For many people, pain in the hands is more than a small inconvenience. It can make everyday activities difficult, slow, and frustrating.
Simple tasks such as opening a jar, turning a key, writing, cooking, carrying shopping bags, or buttoning a shirt may become painful.
As the condition worsens, people may lose strength in their hands and find it harder to stay independent.
One of the most common causes of ongoing hand pain is hand osteoarthritis, often called hand OA. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It develops when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of bones gradually wears away.
Without this smooth layer, bones rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced movement.
Hand osteoarthritis becomes more common with age. Researchers estimate that by the age of 85, around half of all women and about one quarter of all men will develop the condition. Women are especially likely to develop hand OA after menopause, suggesting that hormonal changes may play a role.
Although hand OA affects millions of people, treatment options have been limited. Doctors often recommend pain-relieving medicines, anti-inflammatory drugs, hand exercises, splints, and lifestyle changes. While these approaches can help some people, many continue to experience pain and stiffness that interfere with daily life.
Now, a new study from Monash University and Alfred Health offers fresh hope. Researchers found that methotrexate, a medicine that has been used for decades to treat inflammatory arthritis, may also reduce pain in people with hand osteoarthritis. The study was published in The Lancet.
Methotrexate is not a new drug. Since the 1980s, it has been widely prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints.
The medicine works by reducing inflammation, helping to relieve pain and slow joint damage. Because some people with hand OA also have inflammation in their joints, researchers wanted to find out whether methotrexate could help them as well.
In the study, participants with painful hand osteoarthritis were divided into two groups. One group took 20 milligrams of methotrexate once each week for six months.
The other group received a placebo, a tablet that looked the same but contained no active medicine. This type of study allows researchers to compare treatments fairly and determine whether a medicine truly works.
The results were encouraging. People taking methotrexate experienced much greater improvements in pain and stiffness than those taking the placebo. Their pain improved about twice as much, and the benefits continued to increase during the six months of treatment.
These findings suggest that inflammation may play a bigger role in hand osteoarthritis than previously thought. If inflammation can be controlled, some people may experience meaningful pain relief and improved hand function.
The researchers, led by Professor Flavia Cicuttini, believe this discovery could lead to a new treatment option for people with painful hand OA, particularly women around menopause who commonly develop the condition. However, they also stress that more research is needed before methotrexate becomes a routine treatment for hand osteoarthritis.
Future studies will investigate how long the benefits last, which patients are most likely to respond, whether the medicine can slow joint damage, and how to use it safely over the long term.
Because methotrexate can cause side effects and requires regular medical monitoring, people should not take it unless it is prescribed by a doctor. Blood tests are usually needed to check for possible effects on the liver and blood cells during treatment.
Even so, this research represents an important step forward. Instead of developing a completely new medicine, scientists may be able to use an existing drug with a long history of medical use to help people living with hand osteoarthritis. If future studies confirm these results, many people may one day enjoy less pain, better hand function, and a higher quality of life.
If you care about pain, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
