The pain caused by osteoarthritis in the fingers can be debilitating and frustrating. Inflammation and stiffness make it difficult to perform everyday tasks like opening a jar, or typing on a computer keyboard. The pain in your fingers can make it difficult to do favorite hobbies like knitting or playing the guitar.
There are a few treatment options for arthritic discomfort, with varying degrees in terms of safety and effectiveness. A new treatment option being investigated is the injection into the joint of your own fat.
How it Works
This treatment method is known as lipofilling. Through liposuction, a small amount of body fat is removed. The fat is purified, and then injected directly into the finger joint.
Lipofilling can be used to improve the appearance of lips, reduce wrinkles or repair damage caused by breast reconstruction surgery. It’s now being considered as a treatment for arthritis.
It’s still not clear why fat injections help, but it is thought to help lubricate joints. The stem cells found in fat can also reduce inflammation and promote the healing of worn out cartilage, which is a characteristic of arthritis.
The technique is minimally-invasive, and does not require anesthesia or surgery.
Does It Really Work?
Clinical research into the use of fat infusions to treat arthritis is at an early stage. A few small studies were conducted but more large-scale studies are required to prove the effectiveness of this treatment.
In one study, 28 fingers (18 different patients) received lipofilling. Patients reported significant pain reduction and improvements in grip strength, finger-pinching ability and grip strength. Some people took several months for the effects to show. For some, the procedure was ineffective or had no effect. There were no adverse reactions reported. While the initial results are not 100 percent successful, this treatment appears to be safe and effective.
A second study examined the effects of fat injections on knee osteoarthritis. All 30 patients reported some pain relief in that experiment. Eight patients reported complete or nearly-complete symptom reduction, and 16 people were able return to vigorous physical activity. Six people reported that their pain levels or functional abilities had not improved.
Should I try it?
This is a new treatment and it may not be available to you. If you are struggling to relieve arthritic pain in your fingers, speak to your doctor to see what other treatments you might be able to try. It’s worth looking into lipofilling if you haven’t had success with other treatments.
Your doctor may recommend lifestyle and dietary changes to improve your health and relieve symptoms.
