The metacarpophalangeal (MC or MCP) joints are the knuckles where the bones of the hands connect to the long middle bones of the fingers. Used hundreds of times a day or more, a person might rarely think of the essential functionality of the hands and fingers until injury or disease causes pain and disability. Metacarpophalangeal joint pain is particularly disabling because these "hinge" joints are meant to work with both fine motor tasks and larger power, or grip, activities. Specific metacarpophalangeal joint pain is most commonly caused by rheumatoid arthritis, but osteoarthritis and other medical conditions can also cause joint pain and swelling. Trauma to the area also can cause metacarpophalangeal joint pain either from soft tissue edema limiting joint movement or actual joint injury.
The most common cause of metacarpophalangeal joint pain is rheumatoid arthritis. This type of inflammatory disease occurs when the lining of the joints produces substances that erode the cartilage, ligaments and tendons of the area. Although rheumatoid arthritis affects other finger joints more often, its interference with the MCP joint is sometimes dramatic and typically causes a shift of the fingers toward the ulnar side of the hand — the little finger's side of the hand. Osteoarthritis and post-traumatic arthritis comprise the second-most common causes of metacarpophalangeal joint pain. Repetitive use of or traumatic injury to the area can cause complaints of an aching or deep joint pain during fine motor activity without the deformity that is apparent with rheumatoid arthritic involvement.
Another non-traumatic cause of metacarpophalangeal joint pain can include gout. Although this very painful accumulation of uric acid most often occurs in the joint of the big toe, it can manifest in the MCP joints or where the thumb joins the hand. Psoriasis, also known as psoriatic arthritis, is another disease that might cause metacarophalangeal joint pain. This type of autoimmune disorder sometimes causes pain and disability in the joints before the reddened psoriatic skin lesions are present. Systemic lupus erythematosus is yet another type of autoimmune disorder that can cause MCP joint pain.
Other less common causes of metacarpophalangeal joint pain might be considered by a doctor if medical tests rule out the more common disorders already discussed. Benign bone cysts might be the culprit, particularly if the sufferer is a young boy or early teenager. Other types of cysts, such as ganglion or dermoid cysts, might be investigated. Even known joint conditions that are rarely seen in the hands and fingers, such as osteochondromatosis, might need to be considered.
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stl156
Post 4 |
@Izzy78 - The thump pain could very well be part of carpal tunnel. I am assuming you have the obvious wrist joint pain, as well, with all of this.
I know when my mom started to get carpal tunnel, she noticed she was having trouble picking things up off of a desk and holding on to them. Things like pens and scissors and things. I don't know if carpal tunnel would directly lead to metacarpophalangeal joint injury or not, though. My advice would be to see your doctor, especially if you have already noticed some of the other signs. If you catch it soon enough, you can do things to stop it from progressing to the point of needing surgery.
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Izzy78
Post 3 |
@jmc88 - As far as rheumatoid arthritis goes, I know that is an autoimmune disorder, but no one really knows what the cause is yet. More than likely, it is something genetic, so things that happen to you during your lifetime probably won't have much effect on it.
For regular arthritis on the other hand, I think you may actually be more at risk of developing if you have had joint injuries in the past. I don't know if it is true or not, but I figure everyone has been told that you aren't supposed to pop your joints, because it will make you more likely to develop arthritis.
The thing I was wondering was if something like carpal tunnel syndrome would have anything to do with causing thumb joint pain? I don't know if I have carpal tunnel, but it seems like I might be developing some of the early signs of it, and I am wondering if that might be another. |
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jmc88
Post 2 |
@kentuckycat - I have had similar problems in the past, and they always went away after I stopped using the mouse for a little bit. If you really need to keep working, though, something you can always try is moving your fingers over so that your middle finger is on the scroll wheel. At least in my case, I have always traced my pain to using the scroll wheel, not so much clicking. If the problem keeps happening, you could always invest in an ergonomic mouse, as well.
Besides having finger joint pain from the computer, I find I always have a little bit of stiffness once or twice a month. I still am not really sure what the cause is. When I was younger, though, I used to play a lot of sports, and I have jammed or broken the metacarpophalangeal joint of many of my fingers at least once, so I always figured that probably had something to do with it. Does anyone know whether things like that contribute to having rheumatoid arthritis later on in life? |
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kentuckycat
Post 1 |
I have been having a little bit of pain in the joint of my right index finger. Since that is the only finger that really hurts, I would have to assume it is because I have been spending a lot more time than usual on the computer, and it is aching from using my mouse. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to get some joint pain relief?
I haven't really done anything about it yet, but it has been like this for a couple of days and doesn't seem to be going away. Would ice be something that might help, or should I just make an effort to not use my computer for a couple days and see if the pain goes away. Is there anything you can do while you are using the computer that will help you prevent the joint pain in the first place? |
