Thumb arthritis, also called basal joint arthritis, is a type of osteoarthritis caused when cartilage wears away in the joint at the base of the thumb. This form of hand arthritis can result in pain with activities that involve gripping or pinching, such as turning a key, opening a door, or snapping your fingers. Other symptoms include swelling and tenderness at the base of the thumb, loss of strength or limited motion, and an enlarged appearance or the development of a bony prominence over the joint.
This condition is usually the result of the normal aging process, and tends to affect women more than men. Prior fractures or other injuries to the joint may increase the likelihood of developing this condition. In the early stages of thumb arthritis, a number of treatments can alleviate symptoms, including oral or topical medications, physical therapy, wearing a supportive splint or brace to limit thumb movement, or steroid injections. When nonsurgical treatments are no longer effective, surgery can offer relief.
Symptoms
Symptoms often include:
- Pain felt at the base of your thumb when you grip or pinch something
- Pain when you apply pressure to the heel of your hand
- Stiffness in the morning that gets better during the day, but begins to ache in the evening
- Swelling and tenderness at the base of the thumb
- Aching in the joint after prolonged use
- A limited range of motion in the thumb, or loss of strength while gripping or pinching items
- A bump on the joint or an enlarged, out-of-joint appearance
Treatment
In the early stages of thumb arthritis, a number of treatments can alleviate symptoms, including:
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Oral or topical medications, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, prescription pain relievers, or pain-relieving gels
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Icing the area for five to 15 minutes as needed throughout the day to relieve pain and swelling
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Working with a hand therapist to strengthen supporting muscles and tendons and learning adaptive techniques to lessen the strain on the joint
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Wearing a supportive splint or brace to limit thumb movement and allow the joint to heal. In many cases, your doctor will suggest a combination of treatments to control symptoms. When medications, self-care, and physical therapy aren't successful, steroid injections can relieve pain and swelling for several months. Because steroid injections can't be used indefinitely, they only offer a temporary solution.
When nonsurgical treatments are no longer effective, surgery can offer relief. Most often, surgeons use the ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) technique, which can restore thumb movement and eliminate pain. During this outpatient procedure, surgeons remove the arthritic joint and replace it with a graft from one of your tendons to stabilize the thumb. Because tendons are used, rather than a metal or plastic implant that can wear out, the surgery can provide a long-term solution.
Our providers
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Hand Surgery
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Curtis Mitchell Henn, MD
Hand Surgery & Orthopedic Surgery
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James P. Higgins, MD
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery & Hand Surgery
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Ryan M Jander, MD
Shoulder And Elbow Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery & Hand Surgery
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Ryan David Katz, MD
Hand Surgery
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Michael William Kessler, MD
Hand Surgery
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Grant Michael Kleiber, MD
Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery & Plastic Surgery
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Kenneth Robert Means, MD
Hand Surgery
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Michael Sean Murphy, MD
Hand Surgery
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Kevin O'Malley, MD
Hand Surgery
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Kelsey Anne Rebehn, MD
Hand Surgery
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Jessica M. Figueroa, MD
Hand Surgery
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Peter Innis, MD
Hand Surgery
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Valeriy Shubinets, MD
Hand Surgery
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George Li-Wen Yeh, MD
Hand Surgery
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Neal Brian Zimmerman, MD
Hand Surgery
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Ryan Michael Zimmerman, MD
Hand Surgery
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Additional information
Thumb/Basal Joint Arthritis Surgery
In most cases, a ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) technique is used to alleviate arthritis of the thumb. This can restore thumb movement and eliminate pain. MedStar Health offers surgical options for hand and wrist arthritis pain relief.