Hand & Wrist Pain

What is hand and wrist pain?

What are the Most Common Causes of Hand and Wrist Pain?

For such small areas, your hands and wrists contribute in huge ways to your ability to function on every level. Just think of every action you take throughout your day and imagine trying to perform them without the use of a hand.

When pain in your hand or wrist prevents you from enjoying full use of the limb, you feel the effects in myriad ways. And there are many things that can take your hand or wrist out of action, including:

• Tendinitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Injury
• Ganglion cysts
• Repetitive stress
• Diabetes

Care and Treatment

How is wrist pain treated?

Which treatments you’ll need depends on what’s causing pain in your wrist. You might be able to relieve wrist pain with at-home treatments. A healthcare provider will suggest treatment options and tell you how long you need them.

Some of the most common treatments for wrist pain include:

• Rest: Taking a break from work, hobbies, or sports that caused a wrist injury will give your wrist time to heal.
• Icing: Apply an ice pack or cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes a few times daily. Don’t apply ice directly to your skin (wrap the ice pack in a towel or washcloth).
• Anti-inflammatory medication: Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as naproxen or ibuprofen — relieve pain and reduce swelling. Your healthcare provider might also prescribe corticosteroids (medications that treat inflammation).
• Ergonomic adjustments: Changing your hand’s position during repetitive motions can reduce stress on the wrist that’s causing pain.
• Physical therapy: A physical therapist can give you exercises to increase your wrist’s strength and flexibility.
• Immobilization: You might need to wear a cast, splint, or brace to hold your wrist in place and relieve pressure while it heals.
• Surgery: You may need surgery to remove a growth or repair nerve compression, tendon or ligament tears, fix fractures, or treat arthritis. Wrist surgery can be open or arthroscopic.

What’s the best thing to do to prevent wrist pain?

Many people with wrist pain use a computer and keyboard every day. These steps can help prevent wrist pain:

• Lower your keyboard so your wrists don’t bend upward when you type.
• Take periodic breaks from typing and rest your hands.
• Use a wrist rest with your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad.
• Alternate your “mouse hand” or train yourself to use a mouse with your non-dominant hand.

Follow these general safety tips to reduce your risk of an injury to your wrists:

• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Wear the proper protective equipment for all work, activities, and sports.
• Make sure your home and workspace are free from clutter that could trip you or others.
• Always use the proper tools or equipment at home to reach things. Stay on chairs, tables, or countertops.
• Use a cane, walker, or other assistive devices if you have difficulty walking or have an increased fall risk.

When To Call the Doctor

When should I visit a healthcare provider if I have wrist pain?

Visit a healthcare provider if you’re experiencing wrist pain that doesn’t get better in a few days or if the pain gets worse over time. You should also see a provider if you have any of the following symptoms:

• You can’t move your hand, wrist, or fingers.
• Painful tingling in your wrists or forearms.
• Discoloration or swelling in your forearms, wrists, hands, or fingers.
• Wrist pain that lasts more than two weeks after you’ve started treatments.

What are some common hand problems?

There are many common hand problems that can significantly interfere with activities of daily living (ADLs), making even simple tasks a challenge. These include the following:

Arthritis

Arthritis is a joint inflammation that can occur in multiple areas of the hand and wrist. It can be very painful.

Rheumatoid arthritis, which can attack joints throughout the body, commonly affects the joints and surrounding tendons of the wrist and fingers. It can cause the joints to become swollen, painful, and possibly deformed, which can interfere with normal hand function and significantly impact a person’s quality of life.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis in the hands and may be caused by normal use of the hand or develop after an injury. Osteoarthritis usually develops in one of 3 places: the base of the thumb, at the end joint closest to the fingertip, or at the middle joint of a finger.

Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Stiffness
• Swelling and pain
• Bony nodules at the middle or end joints of the finger
• Pain and possibly swelling at the base of the thumb
• Loss of strength in the fingers and the grip of the hand

Treatment for osteoarthritis includes:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Resting the affected hand
• Wearing splints at night
• Using heat to soothe the pain
• Using ice to reduce swelling
• Possible cortisone injections
• Possible surgery when no other treatments work

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis, is a degenerative condition commonly affecting the fingers’ small joints and the thumb’s base. It is common in both men and women and can cause the joints to become swollen, stiff, and painful. It often leads to joint enlargement, interfering with normal hand function and significantly impacting a person’s quality of life. There are two main types of hand arthritis: primary generalized osteoarthritis and erosive osteoarthritis, and they affect the hands differently.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

 Carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, a narrow, confined space. Since the median nerve provides sensory and motor functions to the thumb and three middle fingers, many symptoms may result. The following are the most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Trouble gripping objects with the hand(s)
• Pain or numbness in the hand(s)
• “Pins and needles” feeling in the fingers
• Swollen feeling in the fingers
• Burning or tingling in the fingers, especially the thumb and the index and middle fingers

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may look like other conditions, such as tendonitis, bursitis, or rheumatoid arthritis. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

Treatment may include:

• Splinting of the hand (to help prevent wrist movement and decrease the compression of the nerves inside the tunnel)
• Oral or injected (into the carpal tunnel space) anti-inflammatory medications (to reduce the swelling)
• Surgery (to relieve compression on the nerves in the carpal tunnel)
• Changing the position of a computer keyboard or other ergonomic changes