Fingers and toes pain refers to pain in the extremities, which may range from a sharp pain to a dull ache. It could also spread into other body areas. Based on what is causing the pain, you might also experience tingling and numbness in the feet and hands. Fingers and toes pain can result from an injury. However, persistent pain with no apparent injury could indicate a more severe problem such as inflammation, nerve damage, or a more complicated disorder, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, or lupus. This blog explains every condition and why it can cause finger and toe pain. It outlines several specific causes and the treatment options that may provide relief.
Fingers and Toes Pain Management Techniques Vary Based on the Cause of the Pain
As mentioned above, toes and fingers pain can result from many problems, and not all problems are handled the same way. Therefore, the root cause must first be determined before treatment is administered to alleviate this pain.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness resulting in pain in the entire body, including the toes and fingers. Other fibromyalgia symptoms include:
- Sleep disruption
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Fibromyalgia-related pain is often experienced in the soft tissues and muscles. It can lead to numbness and tingling in the feet and hands. Foot pain for fibromyalgia patients can result from plantar fasciitis, the irritation of a band of soft connective tissues that spans the foot sole.
Women and patients suffering from chronic inflammatory disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis are highly likely to suffer from fibromyalgia. But still, fibromyalgia is categorized as a nervous system disorder, not an inflammatory illness. Genetic history, traumatic injuries, and stress may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia.
Treating Fibromyalgia
Medications like NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), muscle relaxants, anticonvulsants, and antidepressants can treat fibromyalgia. Other treatment options include:
- Healthy lifestyle changes
- Exercise
- Physical therapy
- Psychotherapy
Arthritis
Arthritis is a category of illnesses that result in joint swelling and pain. There are over 100 forms of arthritis. However, the most prevalent ones are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The fingers and hands are parts commonly impacted by arthritis.
Osteoarthritis: osteoarthritis affects the joints cartilage and wears it off over a given period. The cartilage is the connective tissue at the end of every bone that absorbs shock and cushions the joints. For osteoarthritis, the wearing down of the cartilage will cause limited motion and joint pain. When the case is severe, the bone eventually rubs directly against another bone, causing increased joint damage, inflammation, and pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis causes body inflammation accompanied by swelling and joint pain. The hands, fingers, and wrists are the most affected. Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical and impacts the same joints on both sides of the body, unlike osteoarthritis.
For rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the joint lining or synovium. It thickens it and ultimately destroys the bone and cartilage within the joints. If not treated, rheumatoid arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints. It frequently develops in women, with signs of prolonged morning stiffness.
Treating Arthritis
You can manage rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis with a wide range of treatment options, including:
- Undergoing a wrist surgical procedure known as trapeziectomy for severe thumb osteoarthritis
- Using hand splints or braces to safeguard the joints
- Occupational or physical therapy to improve range of motion and hand strength
- Injecting cortisone into the wrist joints and fingers to lower inflammation
- Prescription medication to reduce inflammation and pain, such as DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) for rheumatoid arthritis
- Using warm paraffin wax on fingers and hands to relieve stiffness and pain
- Applying pain relief creams to the skin
- Over-the-counter pain medication
Lupus
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune illness that causes inflammation and body aches. It often affects joints, skin, and internal body organs such as the kidneys and heart. The most prevalent type of lupus disease is SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus).
There are several symptoms of SLE. The most prevalent include:
- A butterfly-shaped rash on the nose and cheeks
- Headaches
- Extreme fatigue
- Joint Swelling and pain
- Low-grade fevers
Lupus resembles rheumatoid arthritis because it has a symmetric effect on joints on both sides of the body. This is particularly the case for the hands and wrists. Symptoms are often less severe than rheumatoid arthritis, although they include similar pain in the wrists, hands, and fingers, morning stiffness, and joint swelling.
About five to ten percent of patients experiencing arthritis and lupus-like symptoms develop deformities in their finger joints. These deformities include:
- Ulnar drift, whereby the fingers are angled towards the pinky finger rather than pointing straight
- Swan neck deformity, where the middle finger joint bends more than usual.
Another illness that has been likened to lupus is Raynaud's disease. It makes toes and fingers numb, painful, and pale from reduced blood circulation, usually worsened during cold weather.
Treating and Managing Lupus
Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, the change to finger joints results from the ligaments and tendons relaxing instead of bone damage. Therefore, correcting this change with finger splints or braces is easier. Lupus is mainly managed with immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the peripheral nervous system is damaged. The peripheral nervous system consists of the many nerves in the body, including those in the legs and arms. They convey signals to and from the spine and brain.
Peripheral nerves send sensory information, like the feeling of pain, temperature, and pressure. Additionally, they send messages of motor function to control muscles. Peripheral neuropathy most often affects the feet and hands.
The symptoms may vary depending on the nerve damage in the feet and hands. The most prevalent symptom is nerve pain. Others include:
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Burning
- Allodynia (high sensitivity to touch)
- Decreased sensation (capability to feel)
- Muscle weakness
Several specific peripheral neuropathy causes may lead to toe and finger pain and nerve damage. They include:
Toxins or vitamin deficiencies: some nutritional deficiencies and toxins may destroy the peripheral nervous system. Low copper and vitamins B1, B6, E, and B12 have been associated with peripheral neuropathy.
Liver and Renal failure: kidney (chronic renal) failure may also cause peripheral neuropathy. This form of peripheral neuropathy is called uremic neuropathy and may occur regardless of what causes kidney failure. Studies suggest that hyperkalemia may contribute to the development of this neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is also prevalent in severe liver disease.
Infections: several viral infections may attack nerve cells, causing neuropathy pain in the toes and fingers. They include:
- West Nile virus
- Lyme disease
- HIV
- Herpes simplex (cold sores)
- Varicella-zoster (shingles and chickenpox)
- Cytomegalovirus (mainly a risk to expectant women)
Vascular damage: blood vessel damage is caused by many things, including smoking, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure. PVD (Peripheral vascular disease) restricts the oxygen conveyed to the nerves in the toes and fingers, causing damage.
Guillain-Barre syndrome: This is an autoimmune disorder whereby your body attacks its nerves in ascending order. That is, starting in your lower extremities and moving to other body parts. Consequently, symptoms often start in the toes.
Ulnar tunnel syndrome: Ulnar tunnel syndrome can result in ulnar neuropathy. Your ulnar nerve is compressed at the wrist in a region called Guyon's canal, where the ulnar nerve passes through. You will experience pain, tingling, and numbness along your ring finger, pinky finger, and hand side. Repetitive movement is usually the cause.
Cubital tunnel syndrome: The cubital tunnel syndrome arises when your arm's ulnar nerve is compressed at the elbow. This results in pain, tingling, and numbness along the ring finger, pinky finger, and side of your hand. It is called ulnar neuropathy.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: This syndrome occurs when the median nerve in the wrist is compressed. The compression is a result of the inflamed and tight finger flexor tendons. Symptoms are often experienced in the first three fingers of one or both hands and the thumb. Carpal tunnel syndrome is prevalent in people who use their hands in repetitive movements over an extended period. These are usually work-related activities such as doing factory or construction work or using a computer.
Chemotherapy: chemotherapy treats various types of cancer disease. It results in symptoms in the toes and fingers of 30 percent to 40 percent of cancer patients. The pain, tingling, and numbness can last several weeks or months after chemo stops.
Diabetes: approximately 60 percent to 70 percent of diabetic patients will experience diabetic peripheral neuropathy. These patients experience tingling, numbness, pain, and burning symptoms, most frequently in the toes.
Nerve injury: nerve injury is a result of many potential causes. They include bone fractures and falls, sports injuries, and vehicle accidents. Surgical and other procedures can also lead to nerve injury.
Treating Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy treatment options vary based on the cause. In most cases, treatment focuses on relieving symptoms. Options to manage peripheral neuropathy are:
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to ease pain
- Surgery to release entrapped nerves
- Hand splints for carpal tunnel syndrome
- Wearing protective footwear
- Practicing a healthy diet to correct vitamin deficiencies
- Controlling blood sugar through weight management, medication, exercise, diet
- Physiotherapy to improve range of motion and strength
- Prescription medication to relieve inflammation, lower nerve signals, and reduce pain
- Pain relief lidocaine patches or creams applied to the skin
- Over-the-counter pain medication
Ganglion Cysts
A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled growth that often develops on the end of finger joints and the back of the wrist. This growth can feel firm or soft when touched. It is usually harmless, although a few patients report feeling pain, tenderness, or weakness around the cyst.
Treating Ganglion Cysts
The cause of a ganglion cyst is still unknown, but researchers believe it develops from injuries to the connective tissue and chronic health conditions that impact the joints, like arthritis.
Generally, ganglion cyst will go away without treatment. Physicians usually provide treatment for cysts that affect mobility or cause pain. Based on where it is located, a physician can drain the cyst or remove it using a surgical procedure.
Injury
Finger and toe injuries are prevalent, particularly in athletes and persons working with heavy machinery. Since trauma can often lead to inflammation and pain, a person is likely to feel discomfort when they press on the toe or finger. Prevalent toe or finger injury causes may include:
- A broken or fractured bone when a toe or finger bone breaks
- A dislocated toe or finger joint. That is when something forces a toe/finger bone out of its joint
- A strain. That is, a tendon or muscle becomes torn or stretched
- A sprain, that is, a torn or stretched ligament
Treating Injury
You can treat mild strains and sprains with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and evaluation) therapy.
- Rest: avoid using or moving the hurt finger/toe for some days. You could immobilize the hurt finger using a buddy taping or splint, taping it to another finger.
- Ice: put an ice pack on the hurt finger/toe for twenty minutes at a time, between four and eight times every day. Applying ice may help minimize pain and reduce swelling.
- Compression: wrap the hurt finger/toe in a bandage or soft dressing. Ensure the bandage or dressing is snug but not constricting.
- Elevation: keep the injured finger above the heart to lower blood pressure and swelling.
Over-the-counter pain medications like aspirin and ibuprofen can reduce swelling and alleviate pain. Severe injuries like fractures and dislocations need medical intervention. A medical specialist can restore a finger/toe bone to its joint and correct a fractured bone. Then, they will immobilize the finger for proper healing.
Tumors
Even though rare, tumors could grow in the tendons, ligaments, bones, or soft tissues of a toe or finger. A tumor near or in a toe or finger joint may result in reduced mobility, stiffness, and pain. For instance, bone metastasis or malignant growth in the toes or fingers can result in discomfort, swelling, and pain when you press the finger/toe. If it is a cancerous tumor, you may experience:
- Tenderness and swelling in the site of the tumor
- Recurring bone pain
- Fatigue
- Weakened bones that may result in fractures
- Unintentional weight loss
Treating Tumors
A benign or non-cancerous tumor does not need treatment. Provided you do not feel changes in your mobility or pain, you can live safely with a non-cancerous tumor.
Your doctor will possibly suggest removing a benign growth in a toe/finger joint. They will take the tumor sample to a pathologist for advanced analysis. The pathologist will then assess what kind of tumor it is and its origin. This information will help your doctor determine a suitable treatment.
If the tumor's origin is a bone, the physician may apply one or a combination of these treatments for bone cancer:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- A surgical procedure to extract the tumor plus the surrounding bone tissues
Cancer of the soft tissue may also result in a tumor developing in the finger joint. Per the American Cancer Society, treatment options for soft tissue cancer involve some kind of surgical procedure.
Your physician can surgically extract small tumors and the adjacent healthy tissues to ensure no cancer cells remain.
It is difficult for a physician to treat soft tissue cancer that has advanced and spread to distant body parts and the lymph nodes. The physician may still try to extract tumors and the affected lymph nodes via a surgical procedure. The doctor may suggest systemic therapies like radiotherapy or chemotherapy if cancer has already spread to a body organ.
When to See a Doctor
You should call your doctor if you experience severe toe/finger pain or any of these symptoms:
- Tingling or numbness in your fingers or toes
- Difficulty straightening or moving your fingers or toes
- A finger/toe that appears swollen and discolored
- Finger/toe pain that persists even after taking over-the-counter or at-home treatment
Tests and Diagnosis
Your physician may perform these tests to diagnose what is causing your fingers and toes pain. Your physician may perform these tests:
- Blood tests
- Medical history and physical exam
- Tests to measure muscle strength
- Testing the capability to detect vibrations
- MRI scan
- CT scan
- Electromyography (EMG)
- Skin or nerve biopsy
Your physician will order tests depending on your general health, signs, symptoms, and the highly likely cause of your toes and fingers pain.
Preventing Fingers and Toes Pain
Preventing fingers and toes pain will vary based on what is causing the pain. But some essential modifications to encourage a healthier lifestyle might be valuable in preventing toes and fingers pain. This may include:
- Healthy diet
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Moderate exercise
- Stop smoking
- Taking plenty of rest
- Avoid drug consumption and excessive alcohol
- Avoid repetitive, high-impact motion
- Avoid standing or sitting for a lengthy period
- Control blood pressure
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
Some diseases like multiple sclerosis cannot be prevented. Speak with your physician about other prevention methods to assist in avoiding or improving the outcome of your fingers or toes pain.
Find Clinical Services for Toe and Finger Pain Management Near Me
Regardless of what is causing your toe and finger pain, our expert specialists here at Hollywood Healthcare & Diagnostic Imaging can help you manage or even reverse it. We use the most advanced techniques and technology and offer physiotherapy services on site to assist patients in restoring the normal functioning of their feet and hands, so they can move and feel better. If you are seeking MRI services or ways to manage your toe and finger pain in Los Angeles, contact us at 323-486-7502 to schedule a consultation with one of our specialists.
