What is the Difference Between Tendonitis and Arthritis in Thumb

The key difference between tendonitis and arthritis in thumb is that tendonitis is due to the inflammation of the tendon, while arthritis in the thumb is due to the inflammation of the thumb joint.

Tendonitis and arthritis in the thumb are both inflammatory conditions that cause severe pain. Both these conditions can interfere with people’s ability to participate in daily activities or their hobbies. Moreover, both these conditions can be diagnosed through common diagnosis strategies such as X-rays. However, the source of pain in these conditions varies and therefore requires different management strategies.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Tendonitis 
3. What is Arthritis in Thumb
4. Similarities – Tendonitis and Arthritis in Thumb
5. Tendonitis vs. Arthritis in Thumb in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Tendonitis vs. Arthritis in Thumb

What is Tendonitis?

Tendonitis is a condition that occurs when a tendon is inflamed. Tendons are strong cords of tissue that usually connect the muscles to bones. Tendonitis can be seen in any tendon in the body. There is another condition that is related to tendonitis called tenosynovitis. Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the lining of the tendon sheath around a tendon. Sometimes, both the tendon sheath and the tendon can be inflamed at the same time. Tendonitis can be caused by strain, overuse, injury, too much exercise, or underlying diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or infection. Moreover, the symptoms of tendonitis may include pain in the tendon when moving, swelling from fluid, inflammation around the tendon, and a grating feeling or sensation when moving the joint.

Tendonitis can be diagnosed through health history, physical examination, joint aspiration, and imaging tests such as X-rays. Furthermore, tendonitis is treated by changing the activities that trigger the tendonitis, icing the area to reduce inflammation and pain around the tendon, putting a splint on the area to limit the movement, steroid injections to reduce the inflammation, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine)  to reduce inflammation and pain, antibiotics if there is any infection and surgeries.

What is Arthritis in the Thumb?

Arthritis in the thumb is a condition that occurs due to the inflammation of the thumb joint. Arthritis in the thumb is usually very common with aging, and it is caused by previous trauma or injury to the thumb joint. Due to this trauma and injuries, the cartilage gradually erodes from the extremities of the bones that typically come together to create the joint situated at the foundation of the thumb, known as the carpometacarpal joint.

The typical symptoms of this condition may include pain at the base of the thumb when griping, grasping, or pinching an object or when using the thumb to apply force, swelling, stiffness, and tenderness at the base of the thumb, reduced strength when grasping or pinching objects, decreased range of movement, and enlarged appearance of the joint at the base of the thumb. The risk factors for this condition include sex (females affected more), age above 40, obesity, certain hereditary conditions like joint ligament laxity and malformed joints, fractures and sprains that injure thumb joints, diseases that change the normal structure and function of cartilage (rheumatoid arthritis) and jobs that put high stress or pressure on the thumb joint.

Arthritis in the thumb can be diagnosed through physical examination, X-ray, bone scans, CT scans, and MRI. Furthermore, arthritis in the thumb can be treated through therapies (strengthening exercises), splinting, topical gels or creams such as Voltaren gel to relieve the pain and inflammation, corticosteroid injection to reduce the pain and inflammation, and surgeries such as suspension plasty.

What are the Similarities Between Tendonitis and Arthritis in Thumb?

• Tendonitis and arthritis in the thumb are both inflammatory conditions.
• Both conditions can cause similar symptoms, such as severe pain, swelling, decreased motion around the affected region, etc.
• Both these conditions can interfere with the ability of people to participate in daily activities.
• Both these conditions can be diagnosed through common diagnostic strategies such as X-rays.
• They can be treated through anti-inflammatory medications and respective surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Tendonitis and Arthritis in Thumb?

Tendonitis is due to the inflammation of the tendon, while arthritis in the thumb is due to the inflammation of the thumb joint. Thus, this is the key difference between tendonitis and arthritis in thumb. Furthermore, tendonitis can be caused by strain, overuse, injury, too much exercise, or underline diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or infection. On the other hand, arthritis in the thumb is caused by previous trauma or injury to the thumb joint.

The infographic below presents the differences between tendonitis and arthritis in thumb in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Tendonitis vs. Arthritis in the Thumb

Due to similarities in the sites of occurrence and presentation, tendonitis and arthritis in the thumb are often confusing for many people. Tendonitis and arthritis in the thumb are both inflammatory conditions that have similar symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the affected region. However, they are different conditions with different aetiologies. Tendonitis is a condition that occurs when a tendon is inflamed, while arthritis in the thumb is a condition that occurs due to the inflammation of the thumb joint. So, this is the key difference between tendonitis and arthritis in thumb.

Reference:

1. “Tendonitis.” NHS Choices.
2. “Arthritis of the Thumb.” OrthoInf.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Tendonitis Tendon rupture — Smart-Servier (cropped)” By Laboratoires Servier – Smart Servier website (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Arthritic hands in pain” By Ian Furst – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia