Diagnosis & Treatment
Treatment for hand and wrist pain depends upon the source of the pain. Our doctors will perform a complete physical examination of the painful area to determine what is causing the wrist and hand pain. If you have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, for example, your doctor may try bracing your wrist to prevent further irritation of your nerve. The bracing should allow time for the swelling to go down, freeing up the nerve that’s causing the issues in your hand or wrist. If arthritis is at play, your doctor works to alleviate the pain using anti-inflammatory medications, as well as corticosteroid injections.
Another possibility may be that your hand or wrist pain stems from an orthopedic issue. In these cases, the doctors at Interventional Pain Doctors may refer you to a surgeon for repair and then work with you to control the pain. Based on the outcome, you will be put on a customized treatment plan to remedy the cause of the pain and to prevent future injury.
When your wrist is bent too far, this can injure bands of tissue called "ligaments." Ligaments connect the bones of your hand to each other. They also connect the bones of your hand to the bones of your forearm.
Causes
Wrist injuries can originate from many different causes. If you have become injured because of a fall, lifted heavy objects with a jerking movement, or suddenly twisted your wrist, you could be suffering from a sprain or fracture.
Aside from this, the other potential causes of wrist pain are:
- Arthritis: More specifically osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Repetitive Stress: Such as playing certain musical instruments can give rise to De Quervain’s disease, which is a stress-induced condition
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Caused by the compression of the median nerve where it passes through your wrist. This usually affects your dominant hand
- Keinbock's Disease: A progressive collapse of small bones in the wrist due to inadequate blood flow
- Ganglion Cysts: Soft tissue cysts under the skin, which are quite painful
Rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that 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, interfering with normal hand function and significantly impacting a person’s quality of life.
What are the risks?
Most often, wrist injuries are common among active people in sports. Regardless of the intensity level, physical activities that put repetitive stress on the wrists and hands can cause people to develop pain and discomfort over time. Some of the sports that are most likely to cause wrist and hand pain are golf, tennis, pickleball, bowling, baseball, squash, gymnastics, and snowboarding.
If you’re engaged in an occupation that requires you to use your hands and wrists for a major portion of the day, you could develop wrist and hand pain over time. Even simple daily repetitive activities like driving, picking up kids, and carrying groceries can generate pain and stress on your hands and wrists. Other health conditions like obesity, pregnancy, and diabetes put people at a greater risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
The symptoms of wrist and hand pain are usually a dull ache or shooting pain in the affected area, numbness, swelling, tingling, and pain throughout your hand, wrist, and arm. These sensations may even wake you at night and make you feel as though you need to shake out your hand. The pain makes everyday tasks a challenge.
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 your hands. Our Interventional Pain Doctors will provide expert diagnosis and treatment for any hand and wrist injuries and conditions.
