What supplements will help my stiff swollen fingers?

Just like my mother had at my age, a few of my finger joints are swollen, knobbly and sometimes feel stiff.

- Dr Rosemary Leonard

Q The pain isn't bad enough to take regular painkillers, though I do need them sometimes. Is there anything I can do to stop them getting any worse? Are there any supplements that could help? The surface of bones in all joints is covered with a protective layer of cartilage, which goes through a continuous cycle of being damaged and repaired.

In osteoarthritis, the repair process is faulty, so the cartilage becomes worn, and affected joints become stiff and painful, and new bone growth at the ends of the bones leads to knobbly swellings.

Hand arthritis is a common problem, especially in women over 50, and in many it is due to an inherited problem in the cartilage repair process, which is why it often runs in families like yours.

The finger joints usually affected are those next to the fingernails and the ones in the middle, making it difficult to get rings on and off. The joint at the base of the thumb is also a common culprit.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for osteoarthritis, but it can be helpful to reduce the strain you put on affected joints, such as using both hands for a task that you may have previously done with one hand, and using kitchen gadgets or tools with softer, chunkier handles that don't need such a tight grip.

Splints can also help to support joints if you are using them a lot, but should not be worn all the time, as this could weaken the muscles, and doing regular hand exercises can help to keep the joints mobile.

Conventional drugs, such as anti-inflammatories, can reduce pain and stiffness, and steroid injections can help lower inflammation.