Finger joint pain that intensifies when the finger is moved may be due to a recent injury, such as a sprain or a condition known as mallet finger. Painful finger joints may also be a symptom of inflammation due to lupus or arthritis in the fingers. In the absence of injury, an individual who is feeling pain symptoms in other parts of the body may actually be experiencing the first symptoms of arthritis or lupus along with finger joint pain.
One of the primary symptoms of a sprained finger is joint pain. However, other symptoms are likely to be present at the same time, such as tenderness throughout the finger and swelling. A finger sprain is characterized by torn ligaments that cause finger joint pain, especially when the finger is moved. Individuals are likely to immediately feel the tear occur or, if engaged in a high adrenaline activity, a person may not feel the sprain until later, but will likely be able to trace it back to a specific cause or event.
A similar condition, which also causes finger joint pain, is known as mallet finger or basketball finger. This condition is caused by a ligament that has been torn or stretched and, in some instances, the finger may have even suffered a hairline fracture. Besides finger joint pain, however, a person with mallet finger will not be able to fully extend the injured finger, and it will also appear to be red and swollen.
If finger joint pain is due to arthritis, a person may or may not be able to trace the pain to a specific event. Also, pain may occur in a joint that suffered injury a long time ago and otherwise appears to have healed prior to the onset of pain. If arthritis is the cause, it is likely that joints will appear swollen and may even feel slightly feverish. If bone or cartilage appears to be enlarged, this may also be an indication that finger joint pain is due to arthritis. When wrist pain or similar pain is felt in other joints throughout the body, rheumatoid arthritis or some other form of this disease is more likely to be the cause.
Another autoimmune disease, lupus, may also cause an individual to suffer finger joint pain. However, other symptoms such as a facial rash, fever and light sensitivity are likely to also affect an individual with this disease. Symptoms may also come and go, or appear to be very bad at times and lessen during other times.
