Thumb Arthritis
Thumb Arthritis: What is it?
Thumb arthritis develops when the cartilage that cushions your thumb joints begins to degrade and wear out. Osteoarthritis is the term for this kind of arthritis. The basal joint at the base of your thumb is where osteoarthritis most frequently appears. The thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint is another name for this. The CMC joint is situated at the fleshy portion of your thumb, close to your wrist. It enables you to grasp objects in your hand by allowing your thumb to move in various directions.
After arthritis that affects the last joint in your fingers, thumb arthritis is the second most frequent type of arthritis that affects your hand.
Another name for arthritis of the thumb is basal joint arthritis.
Causes of thumb arthritis:
As people age, thumb arthritis frequently develops. Thumb arthritis can also result from prior trauma or injury to the thumb joint.
A normal thumb joint has cartilage covering the ends of the bones, which acts as a cushion and allows the bones to glide smoothly against each other. Thumb arthritis causes the smooth surface of the cartilage covering the ends of the bones to roughen and degrade. Joint injury and friction are the results of the bones rubbing against one another.
Your thumb joint may develop obvious lumps as a result of bone spurs, which are growths of new bone along the sides of the existing bone caused by joint injury.
What signs and symptoms are present in thumb arthritis?
Symptoms of thumb arthritis can include:
- Thumb pain during pinching, clutching, or grasping.
- Soreness, stiffness, or swelling at the thumb’s base.
- Loss of thumb strength and range of motion.
- Prolonged use of your hand that causes aching or pain.
- A broader joint in the thumb.
- Formation of a bone spur, or hump, near the base of your thumb.
How does your thumb feel if you have arthritis?
When you use your thumb, you will experience pain near the base of your thumb if you have thumb arthritis. When you are squeezing, grabbing, or grasping, you will experience the most agony. This can include actions such as snapping your fingers, turning a key, or opening a jar. The pain could get worse as your illness worsens.
Diagnosis of Thumb Arthritis:
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and check your joints for lumps or swelling during a physical examination.
Your physician may apply pressure to your wrist bone while moving your thumb and holding your joint. The cartilage has probably deteriorated and the bones are rubbing against one another if this movement creates a grinding noise, pain, or a gritty sensation.
Imaging techniques:
- X-ray
- Bone scan
- CT scan
- MRI
The following symptoms of thumb arthritis can be found using imaging methods, typically X-rays:
- Worn-down cartilage and bone spurs
- reduction in joint space
Treatment of Thumb Arthritis:
Non-surgical management:
A variety of non-surgical methods are often used to treat thumb arthritis in its early stages. Surgery may be required if your thumb arthritis is severe.
Drugs:
- To alleviate discomfort, your physician may suggest:
- Topical drugs like diclofenac or capsaicin are applied to the skin over the joint.
- Over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others), naproxen sodium (Aleve), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) Prescription painkillers like celecoxib (Celebrex) or tramadol (Conzip, Ultram)
Splint:
A splint can limit wrist and thumb movement while supporting your joint. You may wear a splint all day and all night, or only at night.
Splints may be useful:
- Reduce discomfort
- Encourage your joints to be positioned correctly while you finish tasks.
- Relax your joint.
Injections:
Your doctor may suggest injecting a long-acting corticosteroid into your thumb joint if splinting and painkillers aren’t working. Injections of corticosteroids can lower inflammation and provide momentary pain relief.
Exercises for Thumb Arthritis:
Exercises for thumb arthritis might help lessen thumb stiffness and pain.
Stretch
Try warming your affected hand with a heat pack or hot water bottle before starting your exercises, or immerse it in a bowl of warm water. Spend up to five minutes doing this.
Next, gently massage the muscle between your thumb and index finger with your unaffected hand. To increase the stretch, consider moving your thumb away from your index finger as you’re massaging, if you can. After 30 seconds of holding this stretch, try to relax.
Exercises for Movement:
The exercises listed below are intended to promote healthy finger and thumb movement:
1. Place your hand’s little finger side down on a level surface. Slowly raise the thumb back to its straight position after gently bending it towards the little finger.
2. Line up your thumb with your index finger on the side of your hand.
Keeping your thumb parallel to your index finger, spread it as widely apart from your hand as you can. Go back towards your palm with your thumb.
3. With your palm resting on a level surface, extend your thumb as far away from your palm as you can. Imagine the movement from your wrist to the base of your thumb.
Avoid attempting to overextend your thumb’s other joints.
4. Make a gentle fist after carefully stretching all of your fingers into a full length.
Exercises for Strengthening:
The tiny muscles that support and move your thumb can be strengthened with the following exercises:
1. Lightly grasp a tennis ball with your thumb and fingers, squeeze it softly, and then let go.
2. Maintain a steady thumb resting on the tennis ball while you continue to use it. Raise your middle and index fingers off the ball. Relax after giving the ball a light thumb squeeze.
3. Rest the hand on a tennis ball and wrap your fingers in an elastic band as indicated. Move your index finger sideways, away from your middle finger, after straightening it.
4. Keeping your palm flat, make a loose fist and wrap an elastic band over your fingers and thumb. Slide your thumb away from your hand while maintaining contact with the table, keeping the thumb’s tip joint bent. Put your hand back where it is at rest.
Surgical Management:
Surgery for thumb arthritis
Your healthcare professional might suggest surgery if nonsurgical methods are no longer helping you. Surgery options for thumb arthritis include:
Denervation: This process tries to stop the pain signals from being transmitted back to your brain from the nerve ending at the joint, without really changing the joint itself.
Fusion (arthrodesis): Arthrodesis is the process of joining the thumb joint’s bones. Although it may restrict movement, this technique can improve strength and lessen pain.
Ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition, or LRTI, is a procedure in which your thumb joint is removed entirely or in part and the remaining thumb is suspended from your wrist using a tendon. This process can lessen discomfort while preserving mobility.
Trapeziectomy with suspensionplasty: Removing a portion of your thumb joint and suspending it with surrounding tendons or sutures is known as a trapeziectomy with suspensionplasty. This lessens discomfort and permits movement.
Total joint replacement (arthroplasty): In an arthroplasty, your thumb joint is removed entirely or in part and replaced with an artificial implant.
Prevention of Thumb Arthritis?
Age and use are the causes of all forms of osteoarthritis. The best defense against thumb arthritis is to stay healthy overall. You can take the following actions to live a healthy lifestyle:
- Avoid using tobacco products or smoking.
- Make an effort to be active at least three days a week.
- Maintain your healthy eating plan.
- Wear a seatbelt at all times.
- When participating in sports or other activities, use a bike helmet and other protective gear.
- See a doctor regularly.
How quickly will I recover from surgery?
The recovery period can range from two months to a year, depending on the surgery you underwent. Your healthcare physician will probably suggest physical therapy of some kind to aid in your recovery. You can restore your hand and thumb strength and range of motion with the assistance of an occupational therapist, such as a licensed hand therapist.
What is the prognosis for individuals with arthritis of the thumb?
The ailment known as thumb arthritis is highly curable. Nonsurgical therapy techniques like ice or heat, painkillers, splints, and steroid injections help many patients feel better. Surgery might be used as a treatment when nonsurgical methods are unable to alleviate your symptoms. Eventually, most people can resume their normal activities. Surgery is not always necessary for those with thumb arthritis.
How should I take care of myself?
You might wish to look for strategies to minimize the usage of your thumb in addition to using splints and painkillers as at-home treatments. Among the advice are:
- Make use of an electric or battery-powered can opener.
- Stay away from repetitive tasks like cutting with scissors or sewing.
- To make it easier to hold your kitchen utensils and gardening tools, build up the handles with foam tubing.
- If at all achievable use your phone’s speakerphone instead of holding it.
- Instead of holding items in your arms, carry a backpack or bag.
Risk factors for Thumb Arthritis:
The following are risk factors for thumb arthritis:
- Being a woman.
- In women, the illness is more prevalent.
- Being at least 40 years old. As people age, they are increasingly susceptible to all forms of osteoarthritis.
- This kind of arthritis is believed to have a genetic propensity.
- Your risk may be increased by thumb fractures and other injuries.
- Additional medical conditions. Deterioration of the thumb joint can result from other medical disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
FAQs
Is arthritis in the thumb a dangerous condition?
Simple chores like turning doorknobs and opening jars can become challenging due to thumb arthritis’s extreme discomfort, swelling, and reduced strength and range of motion. Splints and medicines are typically used in combination for treatment. In cases of severe thumb arthritis, surgery may be required.
What is thumb stage 1 arthritis?
Stage 1: There is very little joint space widening at this point. There are no osteophytes or bone spurs, and the joint surfaces are normal. Stage 2: The joint has somewhat narrowed. There may be fluid-filled lesions that are surrounded by thicker bone.
Which five vegetables should people with arthritis avoid?
Some people who have arthritis say that nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, cause flare-ups in their disease. In general, there is little evidence that nightshades cause arthritis pain, although tomatoes may be an exception. This is because they raise the amounts of uric acid.
Is it appropriate to massage arthritis in the thumb?
For those with arthritis, a hand massage offers many advantages, such as less discomfort and worry. Massage could seem like an unneeded indulgence to some people. However, frequent hand massage has been demonstrated to increase strength and lessen discomfort, anxiety, and sadness in those with arthritis in their hands and fingers.
How can I prevent thumb arthritis?
The patient begins conservative treatment for thumb arthritis by wearing a soft brace. Injections at the base of the palm might be effective if that doesn’t work. Additionally, surgery is an option if alleviation is still not obtained.
How can I do an at-home arthritis test on my thumb?
Touching the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger is an easy at-home test for thumb arthritis. You should see the shape of an O after finishing this test. Thumb arthritis is indicated if the form more closely resembles a D. The absence of arthritis is shown by this “O” shape.
References
- Thumb arthritis – Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thumb-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20378339
- Thumb arthritis. (2025, February 8). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/thumb-arthritis
- Thumb arthritis – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thumb-arthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20378344
- Khan, F. (n.d.). Exercises and strengthening for thumb osteoarthritis (pp. 1–3). https://www.arthritisandpainclinic.com/pdf/exercises-and-strengthening-for-thumb-osteoarthritis.pdf
