and your thumb has two.
Kobus Louw / Getty Images
DIP joints are the closest to the fingertips.
Any of these knuckles can experience pain.
Knuckle pain has various causes, includingarthritis, an injury, or an infection.
In addition to pain, the knuckles might be swollen, tender, and stiff.
Managing and treating knuckle pain depends on the severity and underlying cause.
This article will cover the possible causes of knuckle pain, symptoms, treatment options, and more.
RA is anautoimmune arthritisthat takes place if the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy tissuemainly thesynovial linings of joints.
RA can affect the hands, wrists, and fingers, especially early in the disease process.
Like RA, PsA is an autoimmune arthritis that can affect the hands and fingers.
It is sometimes linked to anautoimmune skin conditioncalledpsoriasis.
When PsA affects these small joints, it can cause swelling, stiffness, and inflammation.
PsA typically causes swelling in the PIP joints and deformities at the DIP joints.
Gout occurs whenurate crystalsaccumulate in a joint, causing inflammation and intense pain.
Non-Arthritic Causes
Any injury in the fingers or the hand can lead to knuckle pain.
Tendonitis can occur fromrepetitive overuseorinjury of a tendonin the finger joints.
It can lead totenosynovitis, which is tendinitis with inflammation of the tendon sheath lining.
Aganglion cystis a fluid-filled sac below the skin near a joint.
These cysts can affect any area of the body but are most common on the wrist and hands.
The cyst can cause pain with movement, especially if the cyst is pressing on a nerve.
Additional symptoms include tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness.
If bacterium or virus enters the body through an open wound, it can lead to an infection.
Any skin area can be affected, including around and near the knuckles.
For example,diabetescan lead tonerve damagein the hands and fingers, which often leads to knuckle pain.
Diabetes can also lead to musculoskeletal disorders, including tenosynovitis andcarpal tunnel syndrome.
Symptoms: How Does Knuckle Pain Feel?
Knuckle pain may affect one or multiple knuckles.
Symptoms of knuckle pain may vary depending on the condition causing it.
Knuckle pain may also be accompanied by swelling and redness.
You may feel a dull ache or severe stabbing pain in the fingers even when not using the hands.
They will start by examining the affected knuckle for signs of inflammation.
If there is a break or dislocation, a diagnosis can be made by a visible examination.
Hand therapycan help manage knuckle pain sparked by arthritis.
A physical therapist can create a treatment plan that includes hand, wrist, and finger exercises.
These exercises can help relieve pain and allow you to continue your daily activities.
Joint fusion surgeriesare typically used to treat the small joints of the fingers.
Importance of Treatment
Treatment for autoimmune arthritis is vital to avoid damage to affected knuckles.
Gout is a painful condition, and treatment can reduce pain and prevent future gout attacks.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis is treated with pain relievers and corticosteroids.It is sometimes treated withplatelet-rich plasma.
Physical therapy might help strengthen muscles and tendons.
If physical therapy does not help resolve symptoms, your healthcare provider might recommenddry needling.
This involves ultrasound guidance to make small holes in the tendon with a fine needle to stimulate healing.
Surgery is a last resort option, performed when other treatments have failed.
The cyst can also be drained with a needle but may return.
Surgery might be considered if other approaches do not work.
Surgical treatment involves removing the cyst and the stalk attached to the joint or tendon.
Managing joint and nerve complications of diabetes involves medicine, physical therapy, and surgery as a last resort.
Consider using a keyboard rather than writing by hand.
Wear gloves in cold weather and hand gear while playing sports to prevent and manage hand and finger pain.
Taking frequent breaks when doing repetitive tasks that strain the knuckles might be another way to reduce knuckle pain.
Stretching the hands and fingers several times throughout your day may also reduce pain and stiffness.
Summary
Knuckle pain has different causes, including arthritis and other conditions.
When a health condition causes knuckle pain, treating the underlying condition may ease the pain.
These conditions are treated with specific medicines to manage inflammation and underlying disease processes.
Contact your healthcare provider for severe, persistent, or ongoing knuckle pain.
They can examine your hands and fingers and advise you on treatment options.
2018;115(16):269-275. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2018.0269
Haugen IK.Hand osteoarthritis: current knowledge and new ideas.Scand J Rheumatol.
2020;102(9):533-538.
University of Utah Health.How to fix a dislocated finger.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ganglion cyst of the wrist and hand.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Hand infection.
2018;10(6):e2772.
doi:10.7759/cureus.2772
Zhou Y, Wang JH.
PRPTreatment efficacy for tendinopathy: a review of basic science studies.Biomed Res Int.
A qualitative study into patients' views and experiences.Rheumatol Adv Pract.2022;6(1):rkac007.
