Introduction: In the dawn of the morning, you wake up from your dreams and are ready to welcome a new day. However, the sudden stiffness and pain in your fingers caught you off guard.
You try to bend your fingers, only to feel an indescribable resistance, as if they are bound by an invisible force. Over time, the sensation gradually dissipates, the fingers regain their flexibility, and the pain disappears.
This phenomenon is especially common in people around the age of 50, especially women. When you communicate with your friends and family, you will find that many of you have experienced similar problems.
This shared experience sparked curiosity, and we couldn't help but wonder, what is the cause of this, and is it serious enough to seek medical help?
01
The tips of the fingers become thicker and look like mallets, could it be a sign of cancer?
The thickening of the tips of the fingers, which resemble mallets in shape, can indeed be a sign of certain types of cancer, especially when this symptom is accompanied by other unusual signs.
However, it is important to note that this is not the only manifestation of cancer and can also be the result of many other factors, such as genetics, trauma, infection, or certain chronic diseases.
If you notice that the tips of your fingers are abnormally thickened, you should seek help from a medical professional as soon as possible. Your doctor may do a series of tests, including blood tests, imaging tests (such as X-rays, CT or MRI), and possibly a tissue biopsy to determine if there is underlying cancer or other health problems.
If diagnosed with cancer, it is important to stay calm and follow your doctor's advice for treatment. Many types of cancer have high cure rates when detected and treated early.
In addition to medical treatment, good lifestyle habits, a healthy diet, and moderate exercise can also help improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.
However, if the test results show that the thickening of the fingertips is not caused by cancer, then further diagnosis and treatment may be required to find out the exact cause and take appropriate treatment measures.
02
Menopausal women, after waking up in the morning, the fingers are swollen, stiff and painful, what is the matter?
osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a common bone disease, especially in menopausal women. This is due to the gradual decline of ovarian function and the decrease in estrogen levels after women enter menopause, resulting in accelerated calcium loss in bones and a gradual decrease in bone density.
When bone density decreases to a certain extent, the strength and stability of bones are affected, and symptoms such as fractures and bone pain are prone to occur. Symptoms such as swollen, stiff and painful fingers are also one of the manifestations of osteoporosis.
This is because osteoporosis causes the tissues and muscles around the bones to be affected, causing local blood circulation to be poor, resulting in swollen, stiff and painful fingers.
tenosynovitis
Swollen, stiff, and painful fingers after waking up in the morning are common problems experienced by many menopausal women, and these symptoms may be related to tenosynovitis, but they can also be caused by other factors.
Tenosynovitis is a common joint disease that occurs between the tendon and tendon sheath, usually due to overuse or strain.
Menopausal women may experience a decrease in the elasticity and toughness of joint and muscle tissue due to changes in hormone levels, increasing the risk of tenosynovitis. In addition, menopausal women's bones and joints are more susceptible to problems such as tenosynovitis, which can also lead to swollen, stiff, and painful fingers.
diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by a persistently high blood sugar level, which occurs when the body is unable to use or produce enough insulin.
In addition to swollen, stiff and painful fingers, diabetes can trigger a range of other symptoms such as polyuria, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, and more.
For menopausal women, the risk of diabetes may increase. Menopause is a natural process in which a woman's hormone levels change dramatically from childbearing age to non-childbearing age, which can lead to a decrease in the body's sensitivity to insulin, which can increase the risk of diabetes.
osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a common joint disease, especially after menopause, because after menopause, the level of estrogen in the body decreases, and the protective mechanisms of bones and joints are weakened, making the joints vulnerable to damage and inflammation.
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, which are usually most noticeable when you wake up in the morning. These symptoms may gradually lessen with increased activity, but they may reappear after a long period of rest or activity.
In addition, osteoarthritis can also lead to joint deformity and dysfunction, affecting the patient's quality of life.
Cervical spondylosis
Menopausal women, swollen, stiff and painful fingers after waking up in the morning may be a sign of cervical spondylosis. This is because with age, the cervical spine gradually degenerates, the cervical intervertebral disc loses its elasticity, and the cervical vertebrae have hyperostosis, resulting in cervical spinal narrowing and compression of nerve roots, thus causing symptoms such as swelling, stiffness and pain in the fingers.
To alleviate these symptoms, menopausal women first adjust their sleeping position. When sleeping, you should maintain the natural curvature of the cervical spine, choose the right pillow height and firmness, and avoid excessive bending or twisting of the cervical spine.
If the sleeping position is incorrect, it will lead to uneven force on the cervical spine and increase the burden on the cervical spine, which will aggravate symptoms such as swollen fingers, stiffness and pain.
03
Why is menopause prone to symptoms such as swollen, stiff, and painful fingers after waking up in the morning?
Changes in hormone levels
During menopause, estrogen levels in a woman's body gradually decline, which leads to changes in water and salt metabolism in the body.
Estrogen has the effect of maintaining water balance, and when estrogen levels drop, water in the body tends to be retained, especially in areas with loose tissues, such as finger joints, causing swelling, stiffness, and pain.
Decreased bone density
Menopause is also a period of high incidence of osteoporosis. As estrogen levels decrease, calcium salt deposits in bone tissue decrease, and bone density gradually decreases, leading to osteoporosis and fractures.
Osteoporosis weakens bones and reduces the ability of joints to withstand stress, which in turn causes pain in the finger joints.
Joint degeneration
As we age, articular cartilage wears down and joint degeneration becomes an inevitable physiological process.
In menopausal women, the rate of joint degeneration may increase due to changes in hormone levels and a decrease in bone density, resulting in swollen, stiff and painful finger joints after waking up in the morning.
Autonomic dysfunction
Menopausal women are prone to autonomic dysfunction, which can affect peripheral blood circulation, resulting in insufficient local blood supply to the finger joints, causing pain and stiffness.
In addition, autonomic dysfunction can also cause muscle tension and pain.
04
How to improve the problem of swollen, stiff and painful fingers after waking up in the morning?
Proper exercise
After waking up in the morning, doing some proper exercises can help improve the stiffness and pain of your fingers. For example, you can gently bend and straighten your fingers, or do some finger exercises. These exercises increase blood circulation and relieve stiffness in the fingers.
Maintain a correct sleeping position
Sleeping in the wrong position may cause pressure on the fingers, which can cause swelling and pain. Therefore, we should maintain a correct sleeping position and avoid putting pressure on our arms and fingers. Soft pillows can be used to support the arms and keep the fingers in a natural relaxed state.
Avoid using electronic devices for long periods of time
Prolonged use of electronic devices, such as mobile phones and computers, can lead to excessive finger use, which can cause pain and stiffness. Therefore, we should try to avoid using electronic devices for long periods of time, or pay attention to proper rest while using them.
Maintain good lifestyle habits
Good lifestyle habits are also very important to improve the problem of swollen, stiff and painful fingers. We should get enough sleep and avoid overexertion. At the same time, it is important to eat a healthy diet, maintain a moderate weight, and avoid excessive obesity that puts pressure on your fingers.
Seek prompt medical attention
If none of the above methods can effectively improve the problem of swollen, stiff and painful fingers, or if the pain continues to worsen, we should seek medical attention in time. The doctor will give professional diagnosis and treatment recommendations according to the specific situation.
05
When entering menopause, there is a good way to strengthen the protection of bones and joints
Eat a reasonable diet and increase calcium intake
Menopausal women should pay more attention to calcium intake, as calcium is an important element in maintaining bone health. In your daily diet, you can eat more calcium-rich foods, such as milk, tofu, fish, etc. At the same time, an appropriate amount of vitamin D supplementation can help the absorption and utilization of calcium.
Exercise moderately to maintain joint flexibility
Proper exercise not only helps women maintain a healthy weight, but also enhances the flexibility and resilience of their joints. It is recommended to choose some low-intensity exercises, such as walking, yoga, tai chi, etc., to avoid strenuous exercise that puts too much pressure on the joints.
Keep warm and avoid cold joints
Menopausal women are often prone to symptoms of cold in their joints, so they should pay attention to keeping their joints warm. In the cold season, you can wear warm items such as gloves and scarves to avoid pain caused by cold joints.
Check up regularly and pay attention to your joint health
Regular bone density tests and joint examinations can help identify and treat joint problems in a timely manner. Once a joint disease is found, it is necessary to actively cooperate with the doctor for treatment to avoid delaying the condition.
06
Remind older women to know how to take care of their hands!
Taking care of your hands is a crucial task for older women. Time is relentless, leaving marks on our hands, leaving the otherwise delicate and silky skin rough and dry. Therefore, in order to keep our hands beautiful and healthy, we need to know how to take proper care of them.
1. Keep your hands clean
We should develop the habit of washing our hands frequently, especially after coming into contact with the outside world, such as using public transportation, shopping, etc.
Use a mild hand sanitizer and avoid overly harsh cleaning products that can cause damage to the skin on your hands. After washing your hands, gently dry them with a clean towel in time to avoid leaving your hands wet for a long time, which will cause your skin to become soft and susceptible to external irritation.
2. Keep your hands moisturized
Choose a hand cream that contains the right amount of moisturizing ingredients, and use it morning and night, especially when using air conditioning or heating indoors, and pay attention to replenishing the moisture on the skin of your hands.
When applying hand cream, you can gently massage your hands to promote blood circulation and improve the absorption capacity of the skin. In addition, regular hand care, such as using a moisturizing hand mask, can also be effective in improving the dryness and roughness of the hand skin.
3. Pay attention to the protection of your hands
When outdoors, try to wear gloves and avoid direct contact with sun, cold air, hot water and other stimuli with your hands. Use protective gloves when performing household chores to protect your hands from chemicals such as detergent and laundry detergent.