Hand and Wrist Arthritis Missoula, Montana
Specialties
Hand and Wrist Arthritis Specialists Serving Western Montana
The fellowship-trained hand and wrist specialists at Northern Rockies Orthopaedics diagnose and treat all types of hand and wrist conditions in Missoula, Montana, with arthritis being one of the most common conditions we see. Our team understands how chronic conditions like arthritis can interfere with your work, daily activities, and quality of life by limiting hand movement and causing pain. With early diagnosis, our team creates customized treatment plans to preserve joint function, alleviate discomfort, and enhance mobility. Using advanced diagnostic tools and a range of surgical and nonsurgical treatments, we help patients return to the activities they enjoy.
If you’re experiencing ongoing hand or wrist pain, stiffness, or swelling, call Northern Rockies Orthopaedics at (406) 728-6101 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our Missoula hand and wrist specialists today.
What Is Arthritis in the Hand and Wrist?
Arthritis develops when the protective cartilage cushioning your joints gradually wears down from wear and tear, causing bones to rub against each other. This deterioration leads to inflammation, joint pain, and progressive joint damage to the structures in your wrist & hands. The condition significantly impairs your ability to perform fine-motor tasks such as buttoning shirts, typing, and gripping objects, interfering with everyday activities. Over time, arthritis causes visible joint deformities, changes in joint shape, and substantial loss of range of motion that can limit hand function.
Different Types of Arthritis That Affect the Hand and Wrist
Several different types of arthritis can develop in the hand and wrist, each with unique causes and characteristics. Understanding which type affects your joints helps our specialists create the most effective management strategies and treatment options. The four most common types of arthritis affecting the hand and wrist joints include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis and typically results from decades of normal wear and tear on your joints, particularly in the elderly population. This degenerative condition commonly develops at the base of the thumb (CMC joint) and in the small joints of the fingers, including the distal interphalangeal joints (DIP joints) and proximal interphalangeal joints. Age remains the primary risk factor, though genetics and repetitive hand use can accelerate its onset in the dominant hand.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane lining your joints, making it a type of inflammatory arthritis. This autoimmune disease often presents in younger patients and tends to affect multiple joints symmetrically in both hands, with the metacarpophalangeal joints being among the most commonly involved joints. The chronic inflammation characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis often leads to visible joint deformities, including swan-neck and boutonniere deformities in the fingers. Laboratory markers, such as rheumatoid factor tests, can help confirm the diagnosis.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis causes persistent joint pain, morning stiffness, and swelling in the finger joints and wrist joints. Patients often develop a characteristic “sausage-like” swelling of the fingers, making them appear puffy and inflamed, which affects at least one joint or many joints throughout the hand. This condition also affects the nails, causing pitting, ridging, discoloration, or separation of the nail from the nail bed.
Post-Traumatic Arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis emerges after a previous injury to your wrist or hand joints. Fractures, dislocations, or severe ligament damage accelerate the breakdown of cartilage even after the initial injury heals. Symptoms may not appear until years or even decades after the original trauma, making the connection to a past injury less obvious as joint deformities develop over prolonged periods.
Common Symptoms of Wrist and Hand Arthritis
Pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest is a hallmark symptom of hand and wrist arthritis. You may notice persistent morning stiffness, especially after prolonged periods of inactivity, that gradually loosens as you move throughout the day. Swelling around the affected joints makes your hands appear puffy, while weakness in your grip strength makes opening jars or turning doorknobs increasingly difficult. Visible changes include bone spurs (bony nodules) on the finger joints, decreased range of motion, and a grinding or clicking sensation (crepitus) when you move your wrist or fingers, with similar symptoms appearing in other joints.
Risk Factors for Developing Arthritis in Wrist and Hand
Several things can increase your likelihood of developing hand and wrist arthritis, with certain risk factors being more significant than others. Common risk factors include:
- Age: The risk increases as cartilage naturally wears down over time.
- Previous injuries: Fractures, sprains, or dislocations can damage joint surfaces and lead to post-traumatic arthritis.
- Repetitive hand movements: Everyday tasks or jobs involving frequent gripping, twisting, or typing can strain the joints.
- Genetics: A family history of arthritis can increase your risk of developing the condition.
- Gender: Studies show that women are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men. This is primarily due to differences in the immune system and hormones.
- Obesity: Excess body weight increases stress on joints and contributes to inflammation throughout the body. Weight loss can help reduce the risk of developing arthritis.
Diagnosing Hand and Wrist Arthritis
To diagnose hand and wrist arthritis, our Missoula orthopedic specialists conduct a thorough physical examination, assessing for swelling, tenderness, deformities, and limited motion in the small joints of the hands. X-rays reveal joint space narrowing, bone spurs, and other radiographic changes in the finger and hand joints. Blood tests detect markers of inflammatory arthritis, while MRI or ultrasound imaging identifies soft tissue damage and early cartilage loss not visible on X-rays. Early diagnosis and medical care are crucial in helping to prevent permanent joint damage and preserve hand function.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Hand and Wrist Arthritis
At Northern Rockies Orthopaedics, we prioritize non-surgical approaches to relieve pain and improve mobility for patients with hand and wrist arthritis. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, we tailor treatment plans that may include medications, injections, bracing, and physical therapy to reduce inflammation and protect joint function. Our goal is to help you manage discomfort, maintain flexibility, and continue your daily activities without surgery whenever possible.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications & Steroid Injections
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce pain and swelling by decreasing inflammation in the affected joints, providing pain relief for wrist arthritis and hand arthritis. When oral medications prove insufficient, steroid injections deliver powerful anti-inflammatory medication directly into the arthritic joint. While not a permanent solution, these injections can provide pain relief that lasts several months.
Physical Therapy
A specialized hand therapist or occupational therapist teaches you hand exercises that maintain joint flexibility, strengthen supporting muscles, and reduce stiffness through physical therapy and occupational therapy. Therapists also provide joint protection techniques for protecting your joints during daily activities and recommend modifications to reduce stress on arthritic hands. Regular hand therapy sessions help you maintain independence in self-care and work tasks despite progressive arthritis, with patient education being a critical component of treatment.
Bracing & Splinting
Custom splints and braces stabilize painful joints, reduce inflammation, and prevent deformity progression. Wearing these devices during activities or at night gives joints essential rest while maintaining proper alignment. Many patients experience significant pain reduction and improved function with consistent brace use.
Wrist & Hand Surgery for Arthritis Relief
Surgery becomes the recommended option when non-surgical treatments no longer control your pain or when severe joint damage significantly limits your hand function. Our fellowship-trained Missoula hand and wrist surgeons evaluate your specific condition to determine which surgical procedure offers the best outcome for your lifestyle and goals. Advanced surgical techniques restore stability, eliminate pain, and improve your ability to perform daily tasks.
Anti-Inflammatory Medications & Steroid Injections
Joint fusion (arthrodesis) permanently connects the bones of an arthritic joint, eliminating painful motion while providing stability and strength. Surgeons remove damaged cartilage and position the bones in a functional alignment, using pins, plates, or screws to hold them together while they heal. This procedure works exceptionally well for thumb joint arthritis and finger joints where stability matters more than flexibility.
Wrist Arthroplasty
Wrist arthroplasty replaces the damaged wrist joint with an artificial implant that preserves motion while eliminating bone-on-bone friction. This joint replacement procedure helps maintain wrist flexibility for activities that require rotation and bending movements. Arthroplasty is typically recommended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or those whose activities demand wrist mobility.
Wrist Arthroscopy
Wrist arthroscopy uses a tiny camera and specialized instruments inserted through small incisions to diagnose and treat arthritis. Surgeons remove damaged tissue, smooth rough cartilage surfaces, and address specific issues that cause pain. This minimally invasive approach results in less scarring, reduced pain, and faster recovery compared to traditional open surgery.
Hand and Wrist Arthritis FAQs
How Can I Tell if My Joint Pain is From Arthritis or Another Condition?
Arthritis typically causes pain that worsens gradually over time, accompanied by stiffness, swelling, and decreased range of motion in multiple joints. A thorough examination and imaging by our specialists accurately distinguishes arthritis from tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or other hand conditions.
Why Do I Have Hand Pain When Waking Up?
Morning hand pain and stiffness result from fluid accumulation and inflammation in arthritic joints during overnight inactivity. This symptom characteristically improves after 30 minutes to an hour of movement as circulation increases and joints loosen.
What Are the First Signs of Arthritis in Fingers?
Early arthritis presents as occasional aching in the finger joints after extended use, mild morning stiffness, and subtle swelling around the joints. You may also notice the first signs of reduced grip strength when opening jars or difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning.
What Causes Sharp Pain in Finger Joint When Pressed?
Sharp pain with direct pressure indicates active inflammation in the joint or the development of bone spurs that compress surrounding tissues. This acute sensitivity requires evaluation to determine if adjustments to your treatment plan can reduce inflammation and protect the joint.
How Can Arthritis Affect Normal Wrist Range of Motion?
Arthritis progressively damages cartilage and causes bone spurs, scar tissue, and joint deformity that mechanically block normal movement. Inflammation and pain also cause you to unconsciously limit wrist motion, leading to stiffness that further restricts your range over time.
Why Patients Trust the Missoula Hand and Wrist Specialists At NRO
Our team of Missoula hand and wrist surgeons goes above and beyond for each patient at Northern Rockies Orthopaedics. With the highest levels of fellowship training within our hand and wrist specialties, you receive truly top-notch orthopedic care at every appointment. Our specialists offer trusted hand and wrist treatments in Missoula that are tailored to your unique needs and goals.
Tired of Living With Hand and Wrist Pain? Call Northern Rockies Orthopaedics for Personalized Arthritis Care in Missoula
If hand and wrist arthritis is making it difficult to work, exercise, or enjoy your favorite activities, the team at Northern Rockies Orthopaedics is here to help. Our Missoula hand and wrist surgeons provide advanced, individualized treatment to relieve pain, improve mobility, and protect joint function.
Don’t wait for your arthritis symptoms to worsen. Call (406) 728-6101 or contact us online today to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward lasting relief.
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