Disabling effects – upper limb joints
The Hands
Nodes, which can occur on the fingers, are commonly painful during initial development, and this may reduce fine manual dexterity, however as the nodes reach full development they usually do not cause significant pain. As the condition progresses, the fingers may become gnarled and deformed. They may ache or become stiff. Despite their appearance, impact on functional ability tends to be minor although decreased fine manual dexterity such as reduced accuracy using keyboards may occur. Difficulty may be experienced with tasks such as opening jam-jars and bottles, using taps, and pulling up underwear and trousers.
The Shoulders
The most common symptom of arthritis of the shoulder is pain, which is aggravated by activity and progressively worsens. If the gleno-humeral joint is affected, then pain in the upper arm is a characteristic feature and may intensify with changes in the weather. The pain of arthritis in the acromioclavicular joint (AC joint) is focused on the front of the shoulder, and is more localised and tender.
Limited joint movement is likely. As the disease progresses, it is likely that lifting the arm to comb hair or reach up to a shelf will become increasingly difficult. As the disease further progresses, any movement of the shoulder causes pain, night pain is common and sleeping may be difficult.
The Neck
Neck pain is a common complaint, causing many people to seek advice from their General Practitioner (GP). Studies have shown that about 70% of the population experience neck pain at some time during their lives, with about 40% reporting neck pain during the previous month.
Cervical Spondylosis is characterised by remissions and relapses of neck pain. The term itself is often used very loosely by the medical profession encompassing a spectrum of severity from mild to very severe problems.
The great majority of people with neck pain will improve spontaneously and return to full function with no care or mobility needs. Only a small percentage of the total develop longstanding neck pain with significant functional limitations.
