"Since it's just a finger, it'll be fine"... 3 'dangerous pains' you shouldn't ignore casually

There are times when I periodically feel numbness and pain in my fingers. Most of the time, I dismiss it as nothing serious, but surprisingly, it can be a sign of an underlying disease. Here are three conditions that can cause finger pain.

Degenerative arthritis is a disease in which the cartilage protecting the joints wears down, leading to inflammation. Aging and high-impact activities are major causes. While it is commonly believed that arthritis occurs mainly in the knees or ankles, it can develop in any joint area. Joints that are used frequently are more vulnerable, and the fingers are one of the surprisingly easy sites for arthritis to develop due to frequent use. Symptoms of degenerative finger joint arthritis include aching or tingling in the finger joints. These symptoms tend to worsen after extensive use of the fingers. Additionally, it becomes difficult to grip objects firmly due to weakened hand strength, and the fists do not close well. The fingertips may become thicker or deformed compared to before. Since fingers are joints used constantly in daily life, and degeneration progresses quickly, early treatment is crucial.

Trigger finger is a common condition that causes finger pain. It occurs when nodules form on the tendons necessary for bending the fingers, often due to excessive use of the hand. When stress is placed on the tendons rather than the cartilage during hand use, trigger finger develops. Moving the finger produces pain and a clicking sound like pulling a trigger. If the symptoms are not severe, they can be alleviated with anti-inflammatory painkillers, warm compresses, or rest, but if the symptoms are so severe that movement of the finger is impossible, surgical release of the pulley may be considered.

De Quervain's tenosynovitis is an inflammatory condition caused by hand use, such as lifting heavy objects with the hand or wrist, leading to thickening of the fibrous membrane beneath the thumb. It mainly occurs in women aged 30 to 50, with pain appearing only in the area from the outside of the thumb to the wrist. Immobilization with a splint or steroid injections may be considered as treatment options.