Why Do We Get Joint Pain In Our Fingers?

There are many reasons why you can experience joint pain in your fingers. It could be due to an over extension, trauma or repetitive strain injury. However more and more people are getting joint pain because of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the immune system malfunctioning. It can attack the cartilage lining of bone and socket and the synovium fluid, which lubricates the joints. This causes inflammation and swelling of the joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis is not caused by wear and tear or old age as that's more associated with the condition osteoarthritis.

A Faulty Immune System

As the joints become inflamed the immune system reacts by causing more inflammation as to try and heal the damage. If this vicious cycle of inflammation and swelling is not interrupted it can lead to joint damage and even joint deformity.

At this point in time there is no confirmed cause that makes the immune system do this. However, there are a number of possibilities that include genes which are more susceptible to disease, food allergies and lifestyle factors could also trigger an attack. For example, smoking can increase the production of enzymes that inflame the joints.

At the moment there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, however treatment, medication, and therapy has progressed to the point that the condition can be well managed so that sufferers can live a normal a lifestyle as possible.

The Potential Dangers Of Conventional Treatment

The conventional way to treat finger joint pain resulting from rheumatoid arthritis is to take a combination of medications. The aim of these drugs is to control and reduce the swelling and pain.

These anti-inflammatory drugs fall into two categories - non-steroidal drugs (NSAIDS) and cortisone based drugs. These can be taken orally or injected directly into the joints.

Although these types of drugs provide relief they should not be considered as a long term treatment. This will also be stated on the labelling of these drugs. The reason is because of the side effects these drugs can produce, which can range from gastric ulcers to even kidney failure.

As well as anti-inflammatory drugs many people with rheumatoid arthritis use non prescriptive pain killers, however their long term use can also damage the lining of the stomach as well as build up the levels of toxicity in the body.

Natural Alternatives Without The Nasty Side Effects

Fortunately, there are natural highly effective alternatives that do not cause the serious and life threatening side effects these chemical based drugs can cause.

Over the last 20 years there have been several studies about how the diet you eat can cause and affect joint pain in your fingers. Many of the processed foods eaten today are very low in nutrients and vitamins that are vital for supporting your immune system.

Furthermore, the modernisation and large production of food requires the use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers that contaminate the food. For example, nitrate a common food preservative can cause flare-ups in certain people with rheumatoid arthritis.

There are also foods that can help relieve the pain, swelling and also control the immune systems production of enzymes that cause inflammation in the joints.