Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint pain is a common hand joint to be affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a very common disease. Osteoarthritis has a specific treatment approach and treatment plan. The most common cause of joint inflammation is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, joint pain, and reduced range of motion of the affected joint. Joint pain is not only caused by osteoarthritis, but there are also many other causes for this health issue. Medicine for CMC joint pain is available for online purchasing to help you recover from joint pain.
The management of one cause of joint paint is different from another cause. Joint pain can affect one or more joints. Single joint pain is usually acute in onset and is caused by local structures injury. Examples of local structures that are injured in single joint pain are ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage.
Multiple joint pain or also known as polyarticular pain is usually a chronic condition. Some multiple joints pain can be self-limiting, while some can be life-threatening. Joint pain has many different causes. Each of them has a different treatment approach.
Joint pain can affect one or more joints. Single joint pain is usually acute in onset and is caused by local structures injury. Examples of local structures that are injured in single joint pain are ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage. Multiple joint pain or also known as polyarticular pain is usually a chronic condition. Some multiple joints pain can be self-limiting, while some can be life-threatening. Joint pain has many different causes. Each of them has a different treatment approach.
The examples of multiple joints pain are:
- Polyarthritis
- Viral arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Soft tissue abnormalities
- Hypothyroidism
- Neuropathic pain
- Metabolic bone disease
- Depression
Polyarthritis is a multiple joints inflammation that causes pain. The example of polyarthritis are:
- Bacterial infection
- Lyme disease
- Viral infection
- Rheumatic fever
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
Viral arthritis is also a common cause of joint pain. The viruses that may cause joint pain are:
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- Epstein-Barr
- Parvovirus
- Alphaviruses
- Dengue
- Rubella
- Mumps
- Coxsackie
- Hepatitis A
Other famous conditions that lead to joint pain are:
- Gout
- Osteoarthritis
- Sprains
- Strains
Certain joint pain is emergencies and requires urgent intervention. Features that tell you that the joint pain you are having is an emergency are:
- Hot and swollen joints
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Malaise
- Numbness
- Burning pain
History taking, physical examination, and investigations are required to detect the underlying causes. This is important to ensure the right treatment is given to you. The investigations that can be done are:
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- C-reactive protein level
- Antibody tests
- Antinuclear antibody test
- Rheumatoid factor detection
- Anti-CCP antibody test
- Uric acid level
- Synovial fluid analysis
- Plain x-ray
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Ultrasound
- Tissue biopsy
The treatment for CMC joint pain depends on the underlying cause. As osteoarthritis is the most common cause of CMC joint pain, let’s discuss the treatment of hand osteoarthritis. The treatments for hand osteoarthritis are:
- Splinting
- Use of assistive device like orthosis
- Topical painkillers or topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Hand exercises to increase range of motion and strength
- Oral painkillers
- Surgery if all of the above fails
