Waking up with stiff fingers, finding them difficult to move, is a common experience. This stiffness can affect one or more fingers and may take minutes or even hours to resolve. It can be accompanied by joint pain and a clicking sensation during movement.

Doctor Tran Ngoc Chon, from the Orthopedic Trauma Unit at Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7, explains that morning stiffness in the fingers is often a sign of osteoarthritis. Pain may appear and subside after a few minutes of massaging and moving the fingers. However, if the stiffness occurs frequently, lasts for several hours, and is accompanied by swelling, pain, or numbness in the fingers without a clear cause, it could indicate chronic inflammatory arthritis.

Osteoarthritis, characterized by damage to the joint cartilage, leads to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. In this condition, finger stiffness upon waking typically diminishes within a few minutes to 30 minutes.

Rheumatoid arthritis significantly impacts the finger joints, wrists, and toe joints. Morning stiffness lasting for an hour or more is a hallmark of this condition.

Doctor Chon examines a patient's hand and finger function. Photo illustration: Tam Anh General Clinic, District 7

Psoriatic arthritis often causes finger stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, along with pain and swelling in the joints.

Tenosynovitis, particularly affecting the finger flexor tendons or De Quervain's tenosynovitis, causes swelling that restricts tendon movement, leading to pain and stiffness. The pain intensifies when attempting to bend or straighten the fingers.

Dupuytren's contracture affects the connective tissue surrounding the bones in the hand, especially the ring and little fingers. Stiffness typically occurs in the morning upon waking.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause numbness, tingling, and stiffness in the hand and fingers, often worsening upon waking.

Scleroderma, an autoimmune disease, causes inflammation and thickening of the skin and connective tissues. In its early stages, fingers often swell. Over time, the skin on the fingers and toes becomes tight, shiny, and difficult to bend. Many individuals with scleroderma experience morning stiffness in their fingers.

Injuries can damage soft tissues like tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, or cause arthritis. During the night, when the hands are less active, these damaged tissues tend to contract, leading to morning stiffness.

Doctor Chon recommends seeking medical attention if you experience sudden or persistent stiffness lasting more than three days; stiffness lasting over 30 minutes that doesn't improve with movement or massage; stiffness accompanied by swelling, heat, redness, or pain; or stiffness that interferes with daily activities.

Doctor Chon performs carpal tunnel surgery. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital

Treatment options vary depending on the severity and underlying cause, and may include medication, massage, and physical therapy. Interventional treatments, such as injections or surgery for conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, or tenosynovitis, can be performed quickly, typically within 30-60 minutes, allowing patients to leave the same day.

Phi Hong