Hands Archive

Hand pain or stiffness makes computer or smartphone use difficult. Strategies to combat this include stretching the hands and fingers, avoiding awkward hand positions when holding a smartphone or computer mouse, taking breaks, alternating the fingers that do the work, and taking breaks. Using certain tools can also reduce hand strain or pain. Such tools include voice-to-text features, a wide-grip stylus, a smartphone holder, gel-filled wrist rests, and a comfortable mouse (which might be bigger, smaller, or vertical) to keep hands from stretching too wide or gripping too hard.

Can you do anything about hand and finger joint pain?

Everyone experiences the occasional painful hands and sore fingers, but when osteoarthritis strikes, it can put a hold on many aspects of your life.

"As osteoarthritis progresses, you may lose some hand mobility, like the ability to grasp and hold objects," says Dr. Robert Shmerling, clinical chief of rheumatology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and senior faculty editor at Harvard Health Publishing. "Over time, osteoarthritis can make the joints deformed, so it's harder to open and close your hands."

Ask the doctors

Q. I was worried about drying my nails with a lamp or light box at the nail salon because of the potential risk of cancer from the ultraviolet radiation, but my salon recently switched to LED lamps. Are they safer?

A. The light boxes used to cure polish during gel manicures, and to dry traditional nail polish, have raised some concern because — like tanning beds — they emit ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation, which is associated with a higher cancer risk. A 2014 study in JAMA Dermatology found that the level of UVA exposure associated with a gel manicure every two weeks probably isn't high enough to increase the risk of skin cancer significantly, but you are wise to be aware of the issue.

Repetitive motion and poor posture can lead to aches and pains.

 Image: © Johnny Greig/Getty Images

You've mastered the art of texting, emailing, and web surfing on your smartphone and computer. But along with that digital prowess, you've picked up an unexpected side effect.

"We get a number of patients who develop injuries from these activities," says Dr. Tamara Rozental, an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hand, wrist, and elbow disorders at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Inflammation is a key component of arthritis and other chronic joint diseases. Gout, a painful and potentially debilitating form of inflammatory arthritis, develops when tiny, needle-shaped crystals of uric acid (a biological waste product) accumulate in the joints. The presence of these uric acid crystals triggers the release of cytokines, and these inflammatory messengers attract neutrophils and other white blood cells to the scene. Gout usually affects one joint at a time, most often the big toe, but sometimes it occurs in a knee, ankle, wrist, foot, or finger. 

Early on, gout flare-ups tend to be intermittent. If gout persists for a long time, the joint pain can be ongoing and mimic other types of arthritis. After several years, uric acid crystals may collect in the joints or tendons. They can also collect under the skin, forming whitish deposits. They are called tophi, lumps of tissue that form under the skin of fingers, knuckles, and elsewhere. 

Aches or numbness may keep you from doing the things you love. Find out what's behind your pain, and do something about it.

Hand pain becomes common as we get older. Tingling and numbness, aching or locking joints, and difficulty grasping objects are frequent complaints. But don't make your own diagnosis and suffer in silence. "It's difficult to discern between different types of hand pain. Some have overlapping symptoms," says Dr. Sang-Gil Lee, a hand surgeon at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Lee advises that you seek treatment as soon as possible for persistent hand pain, before it gets so advanced that it's tough to use your hands for even the simplest jobs, like brushing your teeth or buttoning a shirt.

Raynaud's phenomenon—an extreme reaction to cold—can be annoying, or it may signal a serious chronic condition.

 Image: Bigstock

If you live in the northern latitudes, you may have already had an episode in which your fingers froze or your nose, toes, or earlobes grew cold, pale, and numb. And if you're a southerner, you might have neighbors who migrated to avoid such episodes. While some people with chilly fingers just have cold sensitivity, others—especially women—may have Raynaud's phenomenon.

What is Raynaud's?

Living with Raynaud's

Your ability to grab, hold, twist , and squeeze is essential for many everyday functions.

Image: JannHuizenga/Thinkstock

Think how much you rely on a strong grip every day. It helps you open cans, grip a golf club, hold a steering wheel, brush your teeth, and pick up a grandchild. "The ability to stay active and independent often begins with our hands," says Maria Cole, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Outpatient Center. "Weak grip strength can limit your enjoyment of many life pleasures, so you need to ensure your hand and grip strength always are up to the task."

A measure of health

Exercise your hands

A few simple exercises can preserve the strength and flexibility of your hands and wrists.

 Image: Thinkstock

There's a reason that "having a good grip on the situation" is used as a metaphor for mastery. In physiological testing, grip strength is one of the indicators of health and vitality. Yet, although we may exercise to strengthen our cores and limbs, most of us don't make an effort to strengthen our forearms and our hands. "We use our hands continually, but we don't take the time to deliberately exercise them," says Joanne P. Bosch, a physical therapist and certified hand therapist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

That said, it's not a good idea to rush out and buy a device promoted for building a "crushing hand grip" or to start squeezing a tennis ball. "Doing the wrong exercise can actually exacerbate some problems, particularly carpal tunnel syndrome," Bosch says.