Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Bouchard’s nodessymptoms include pain and inflammation. These nodes are bony enlargements of the middle joints of the fingers, also known as proximalinterphalangeal(PIP) joints—the finger joints closest to the knuckles.
The nodes are a classicsign of osteoarthritis, or joint degeneration, of the hand.They were named after the French pathologist Charles-Joseph Bouchard who studied people with arthritis during the 19th century.
Bouchard’s nodes are less common thanHeberden’s nodes, which are bony enlargements of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints closest to the fingertips.
Aliaksandr Litviniuk / Getty Images
What Are the Symptoms of Bouchard’s Nodes?
Bouchard’s nodes, like Heberden’s nodes, may or may not be painful. However, they will typically affect the extent to which a joint can move or its range of motion.
Over time, this accumulation of excess bone tissue can cause the following symptoms:
Bouchard’s nodes are not inherently painful, but will likely increase any pain that occurs with movement.
What Causes Bouchard’s Nodes?
The prime cause of Bouchard’s nodes is the same as any other manifestation ofosteoarthritis: the long-term wear and tear of joint tissues.
Osteoarthritis most often affects the joints of the hands, knees, hips, lower back, and neck.With this very common condition, thecartilageis worn away. Cartilage is the tissue that normally cushions the joint space.
Common causes of osteoarthritis include:
Joint damage and inflammation can lead to excessive remodeling of bone tissue. Ossification—the part of the process responsible for bone formation—can cause nodules to form.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for Bouchard’s nodes are the same as the risk factors for osteoarthritis, which include:
How Are They Diagnosed?
A Bouchard’s node is considered a characteristic sign of osteoarthritis, helping differentiate it from other types of arthritis such asgoutor rheumatoid arthritis.
With that said, there are also bumps associated with rheumatoid arthritis and gout. People with rheumatoid arthritis may develop rubbery bumps on the thumb and knuckles calledrheumatoid nodules.People with gout may develop crystallized lumps in the joint space calledtophi.
Since there are no blood tests todiagnose osteoarthritis, your healthcare provider may perform other tests to rule out rheumatoid arthritis and gout as causes.
These include:
Acomplete blood count (CBC)can be used to measure thewhite blood cell (WBC) count. Because osteoarthritis is not associated with chronic inflammation, WBCs will usually be normal or near-normal. In contrast, they are often elevated with gout and rheumatoid arthritis, which are inflammatory conditions.
Imaging tests, such as an X-ray to check for joint cartilage loss, can also help confirm the diagnosis.
How Are Bouchard’s Nodes Treated?
The treatment for Bouchard’s nodes is similar to the treatment approach forhand osteoarthritiswithout nodes.
This includes:
Joint immobilization may also be used during acute flare-ups to minimize joint movement.
Therapy may be needed to improve joint mobility and prevent disability:
Summary
Bouchard’s nodes may or may not contribute to pain, but typically cause joint stiffness, grip weakness, and misaligned, crooked fingers in severe cases.
The diagnosis involves lab and imaging tests that help differentiate osteoarthritis from similar conditions like gout and rheumatoid arthritis.
Bouchard’s nodes can be treated with rest, ice or heat therapy, pain relievers, or steroid injections if there is pain. Hand therapy can help prevent disability and increase joint mobility.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Osteoarthritis.Rees F, Doherty S, Hui M, et al.Distribution of finger nodes and their association with underlying radiographic features of osteoarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64(4):533-8. doi:10.1002/acr.21586Merck Manual Consumer Version.Osteoarthritis of the hand.UConn Health.Arthritis of the hand.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Mohammed A, Alshamarri T, Adeyeye T, Lazariu V, McNutt LA, Carpenter DO.A comparison of risk factors for osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis using NHANES data.Prev Med Rep. 2020;20:101242. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101242MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis of the hands.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Osteoarthritis.Rees F, Doherty S, Hui M, et al.Distribution of finger nodes and their association with underlying radiographic features of osteoarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64(4):533-8. doi:10.1002/acr.21586Merck Manual Consumer Version.Osteoarthritis of the hand.UConn Health.Arthritis of the hand.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Mohammed A, Alshamarri T, Adeyeye T, Lazariu V, McNutt LA, Carpenter DO.A comparison of risk factors for osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis using NHANES data.Prev Med Rep. 2020;20:101242. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101242MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis of the hands.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Osteoarthritis.Rees F, Doherty S, Hui M, et al.Distribution of finger nodes and their association with underlying radiographic features of osteoarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64(4):533-8. doi:10.1002/acr.21586Merck Manual Consumer Version.Osteoarthritis of the hand.UConn Health.Arthritis of the hand.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Mohammed A, Alshamarri T, Adeyeye T, Lazariu V, McNutt LA, Carpenter DO.A comparison of risk factors for osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis using NHANES data.Prev Med Rep. 2020;20:101242. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101242MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis of the hands.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Osteoarthritis.
Rees F, Doherty S, Hui M, et al.Distribution of finger nodes and their association with underlying radiographic features of osteoarthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64(4):533-8. doi:10.1002/acr.21586
Merck Manual Consumer Version.Osteoarthritis of the hand.
UConn Health.Arthritis of the hand.
Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.
Mohammed A, Alshamarri T, Adeyeye T, Lazariu V, McNutt LA, Carpenter DO.A comparison of risk factors for osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis using NHANES data.Prev Med Rep. 2020;20:101242. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101242
MedlinePlus.Rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis of the hands.
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