The CMC joint is at the base of the thumb, where the thumb attaches to the hand. Pain comes when the cartilage wears away. CMC OA interferes with daily activities in kitchen, around house, in people who do keyboard work, or assembly work or need to use power tools.

Causes -Age -Injury -Sex:

Women are more likely to be affected Symptoms

• Pain – At first, pain will come and go. As the arthritis advances, the pain becomes more constant and change from a dull ache to a sharp pain.
• Stiffness and loss of motion
• Crepitus grinding, clicking or cracking sensations
• Swelling – Joint deformity
• Weakness Activities that once were easy, such as opening a jar or starting the car, become difficult.
• Diagnosing – X ray will help Treatment Non-surgical
• Modify activities – Carry grocery bags over forearm instead of grasped in fingers

Hand exercises

• splints – When hands are especially painful, splints can help
• Heat From a warm compress help keep joints mobile.
• Pain killers – Local painkiller ointments such as NSAID gels help
• Steroids injected into joint provide relief for weeks to months. Surgical Treatment If nonsurgical treatment fails to give relief, surgery is done
• Removal of small bone which forms the joint helps
• Joint replacement

Dr. Gururaj S Puranik

MBBS, DNB (Ortho), MRCS (Edin), FRCS (Ortho), Fellowship in Limb Reconstruction (Liverpool)

Senior Consultant – Trauma & Orthopaedic