Physio Q&A: How do I improve my hand arthritis pain?

'I suffer from arthritis, especially in the small joints of my hands. The cold weather often makes the pain in my hands a lot worse and limits what I can do with them. I am keen to stay as active as possible, is there anything you can suggest I can do to limit this pain and keep me active?'

This is a common concern for a lot of people we see with osteoarthritis in the joints of their hands. Although there is no scientific evidence that confirms cold weather has a consistent link to increased pain in the joints, it is something that is symptomatically present with many patients.

Symptoms of hand arthritis

Symptoms can vary depending on the type and severity of arthritis but generally include:

• Persistent or intermittent pain in the joints of the hands and fingers
• Stiffness in the hand, especially in the morning or after periods of rest
• Swelling around the joints
• Reduced range of motion, difficulty fully bending or straightening fingers
• Joint deformities leading to visible changes in the shape of the finger or joint
• Weakness, causing difficulty in gripping, holding or carrying objects

Hand pain management

Essentially, to minimise this pain it is important to fully understand the condition of osteoarthritis in order to know what to do to avoid flaring it up.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), who advises the NHS and the government on the effectiveness of treatments for many conditions, highlights core areas that must be considered when treating the pain of arthritis, as well as some additional treatments that vary in their effectiveness.

Hand arthritis treatments

The NICE guidelines provide some insight into some commonly used pain killers and topical agents that have good levels of evidence in helping ease these pains.

For short term flare up relief, a Hand Therapist, Physiotherapist or GP may also issue a splint depending on how you present at the time of your appointment. This is typically used when your symptoms are more severe.

The use of heat or cold pack doesn’t have much clinical evidence but is found to be useful by many patients. Warm gloves in cold weather when outdoors is also a sensible thing to do.

It is also advised to strengthen the local muscles in the hands and wrists as well as maintaining a good level of physical fitness and good circulation is really important.