If you look up thumb arthritis or thumb pain – the first thing that google helps you with is educating you on surgery, what kinds of surgeries, and where you can go to get surgeries.
If you are anything like me…looking for solutions other than surgery…this will be for you!
Arthritis of the hand can be debilitating enough, but thumb arthritis? Thumb arthritis can leave you unable to pretty much use your hands for everyday things.
Did you know that the thumb does 50% of the work of your hands?
Opening the door. Opening a bottle. Opening a bag of chips.
The thumb with the index and middle finger allows you to pick small things up. The thumb plus the last 2 fingers give you strength in your hands for heavy work.
The thumb is only second to the shoulder in terms of how much motion it has. This mobility is what allows your thumb to wrap around large items, to cup your hand, and to move so much.
With the great mobility, is where you lose stability.
Arthritis is only ONE reason why you might have thumb pain. In order to get rid of thumb pain, finding out the real reason for thumb pain is the fastest and easiest way to get rid of it.
Don’t wait until the surgery is the only option to fix thumb pain. The pain and therapy needed after that can be lengthy as well.
As a certified hand therapist…I’ve worked with a lot of people with hand and thumb pain where we have been able to help them avoid injections and surgery.
Most think they have arthritis and THAT is what is causing the pain.
True arthritis is a change in the bone, but the pain can be due to other things such as tight muscles, overworked muscles, and/or loss of motion causing the hand to not work as well.
Here are a few tips if you have thumb pain:
1. I love using heat for arthritis hand and thumb pain. The heat wraps around each joint and can give you some relief.
2. If your thumb pain is more of a muscle pain – try icing right where the muscles are at. That can ease the tightness.
3. Gentle stretches of each joint and include the wrist. The thumb sits on top of the wrist, so some gentle stretching of the wrist can help. If you have arthritis of the thumbs, just be gentle. It took time to get stiff, so it took time to loosen it up.
I think the hardest thing about thumbs is having to use the other one to help the hurt one, which can cause pain in both. Thumbs are also tricky because it has so much motion as well so take care to stretch the thumbs in the right way.
If you are struggling with hand and wrist pain, including
● Trigger Finger Or Trigger Thumb
or any other hand condition, speak with one of our specialists for FREE by signing up for a 30-minute Discovery Visit here! Talk to our specialist first before booking any paid session. We like to ensure that we can help you before taking you on as a client.
Learn More About Hands-On Therapy
Are you experiencing finger arthritis? It is important to consult with your healthcare provider to know the treatment regimen they will offer you. Knowing the problem and fixing it NOW can prevent more damage in the future.
Hoang Tran is a hand therapist in Miami, the owner of Hands-on Therapy Services and the author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”. She loves helping people with hand and shoulder problems because she knows how bad and debilitating they can get if not addressed and treated properly (once and for all!).
The aim of her occupational therapy practice for hand and wrist pain is to bring patients back to full functionality, without pills, injections or surgery. If you would like more information about the services call her team at 786-615-9879, or schedule an appointment here. In these difficult times, we are here to help. Telehealth and online sessions are available!
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
