Generally, we tend to ignore mild joint pains in the rush of daily activities. But not paying attention to the causes of thumb joint pain as well as other bone problems is not a good sign. Identify those causes and try to rectify them as early as possible.

Maybe in the hustle and bustle of the life you do not realize the minor joint pains unless it reaches to the extreme condition. Any thumb or hand joint pain is not only distressing but also affects your efficiency. Probably, we use a joint pain relief as a quick solution and then move on. It may work for the short time, but you should look for a long-lasting solution.

Understand thumb joint pain:

More active and mobile bone joints are higher at the risk of wear and tear and therefore, joint pain grips you easily. Since we use our hands so extensively, we find very little time to give relief to the joints. Moreover, the thumb joint pain gets aggravated with the continuous mobility of hands. This excessive stress put on the thumb joint is termed as carpometacarpal (CMC). Sometimes the pressure on the fibrous collagen tissue in the hand muscle causes hamstring, and the ligament capacity decreases significantly. Thumb arthritis is commonly known as osteoarthritis, a form of wear-and-tear arthritis, of the hands.

Symptoms of thumb Joint pain:

The carpometacarpal (CMC) joint pain occurs with any form of injury, inflammation or stiffness. The basal joint, the joint near the wrist and cartilage, is the most affected part, making your thumb difficult to pinch, move, pivot or swing. A joint pain relief normalizes the tissue and heals any possible injury of the joint. Some specific symptoms of thumb joint pain are recognized through:
Decreased strength of grip
Limited thumb motion
Swelling and pain throughout the hand
Bony appearance of the joint
Stiffness feeling

Different causes of thumb joint pain:

It occurs more likely due to bone injury. The metacarpal bones of the hands are joined to the trapezium bone of the wrist. Any injury or fracture of hand bones affects the normal movement of thumb and other fingers as well. A bony protuberance or bump is also responsible for developing joint pain as well.

The thumb arthritis or pain occurs when the cartilage is roughened and then bones rub against each other, resulting more friction and joint damages. Any disruption of the ligaments can also make the joints unstable. You may reel under severe joint pain if it has swelled the muscles around the joint. Some specific causes of thumb joint pain include:
Basal joint arthritis
Old hairline fracture
Thumb injury
Ageing
A previous injury

Risk factors behind thumb joint pain:

There are some risk factors too, that increase the possibility of joint pain. These risk factors include:
Obesity
Certain hereditary conditions
Rheumatoid arthritis
Strenuous jobs that put pressure on finger joints

Treatment of thumb joint pain:
You can get rid of thumb joint pain through several methods, including natural means and medications. Some of the popular solutions are prescribed as:

Take help of thumb exercise
Hand exercises relieve thumb strain and improve its motion drastically. You can simply do thumb stretching or try IP flexion, in which you attempt to bend the upper part of thumb while keeping its lower part stable using the other hand. This exercise works like a good joint pain relief, but don’t forget to consult doctor or bone specialist to practice it correctly.

Splints
You can use a splint for limiting the movement of the thumb and wrist. It helps to prevent the unnecessary movement or any other causes of thumb joint pain by giving a solid support. This instrument is easy to wear, and you can use it whenever you have time like while you are sleeping or taking rest at home.

Medications
There are several over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines that you can try under prescription. In some cases, doctors recommend Corticosteroids that are directly injected into the affected area of the thumb.

Also Read: Osteoporosis and the ways to deal with it 

Surgery
If medications, exercise and splinting are not proving to be sufficient for the joint pain relief, then surgery can be tried as a permanent solution. Through surgery, the bones are repositioned, or tendons are placed on the thumb joint (trapezium). Thumb surgery promises to provide a new strength to the joint and regain the finger motion. Please discuss with the doctor in detail before undertaking surgery.

Conclusion:
Our lifestyle is highly responsible for the fast friction of bones, resulting joint pain or arthritis. Since we use our hands so extensively, our fingers are kept busy most of the times. But avoiding any possible risks or causes of thumb joint pain can hamper your normal activities. You should not take it lightly and go for an appropriate joint pain relief to keep your movement undeterred.