Heberden's nodes are hard or bony swellings that can develop in the

distal interphalangeal joint Distal interphalangeal joints are the articulations between the phalanges of the hand or foot. This term therefore includes: * Interphalangeal joints of the hand * Interphalangeal joints of the foot The interphalangeal joints of the foot are bet ...

s (DIP) (the joints closest to the end of the fingers and toes). They are a sign of

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

and are caused by formation of

osteophyte Osteophytes are exostoses (bony projections) that form along joint margins. They should not be confused with enthesophytes, which are bony projections that form at the attachment of a tendon or ligament. Osteophytes are not always distinguished ...

s (calcific spurs) of the articular (joint) cartilage in response to repeated trauma at the joint. Heberden's nodes typically develop in middle age, beginning either with a chronic swelling of the affected joints or the sudden painful onset of redness, numbness, and loss of manual

dexterity Fine motor skill (or dexterity) is the coordination of small muscles in movement with the eyes, hands and fingers. The complex levels of manual dexterity that humans exhibit can be related to the nervous system. Fine motor skills aid in the growt ...

. This initial inflammation and pain eventually subsides, and the patient is left with a permanent bony outgrowth that often skews the fingertip sideways.

Bouchard's nodes Bouchard's nodes are hard, bony outgrowths or gelatinous cysts on the proximal interphalangeal joints (the middle joints of fingers or toes). They are seen in osteoarthritis, where they are caused by formation of calcific spurs of the articular ( ...

may also be present; these are similar bony growths in the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints (middle joints of the fingers), and are also associated with osteoarthritis. Heberden's nodes are more common in women than in men, and there seems to be a genetic component involved in predisposition to the condition. They are named after

William Heberden William Heberden FRS (13 August 171017 May 1801) was an English physician. Life He was born in London, where he received the early part of his education at St Saviour's Grammar School. Full text at Internet Archive (archive.org) At the end of ...

(1710–1801).

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heberden's Node Arthropathies

See also

References

External links