What causes Thumb Carpo-Metacarpal Arthritis?
The actual degenerative process of osteoarthritis is not completely understood. While it is primarily a “wear and tear” process, there are other factors that play a role in degenerative arthritis. These include previous trauma or injury, repetitive stress over long periods of time, laxity or looseness of the joint secondary to hormones or just the aging process. Q: What are the symptoms of Thumb Carpo-Metacarpal Arthritis? A: People with arthritis of the thumb typically complain of pain or an aching feeling at the base of the thumb. These symptoms may be aggravated by the weather, grasping, pinching or when severe may be present at rest or at night. Other symptoms include weakness, clumsiness or deformity of the thumb. Q: What can be done? A: The initial treatment for carpo-metacarpal arthritis is usually conservative or non-surgical. Splint treatment usually at night is often quite effective at decreasing the pain associated with thumb arthritis. While oral non-steroidal anti-inflamma
