It has been often said that the thumb is what differentiates humans from most other species on the planet. The thumbs allows people to pick things up, manipulate tools and likely type this article. However, what do you do when you feel a sudden sharp pain in the joint of your thumb? How do you handle that? Here is a simple guide that will allow you to not only understand the causes of pain in your thumb joint, but also to combat the problem and apply the proper treatment.

Overuse:

Thumbs receive a lot of stress from daily movement. The joint in particular that is under strain is the carpometacarpal joint, otherwise known as the basal joint. This vital hinge where the thumb meets the rest of the hand is continually being used and abused whenever you pick something up or hold something. Actions like this strain the joint and can cause a painful sharp sensation that can cripple you in your daily activities as the cartilage and ligaments that surround this joint, like all other joints in the body, send signals through your nerves that indicate injury, sprain or arthritis.

Strains:

Now, beyond simple overuse, straining the basal joint, thumb joint pain can be brought on by injury. Common parlance for these injuries is a jammed thumb, where the ligaments that surround the joint are sprained and cause pain as they expand and contract by flexing the thumb.

Arthritis:

Arthritis is another common cause of thumb joint pain and can be brought on either through old age, overuse or a calcium deficiency causing weakened bones. As wear on the thumb increases overtime, the cartilage that protects and cushions the bones that comprise the hand and thumb breaks down. This in turn leads to wear on the bone that becomes aggravated through the previously mentioned causes of old age and brittle bones.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

A further cause of pain in the thumb joint stems from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition usually affects people who engage their hands in monotonous, repetitive motions begin to compress the nerves in their wrist located between the carpal bones and the transverse ligament. This will typically cause pain the wrists but this can also be extended to encapsulate the thumb.

Treating thumb joint pain can be relatively easy and require little in the way of invasive measures. Wearing a thumb brace is one of the more common strategies for combating thumb joint pain in that it is both cheap and effective. A cloth and plastic brace reinforces your thumb and provides addition support to the joint. Icing down your joint with a cold compress is also advised as this eliminates the inflammation that accompanies joint pain.

Common Treatments:

• Thumb Brace
• Ice
• Exercises
• Anti-Inflammatory Medication

Cutting down on inflammation not only means less pain but it can restore more mobility to your appendage. Be sure to keep your thumb active, however, if you experience thumb joint pain. Inactivity can often exacerbate joint pain as a lack of movement leads to the swollen joint becoming stiff and more difficult to move. A light anti inflammatory medication regimen is also advised that will enable you to retain use of your thumb in combination with the previously mentioned treatment options.

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