Written by Mavis Tham, Shamaine Soh and Yuna Zhuang, Principal Hand Occupational Therapists at Phoenix Rehab.Clinically reviewed by Nigel Chua, Principal Hand Occupational Therapist & Director, AHPC A1300362Z.Last reviewed 2 October 2026.
Finger arthritis most often means osteoarthritis of the finger joints.
Doctors call bony bumps on the joints nearest the nails Heberden’s nodes, and bumps on the middle joints Bouchard’s nodes. The joints can ache, swell and stiffen, your grip can weaken, and the bumps can look alarming.
The bony nodes stay once they form. The pain, stiffness and loss of function can improve with joint protection, hand exercise, splints during flares and the right medication advice.
A new node often goes through an active stage, with redness, warmth and swelling that lasts months to a couple of years for that joint, before the pain settles. Hand therapy helps you through that stage and protects your joints for the long run.
At Phoenix Rehab Group, our hand therapists assess each painful joint, show you ways to do your daily tasks with less strain, and make custom finger splints in the same appointment when a flare needs one. You do not need a doctor’s referral. If finger joint pain is making daily tasks harder, WhatsApp us to Get Assessed & Treated.
Finger arthritis at a glance
| What it is | Osteoarthritis of the finger joints, with bony enlargement (nodes) |
| Heberden’s nodes | Bumps on the end joints (DIP joints), nearest the nails |
| Bouchard’s nodes | Bumps on the middle joints (PIP joints) |
| Common in | Women around and after menopause, people with a family history, adults over 50 |
| Main symptoms | Aching, stiffness, swelling, bony bumps, weaker pinch and grip |
| First-line care | Joint protection, hand exercise, splints in flares, topical anti-inflammatory gel via a doctor or pharmacist |
| Painful stage | Often months to a couple of years for each joint, then settles |
| Painful stage | A joint is hot, red and swollen, several joints swell with long morning stiffness, or you have a fever |
What is finger arthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a change in the whole joint.
The smooth cartilage that covers the ends of the bones thins, the bone underneath thickens, and the edges of the joint grow small spurs of bone called osteophytes. The joint lining can become inflamed, and the capsule around the joint thickens. In the fingers, those bony spurs form the nodes you can see and feel.
Hand osteoarthritis tends to affect three sites: the end joints of the fingers, the middle joints, and the joint at the base of the thumb. Base of thumb arthritis has its own page: see thumb joint pain.
Heberden’s vs Bouchard’s nodes
| Heberden’s nodes | Heberden’s nodes | |
| Joint | End joint of the finger (DIP), nearest the nail | Middle joint of the finger (PIP) |
| How common | The more common of the two | Less common; often appear alongside Heberden’s nodes |
| Effect on the hand | Fingertips may drift sideways; nail changes if a cyst forms | Stiffness in the middle joint affects grip and making a fist |
| Cause | Osteoarthritis | Osteoarthritis |
Both are signs of the same condition. The names describe which joint the bony bump sits on.
Erosive hand osteoarthritis
Some people have a more inflammatory form called erosive hand osteoarthritis. The joints flare with more redness, swelling and pain, the middle joints are often involved, and the fingers can become more deformed. Erosive osteoarthritis can look like rheumatoid arthritis, and a rheumatologist may need to review it.
Mucous cysts
A mucous cyst is a small, clear, fluid-filled lump near the nail, arising from an arthritic end joint. It can press on the nail bed and leave a groove down the nail. Do not pop or drain a mucous cyst yourself, because infection can track into the joint. A doctor manages a cyst that keeps leaking, grows or becomes painful.
You may also see finger arthritis called nodal osteoarthritis, hand osteoarthritis or osteoarthritis of the fingers.
Symptoms of finger arthritis
- Aching in the finger joints, worse after use and in the evening.
- Stiffness in the morning that eases within about 30 minutes.
- Swelling, warmth and redness during an active stage, when a node is forming.
- Bony bumps on the end or middle joints.
- Weaker pinch and grip. Opening jars, turning keys and doing up buttons get harder.
- Fingers drifting sideways at the end or middle joints.
- Grinding or clicking as the joint moves.
- Nail changes from a mucous cyst.
Is it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?
Heberden’s nodes are a sign of osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis affects different joints and needs different treatment, so the pattern matters.
| Condition | Joints affected | Clues |
| Hand osteoarthritis | End and middle finger joints, base of the thumb | Bony, hard nodes; morning stiffness under 30 minutes; age 50 and over; runs in families |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Knuckles at the base of the fingers and the wrists, both hands | Soft, warm swelling; morning stiffness over an hour; tiredness; blood tests help confirm it |
| Psoriatic arthritis | Often the end joints | Psoriasis on the skin, pitted nails, a whole finger swollen like a sausage |
| Gout | Any joint, often one at a time | Sudden, hot, red, very painful joint; attacks that come and go |
| Mucous cyst | End joint, near the nail | Small fluid-filled lump; nail groove |
| Trigger finger | Tendon in the palm, felt at the base of the finger | Clicking or locking as the finger bends |
What causes Heberden’s nodes?
No single cause explains hand osteoarthritis. Several factors add up:
- Genes. Hand osteoarthritis runs in families. Many people develop nodes in the same pattern as their mother or grandmother.
- Sex and hormones. Women develop nodes more often than men, and many notice them around menopause.
- Age. Nodes are more common from the 50s onwards.
- Previous injury. A finger joint damaged by a sprain or fracture can develop arthritis years later; see finger sprain.
- Heavy hand use. Years of forceful gripping and pinching add load to the joints.
Using your hands in daily life did not cause your arthritis, and moving them does not make it worse.
How is finger arthritis diagnosed?
A hand therapist or doctor recognizes hand osteoarthritis from the pattern of affected joints and an examination. The clinician looks for bony nodes, checks swelling, movement and stability at each joint, and measures pinch and grip strength.
A doctor may order an X-ray, which shows joint narrowing and bony spurs. X-ray changes do not match pain well: a joint that looks worn on X-ray can feel fine, and the reverse.
A doctor arranges blood tests if the pattern suggests rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or gout. Your hand therapist refers you to a doctor when these signs are present.
Finger arthritis treatment in Singapore: your options
| Option | Who provides it | What the evidence shows | When it fits |
| When it fits | Hand therapist | Doctor or pharmacist | From day one |
| Hand exercise program | Hand therapist | Modest gains in pain, stiffness and grip | Ongoing |
| Splints | Hand therapist | Ease pain during flares; night splints rest sore joints | During flares and at night |
| Heat | Hand therapist | Eases stiffness before activity | Before exercises and in the morning |
| Topical anti-inflammatory gel | Doctor or pharmacist | A recommended first medication for hand osteoarthritis | During painful spells |
| Oral painkillers | Doctor | Short-term relief | As your doctor advises |
| Steroid injection | Doctor | Short-term relief for a very painful joint | Selected joints |
| Joint fusion or joint replacement | Hand surgeon | Relieves pain; fusion removes movement at that joint | Severe pain or deformity |
| Supplements such as glucosamine | Doctor or pharmacist | Weak evidence | Discuss with your doctor first |
Joint protection. Your therapist shows you how to spread the load. Use two hands and larger joints for heavy tasks, swap a tight fingertip pinch for a whole-hand grip, choose thicker handles, break long tasks into shorter ones, and treat pain that lasts more than an hour after a task as a sign to change how you do it.
Hand exercise. Regular movement keeps the joints mobile, and strength work supports grip. Research shows modest improvements in pain and function from hand exercise programs, and the benefits last while you keep doing them.
Splints. During a flare, a small finger splint rests a painful end or middle joint, and a night resting splint eases morning stiffness. If the base of your thumb is also arthritic, a thumb orthosis supports pinch. Your therapist can mold custom splints to fit joints with bony nodes that ready-made splints do not suit.
Heat. Warm water soaks for 5 to 10 minutes ease stiffness before exercise. Paraffin wax baths, where available, do the same.
Medication. Guidelines recommend topical anti-inflammatory gel as a first medication for hand osteoarthritis, because it acts close to the joint with fewer side effects than tablets. A doctor can advise on tablets and, for one very painful joint, a steroid injection. Hand therapists do not prescribe medication or give injections.
Surgery. For severe pain or deformity, a hand surgeon may fuse an end joint in a straight position, which removes pain and movement at that joint, or replace some middle joints. Hand therapy after surgery protects the repair and improves function; see post-surgery rehabilitation.
Hand therapy for finger arthritis at Phoenix Rehab Group
Our hand therapy team is led by Nigel Chua, Principal Hand Occupational Therapist & Director, who has treated hand and wrist conditions since 2005. Our hand therapists are AHPC-registered occupational therapists and physiotherapists with post-graduate training in hand therapy.
At your first appointment, you can expect:
- A hand history. We ask about your daily tasks, work, hobbies, flares and family history.
- A joint-by-joint examination. We check each painful joint, measure pinch and grip strength, and note any drift or instability.
- Joint protection coaching. We work through your own daily tasks, from cooking to phone use, and change how you do the ones that hurt.
- Splints if needed. Custom finger splints or a night resting splint, made in the same appointment.
- An exercise program you can do in 10 minutes a day.
- A referral if needed. If your joints show signs of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or gout, we refer you to your GP or a rheumatologist.
Most people need 2 to 4 appointments over 4 to 8 weeks, then a review during flares.
Contact us for a finger arthritis assessment. WhatsApp us.
Everyday tools that take the strain off finger joints
Small changes to your tools cut the load on arthritic finger joints. Our occupational therapists can suggest more.
- Jar and bottle openers, including rubber grip pads and under-cabinet jar openers.
- Thicker grips. Foam tubing on pens, cutlery and toothbrushes spreads the pressure.
- Spring-assisted or training chopsticks, which open on their own and need less pinch.
- Lever taps and lever door handles in place of round knobs.
- An electric can opener and a key turner.
- A shopping trolley or a bag with wide, padded handles. Thin plastic bag handles from Singapore’s wet markets press hard on finger joints.
- A rocker knife or a knife with a thick handle for chopping.
- A phone stand and voice typing, to cut long pinch holds on your phone.
- Zip pulls and button hooks for dressing.
What to expect over time
Finger arthritis is a long-term condition with a predictable course. These timeframes help you plan. Your doctor or therapist may give you different targets; use theirs.
| Stage | What happens | Typical timeframe |
| Active stage of a new node | The joint is red, warm, swollen and painful as the node forms | Months to a couple of years for each joint |
| Settled stage | Pain eases; the bump stays; some stiffness may remain | After the active stage |
| Flares | Pain after heavy use or a knock | Days to a few weeks |
| After joint fusion surgery | Splint, then the bones fuse | About 8 to 12 weeks for the fusion to set |
You are doing well if daily tasks hurt less, morning stiffness is shorter, and flares settle faster. Contact your therapist if a joint becomes unstable, a finger drifts fast, or flares become more frequent.
Exercises for finger arthritis
Exercise selection and dosages below need clinician sign-off. Warm your hands in warm water for 5 minutes first.
- Tendon glides. Move through a straight hand, hook fist, full fist and flat fist. 5 to 10 rounds, twice a day.
- Blocked finger bends. Hold the finger below the joint you are working, then bend and straighten that joint. 10 repeats per joint, once or twice a day.
- Finger spreads. Spread the fingers wide against a light rubber band. 10 repeats.
- Thumb to fingertip. Touch the thumb to each fingertip, making an “O”. 5 rounds.
- Soft putty squeeze and pinch. Use a soft grade of therapy putty. 10 repeats each.
Stop or scale back if pain goes above 3 out of 10 during an exercise, lasts more than an hour afterwards, or a joint swells more the next day. During a hot, swollen flare, keep to movement without resistance until it settles.
One exercise to skip in a flare: squeezing a hard grip trainer or stress ball. Heavy squeezing loads inflamed joints.
Mistakes that make finger arthritis harder
- Resting the hands for weeks. Stiffness and weakness increase without movement.
- Using a tight fingertip pinch for heavy tasks. Pinch loads the end joints more than a whole-hand grip.
- Squeezing a hard ball during a flare. It loads inflamed joints.
- Popping a mucous cyst. It can let infection into the joint.
- Spending on supplements and skipping exercise. Exercise has more evidence behind it.
- Ignoring a hot, red, swollen joint. It may be gout or an infection, which need a doctor.
Myths about Heberden’s nodes
- “Cracking my knuckles caused my arthritis.” Studies have not found a link between knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis.
- “A cream or oil can dissolve the nodes.” The nodes are bone. No cream, oil, massage or supplement removes them.
- “I should stop using my hands.” Movement and graded exercise help; complete rest makes stiffness worse.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor on the same day if:
- a joint is hot, red and swollen and you have a fever (possible joint infection)
- a mucous cyst leaks and the skin around it turns red or painful
Make an appointment with a doctor soon if:
- a joint turns hot, red and very painful within hours (possible gout)
- several joints swell, including the knuckles at the base of the fingers or the wrists, with morning stiffness over an hour
- a finger drifts or deforms over weeks
- you have numbness or tingling in the fingers
- you have psoriasis, or pitted nails, along with swollen finger joints
Frequently asked questions about finger arthritis
What is the root cause of Heberden’s nodes?
Heberden’s nodes are a sign of osteoarthritis in the end joints of the fingers. The root cause is a mix of factors: genes (they run in families), sex and hormones (women develop them more often, many around menopause), age, previous finger injuries and years of heavy hand use. The cartilage thins and the bone forms small spurs at the joint edge, which you feel as a node.
Can you reverse Heberden’s nodes?
No. Heberden’s nodes are bony spurs, and once they form they stay. The pain, redness and swelling of an active node settle in most people over months to a couple of years. Joint protection, hand exercises, splints during flares and topical anti-inflammatory gel help you keep your grip and function while that happens. A hand surgeon can operate on a joint that stays very painful or deformed.
What is the difference between Heberden and Bouchard nodes?
Heberden’s nodes form on the end joints of the fingers, nearest the nails. Bouchard’s nodes form on the middle joints. Both are bony bumps caused by osteoarthritis, and many people have both. Bouchard’s nodes tend to affect grip more, because stiffness in the middle joints makes it harder to close a full fist. Treatment is the same for both.
Is Heberden’s node rheumatoid arthritis?
No. Heberden’s nodes are a sign of osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis affects different joints, most often the knuckles at the base of the fingers and the wrists on both hands, with soft, warm swelling, morning stiffness lasting over an hour and tiredness. If your pattern looks like rheumatoid arthritis, see a doctor for blood tests, because early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis protects the joints.
Are there natural ways to get rid of Heberden’s nodes?
No natural remedy, cream, oil, massage or supplement dissolves a Heberden’s node, because the node is bone. Natural ways to ease the pain and stiffness include warm water soaks, daily hand exercises, joint protection and splints during flares. Evidence for supplements such as glucosamine is weak. For a joint that stays very painful or deformed, a hand surgeon can discuss surgery.
Does the pain from Heberden’s nodes go away?
For most people, yes. The painful, red, swollen stage of a node settles over months to a couple of years, and the joint becomes less painful even though the bump stays. Some stiffness and weakness in grip can remain. Joint protection, exercise and splints during flares help you through the painful stage. Pain that stays severe, or a joint that becomes unstable, needs a review.
What is the best treatment for finger arthritis?
Treatment works as a package: education and joint protection, a daily hand exercise program, splints during flares or at night, heat before activity, and topical anti-inflammatory gel on a doctor’s or pharmacist’s advice. A doctor can inject a very painful joint, and a hand surgeon can fuse or replace a joint for severe pain or deformity. A hand therapist tailors the package to your joints and daily tasks.
Do I need a referral to see a hand therapist for finger arthritis in Singapore?
No. You can see a hand therapist at Phoenix Rehab Group without a doctor’s referral. If your joints show signs of rheumatoid arthritis, gout or infection, we refer you to a doctor and share our findings. Some insurers ask for a doctor’s referral before they reimburse therapy, so check your policy first.
Contact us for a finger arthritis assessment
If finger joint pain and stiffness are making daily tasks harder, a hand therapist can show you how to protect your joints and ease the strain.
- WhatsApp: Message us. Your message opens with “Hi, I’d like to schedule a hand therapy assessment for finger arthritis.”
- Clinics: Orchard, Serangoon, Tampines, Tanjong Pagar at International Plaza and Jurong East at Vision Exchange, opening 25 October 2026.
- Referral: not required. Some insurers need one for claims, so check your policy.
- Insurance: we provide itemised invoices, and a clinical report if your insurer asks for one.
If the fingertip itself will not straighten, the tendon that lifts it is the likely culprit and the splinting is time critical. See the Mallet Finger Recovery Program, which sets out the four stages and what moves you up.
Where a finger joint has stopped giving range back, total end range time rather than exercise is what changes it. See the Stiff Finger Joint Recovery Program, which sets out the four stages and what moves you up.
A finger that will not flatten because of a firm cord in the palm is a different condition from arthritis in the joint. The Dupuytren’s Contracture Recovery Program sets out the four stages and the criteria to move up.
A finger joint that stiffened after a fracture rather than from arthritis is a different problem. The Finger and Metacarpal Fracture Recovery Program sets out the four stages and the criteria to move up.
Where are you with this right now?
1. It is settling on its own
Many hand problems settle with a well fitted splint, changes to what provokes them, and tendon gliding. A tender scar and weak grip for a few weeks after surgery are usual. If it is easing week on week, and grip is improving month on month, it is behaving as expected. You do not need us for this, and we would rather say so.
2. It has stopped improving
You hand the jar to someone else. You button the shirt one-handed. You have stopped using that hand for anything that matters and barely noticed when it started.
The hand is the part of the body where stiffness sets in fastest, because a hand that hurts gets used less within days rather than weeks. That is the gap worth measuring, and it is not measured by how you feel on the day.
The Stalled Recovery Review is three appointments over three weeks with the same therapist, because what a joint does under load cannot be read in one visit. The first finds what is limiting it. The next two measure how it responds. $690, nett, no GST, which is three appointments at $230.
3. You have had surgery, or you have a date
Recovery after an operation has a shape, and knowing which stage you are in tells you whether you are on it. See the recovery programs, or hand therapy after surgery if you are not sure which applies to you.
All of it runs on the same four stages. The Phoenix Recovery Protocol explains what each stage works on and what you have to meet to move up. No referral needed to start.
Next step
Find out which stage you are in
Pain is the first thing to leave. Movement and strength are the last things trained back, and most people stop before that part is done. One Assessment and Treatment is a single 45-minute appointment at $230, nett, no GST. Your therapist finds what is actually limiting you, treats it in the same appointment, and you leave with your current stage and a written plan.
Prefer to phone? Each of our five clinics has its own number on the clinics page. No referral needed to book.
Related reading
- hand therapy after surgery
- carpal tunnel
- Trigger Finger Hand Therapy Singapore
- Sprained Thumb Physiotherapy: What to Expect
- Your Handy Guide to Eversion of Foot Injuries and Prevention
- The Phoenix Recovery Protocol, and the four stages
- All recovery programs, hand and physio
- Rheumatoid arthritis in the hands
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