Is there a simple way to ease thumb pain from arthritis?

Thumb pain caused by arthritis can make everyday tasks like opening jars or writing extremely difficult. This type of arthritis, called rhizarthrosis or trapeziometacarpal (TMC) osteoarthritis, affects the base of your thumb where it meets your wrist. Recently, a study explored a promising treatment option—a special injection called Durolane.

Here are three key things the study found:

The treatment reduced thumb pain significantly—by nearly 28% over six months.
Improvements started as early as one month after the injection.
No serious side effects were reported.

Below is a guide to everything you need to know about this treatment option.

What is rhizarthrosis?

You might be wondering, what is rhizarthrosis? Simply put, it is a type of arthritis that harms the joint at the base of your thumb. This joint, called the trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint, wears out over time and can become painful and stiff.

Rhizarthrosis can make movements like pinching and grabbing very uncomfortable. Many people notice issues when trying to button shirts, open jars, or write for long periods.

How does Durolane help?

Durolane is an injection containing a substance called NASHA (nonanimal stabilized hyaluronic acid). Hyaluronic acid is something you already have in your joints—it acts like a cushion or lubricant, helping your bones move smoothly.

Sometimes, your body doesn’t produce enough of this fluid when arthritis develops. Adding more of it through the Durolane injection can make the joint feel better and move more easily.

You may wonder, is it safe? According to the study, this treatment is very well tolerated. While a few patients reported mild injection-site reactions, there were no serious or allergic issues.

What does the study show?

Let us look closer at the findings. In this study, 35 patients with thumb arthritis received one injection of Durolane. Their pain was measured using a scale called the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain).

Months After Injection	Pain Reduction (%)
1	26.5%
6	27.8%

This means that within one month, pain levels had already dropped over 25%. After six months, patients reported nearly 28% less pain compared to before the injection. On top of that, thumb movement, pinch strength, and other daily hand functions showed improvement.

You may wonder, “What about risks?” The study found very few side effects—only four patients reported mild reactions at the injection site.

FAQ

What is Durolane made of?

Durolane is made of nonanimal hyaluronic acid, a substance that acts like a cushion and lubricant inside joints.

How often do you need the injection?

In the study, patients only needed one injection of Durolane for six months of relief.

Is Durolane safe?

Yes, the study found that Durolane is well tolerated. There were no serious or allergic reactions, and mild side effects were reported in only a few cases.

How quickly might I see improvements?

Most patients experienced noticeable pain relief within one month after the injection.

Conclusion

If thumb arthritis makes your daily life harder, Durolane might give you relief. This study shows it helps reduce pain and improve movement for many people while being safe. However, always discuss options with your healthcare provider first.