Base of thumb osteoarthritis: Your guide

Osteoarthritis of the thumb can be debilitating, causing problems in everyday life. Consultant radiotherapy specialist Dr Richard Shaffer explains more about how radiotherapy can be used to treat the condition.

How does radiotherapy alleviate symptoms of thumb osteoarthritis?

Radiotherapy for base of thumb osteoarthritis acts to reduce inflammation in the following ways:

• It helps prevent immune cells (leukocytes) from
• Changes the communication between cells (cytokines) to be more calming.
• Increases the natural fading away of some immune cells, and transforms others into helpful cells that ease inflammation.

Some people may consider it as a special treatment that empowers the joints to feel better, by soothing inflammation.

Furthermore, radiotherapy helps by making the bit of bone alongside the joint stronger, and prevents it from breaking down. It is almost like giving the bones a special treatment to keep them healthy and less likely to become damaged.

What are the expected outcomes of radiotherapy for thumb osteoarthritis?

Overall, studies have demonstrated that around 68 per cent of patients have had a good response or gotten better after using low-dose radiotherapy on their hand and wrist for osteoarthritis.

This overall result comes from seven studies about treating hand osteoarthritis, where doctors examined 994 patients and discovered that using low-dose radiotherapy was helpful.

Are there specific criteria for patients to be eligible for radiotherapy for thumb osteoarthritis?

In order to be eligible for radiotherapy for thumb osteoarthritis you must have had an X-ray (or another scan) to show that you have osteoarthritis. Additionally, if other simple things such as exercises or avoiding particular movements have not been effective then you may want to consider treatment.

With thumb osteoarthritis, the pain often can make it difficult to do particular things such as gripping, pinching, turning or twisting, or lifting heavy objects. These are all reasons to consider whether radiotherapy can be beneficial in reducing pain and allowing you to return to doing the things that you need to do.

Are there any potential long-term effects or complications associated with radiotherapy for this condition?

Radiotherapy doses for thumb osteoarthritis are very low, normally around one-twentieth of the dose used to treat patients with cancer. As a result of the low dosage, side effects tend to be very mild.

The treatment may cause skin reddening and soreness, but quickly improves.

How soon can patients expect relief from symptoms after undergoing radiotherapy?

For some patients, pain improves immediately after treatment ends, although for most people it takes several months for the treatment to take full effect.



If you would like to book a consultation with Dr Shaffer, simply visit his Top Doctors profile today.