Can arthritis cause finger pain and trouble closing my hand?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 64-year-old male, a non-smoker, and athletic. I have a type of arthritis in my right hand, especially affecting the second finger near the knuckle.

There is significant swelling at the top of the second finger where it meets the hand, extending down across the top of the hand to the first knuckle of the finger. This started about a year ago.

I went to a doctor and had an X-ray, which showed that the finger is not broken. I also saw a rheumatologist, who told me I have arthritis. The finger and hand have remained extremely painful and swollen for the past year.

The pain is constant, and I have difficulty closing my hand or gripping objects, especially since this is my dominant hand. I am not currently on any medications other than occasional Ibuprofen or Tylenol. I have tried turmeric and moringa, but there has been no improvement.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

A year of persistent swelling and severe pain in a single finger joint and the back of the hand, especially with a normal X-ray, suggests this is more than simple age-related arthritis.

The pattern you describe fits best with an inflammatory arthritis affecting a single joint, such as psoriatic arthritis (even without visible skin lesions), gout, or pseudogout involving the hand, or, less commonly, chronic inflammation of the tendon sheath.

When a joint remains swollen for this long and significantly limits grip strength, it usually indicates ongoing inflammation within the joint or surrounding tendons. This typically requires more than turmeric or occasional pain relievers.

The most useful next steps would include an ultrasound of the hand to assess for active synovitis or tendon sheath inflammation, along with blood tests such as

ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate).
CRP (C-reactive protein).
Rheumatoid factor.
Anti-CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptide) antibodies.
Uric acid levels.
If relevant, screening for psoriatic disease.

If symptoms occur in flares, gout and pseudogout should also be considered, as these conditions can mimic arthritis even when X-rays appear normal.

A short, supervised trial of stronger anti-inflammatory treatment, such as a regularly taken nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for ten to fourteen days, or a brief low-dose steroid course prescribed by your doctor, often helps clarify whether the joint responds to inflammation-directed therapy.

If ultrasound confirms synovitis, a targeted steroid injection into the affected joint can provide significant relief and help prevent long-term damage.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.