The cartilage in the saddle-shaped joint at the base of the thumb wears away. That joint carries enormous load every time you pinch, grip, or turn a key, which makes it one of the most common sites of hand arthritis.
Warning signs
- Pain at the base of the thumb pinching, gripping, or twisting a key or jar
- Pain writing, sewing, opening pill bottles, or turning a door handle
- Weak pinch and grip
- A swollen, tender bump at the base of the thumb
- Grinding or clicking with thumb motion; stiffness on first use in the morning
Treatment
A custom thumb spica splint, hand therapy, joint-protection tools (built-up grips, jar openers, key turners), and a corticosteroid injection come first. When pain persists or injections stop working, Dr. Loredo reconstructs the joint; his primary approach is a suture suspensionplasty with bio-integrative anchors, which removes the worn bone and suspends the thumb in position without harvesting a wrist tendon.
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Questions patients ask
What is thumb base arthritis?
The cartilage in the saddle-shaped joint at the base of the thumb wears away. That joint carries enormous load every time you pinch, grip, or turn a key, which makes it one of the most common sites of hand arthritis.
What are the warning signs of thumb base arthritis?
Pain at the base of the thumb pinching, gripping, or twisting a key or jar. Pain writing, sewing, opening pill bottles, or turning a door handle. Weak pinch and grip. A swollen, tender bump at the base of the thumb. Grinding or clicking with thumb motion; stiffness on first use in the morning.
How is thumb base arthritis treated?
A custom thumb spica splint, hand therapy, joint-protection tools (built-up grips, jar openers, key turners), and a corticosteroid injection come first. When pain persists or injections stop working, Dr. Loredo reconstructs the joint; his primary approach is a suture suspensionplasty with bio-integrative anchors, which removes the worn bone and suspends the thumb in position without harvesting a wrist tendon.
Who treats thumb base arthritis near Southlake and Dallas-Fort Worth?
Dr. Pedro Loredo, a board-certified hand surgeon (General Surgery, American Board of Surgery; Hand Surgery, American Board of Plastic Surgery) at Loredo Hand Care Institute, 431 E State Hwy 114, Suite 380, Southlake, TX. New patients are seen within days. Call (972) 939-4974. Se habla español.
En español: ¿Dolor en la base del pulgar al abrir frascos o girar llaves?
El cartílago de la articulación en forma de silla de montar, en la base del pulgar, se desgasta. Esa articulación soporta una carga enorme cada vez que usted pellizca, agarra o gira una llave, y por eso es uno de los sitios más comunes de artritis en la mano.
Señales de alerta
- Dolor en la base del pulgar al pellizcar, agarrar o girar una llave o un frasco
- Dolor al escribir, coser, abrir frascos de pastillas o girar una perilla
- Pinza y agarre débiles
- Un bulto hinchado y sensible en la base del pulgar
- Crujidos o chasquidos al mover el pulgar; rigidez al empezar el día
Tratamiento
Primero una férula a medida para el pulgar, terapia de mano, herramientas de protección articular (mangos gruesos, abridores de frascos, giradores de llaves) y una inyección de corticoide. Cuando el dolor persiste o las inyecciones dejan de funcionar, el Dr. Loredo reconstruye la articulación; su técnica principal es una suspensoplastia con sutura y anclas biointegrables, que retira el hueso desgastado y suspende el pulgar en posición sin sacrificar un tendón de la muñeca.
If this sounds like your hand
Call Loredo Hand Care Institute or start your forms online. New patients are seen within days; surgery, when needed, is scheduled at the first available opening. Se habla español.