Index
- The various hand pathologies
- Pathologies of the hand according to the parts affected
- The most frequent hand pathologies
- Observation of the hand to determine its pathologies
The various hand pathologies
The hand is the organ in the human body that is used to grasp or manipulate objects. It also has various functions and mainly the sense of touch. It is also a means of expressing oneself, especially in sign language for the deaf and dumb. But in many cases, hands also complement speech to communicate. They can be a measure of distance or quantity and can be used for counting. Also, the various hand pathologies are likely to cause disability and thus impact on the patient's quality of life.
Pathologies of the hand according to the parts affected
In general, hand pathologies are frequent in neurology and rheumatology. Thus, in neurology, the hand can suffer static deformations. These deformities result in paralysis, sometimes with muscular atrophy affecting either :
- The radial nerve: the hand is made of flail or swan neck and makes horns.
- The ulnar nerve: it concerns the claw of the last two fingers.
- The median nerve: also known as the monkey hand.
- The brachial plexus or spiral nerve: it is the monkey's hand with all the fingers in claws.
- Syringomyelia or preacher's hand: the flexor muscles of the fingers are paralysed.
In some cases, neurological damage to the hand owes its name to the nerve areas affected. A distinction can be made between :
- The pyramid hand or fist hand
- The frontal hand or grasping reflex
- The parietal hand or unstable hand with a loss of sensitivity
In rheumatology, the most well-known hand pathologies are :
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Psoriatic rheumatism
- The drop
- Dupuytren's disease
The most frequent hand pathologies
Hand pathologies are not too serious. However, they are annoying in the sense that they sometimes lead to a certain infirmity. Knowing about them will allow the patient to get an idea of the disease and to cope with it. The most frequent ones are :
- The spring or jumping finger: It is a mechanical problem which consists of the blocking of one or more fingers in flexion. Extending it may even be impossible, but it is a temporary Sometimes it is necessary to pull on it with the other hand in order to do so. In short, the finger is blocked in the bent position. The affected finger is stiff, sensitive and has a clicking sensation. The symptoms are recurrent in the morning. Manual workers and people with arthritis or diabetes are most affected. Treatment consists of splinting or local infiltration of corticosteroids. Surgery may be necessary.
- Dupuytren's disease: This pathology of the hand manifests itself in flanges that gradually appear in the palm of the fingers or hand. The segments thus affected make it impossible for the patient to bend his fingers. The affected segments can be digital, palmar or palmar-digital. The tissue between the skin and the tendons on the palm of the hand in the fingers thickens, thus preventing their extension. They then gradually retract. The 4th and 5th fingers are the most affected in 75% of cases. The soles of the feet and the backs of the fingers may be affected, but this is rare. Heredity, chronic alcoholism, diabetes and smoking are the main factors for this. The treatment is done with a needle under local anaesthetic.
- Arthrosis of the fingers of the hand : There is osteoarthritis of the fingertips, distal interphalangeal osteoarthritis and proximal interphalangeal osteoarthritis. These are pathologies of the hand and the first, is the most frequent. The second affects the joints between the second and third phalanx. The risk of digital arthrosis is twice as high in obese people. The symptoms of this hand pathology are stiffness, pain, nodules and deformities. The pain is relieved with local applications of heat.
Observation of the hand to determine its pathologies
The morphology and condition of the hand can be an indication of the existence of certain diseases that can affect a person. For example, grip strength, finger length or fingerprints can reveal pathologies of the hand. In this way, the patient can prevent and properly treat his illness.
- A weakness in grip strength refers to the state of the muscles of the whole It may indicate a higher risk of stroke.
- Sweaty hands are a sign of hyperhidrosis, thyroid problems or menopause.
- Trembling hands are a sign of Parkinson's disease.
- The length of the fingers may be a sign of arthritis. When the ring finger is longer than the index finger, it may indicate arthritis in the knee in women. A longer ring finger in a man indicates that he may have prostate cancer.
