Arthritis in your hands affects your wrists and joints in your fingers. You may notice:
swelling
pain
stiffness
limited range of motion
You may regularly experience these symptoms, or it may be days or even weeks before you have a flare-up. Over time you might experience chronic pain, and performing simple activities may prove difficult.
The anatomy of the hand is unique and complex. Arthritis that affects the hand can be painful and debilitating, given the complexity of the hand and the number of joints it contains. Your hands and wrists are made up of several different bones. Two or more bones meet and form a joint. All of the fingers contain three joints except your thumb, which has two.
The bone surface area near the joint is covered with cartilage. Cartilage makes it possible for your bones to pass smoothly against one another as they move. A fibrous capsule lined with a thin membrane called synovium encloses each joint. This structure secretes a fluid, which lubricates the joints.