Finger Pain

Hands | Rheumatology | Finger Pain (Symptom)


Description

Finger pain includes any kind of discomfort in the tissues or joints of the finger. Finger pain may be described as throbbing, aching, increased warmth, tingling, soreness or stiffness. Burning or prickling sensations in a finger, often called pins and needles, are called paresthesias. Paresthesias are often due to temporary or permanent damage or pressure on the nerves that carry sensation messages from the hand and fingers to the spinal cord.

Fingers do not need to open or close completely to work. Numbness or tingling in the fingers may be a sign of a problem with nerves or blood flow.

Causes

Common causes of finger pain include injury or trauma, such as bending your finger backward (hyperextension) or from repetitive use, such as long periods of keyboarding. More serious conditions, such as diabetes or a neck or spinal cord injury, can also cause pain or a burning sensation in the fingers. Sore joints in the fingers may be caused by arthritis, inflammation, and age-related wear and tear. Depending on the cause, the pain may be short term and disappear quickly, or it may develop slowly over weeks or months.

Causes of finger pain may also include: blood flow problems; injury; juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; nerve problems; osteoarthritis; Raynauds phenomenon; rheumatoid arthritis.

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