If you think you have tenosynovitis, you should see your doctor. The most likely prescription you’ll receive is a suggestion to rest your hand for as long as a week and take aspirin or another over-the-counter painkiller as often as you need until you ate able to move your fingers freely again. Once you return to the activity that caused the tenosynovitis, you should seek the advice of a physical therapist so that the condition does not recur. If your doctor believes the condition is caused by a bacterial infection, he will also prescribe an antibiotic such as penicillin.
If, however, you have osteoarthritis, some lifestyle changes will be necessary. Osteoarthritis can be quite fickle: some days you’ll be fine, while on others you’ll find it’s difficult to accomplish anything because of the pain. Aspirin and other over-the-counter preparations can help reduce the pain and inflammation so you can work. You should also ask your doctor about doing exercises to strengthen your hands, since toning the muscles around the joints can help prevent flare-ups. In some cases, a heating pad or a device that provides moist heat to the joints also helps. When the pain is especially severe, your doctor may suggest an injection of a corticosteroid medication directly into the hand for immediate relief. However, most of the time, it’s better in the long run to rely on less intrusive ways of dealing with osteoarthritis.
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