What Causes Your Hand and Wrist Pain? It Could Be One of These 4 Issues

There are many reasons for your hand and wrist to be in pain – holding your smartphone without any support can be one. Another would be typing or spending long hours on your computer or laptop without proper ergonomics or taking sufficient breaks.

In these instances, your hand and wrist pain shouldn’t come as a surprise as there are 27 small bones that make up each hand and wrist with more than 30 muscles that control the hand and wrist. This is why they can easily get sore.

There are also ligaments that keep the joints together, allowing you to perform a wide range of motion, whereas the tendons control the motion of your wrist, fingers, and thumb. As each of those parts serves a particular purpose, it will affect you when one area of your wrist is inflamed or injured. So, here are 4 common hands and wrist issues.

4 Common Hand and Wrist Issue

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common issues affecting the wrists of many individuals, especially those who often work on their computers. It occurs when the median nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel is compressed.

This can cause you to feel pain in the wrist, forearm, palm, and some fingers of the hand. In some cases, the pain may worsen during the night, causing some weakness, tingling, and numbness. However, carpal tunnel syndrome can go away in a few weeks or months.

If treatment is needed, you may have to use a splint or get a steroid injection to relieve the pressure on your median nerve. Surgery may be required if non-surgical treatments fail to relieve your symptoms.

2. Arthritis

Arthritis is the leading cause of hand and wrist pain, commonly affecting the hands, wrists, and fingers. It occurs when the joints start to lose the cartilage that allows them to move smoothly against each other, resulting in pain and in some instances, swelling.

There are two main types of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The former causes progressive degeneration of cartilage, which can develop with age or due to an injury, while the latter is an autoimmune condition that can cause inflammation in joints.

Treatments for arthritis in the hands will vary from case to case but generally begin with non-surgical options such as taking painkillers, regular exercises, and therapy. Surgery is only recommended if non-surgical options fail to relieve your symptoms.

3. Ganglion Cyst

Ganglion cysts are non-cancerous lumps that commonly develop along the tendons or joints of your hands or wrists. While there’s no exact cause, it can grow out of your joint or tendon lining when the tissue surrounding your joint or tendon bulges out of place.

These non-cancerous lumps are generally painless. However, if it presses on a nerve, even if the cyst is too small to form a noticeable lump, it can cause pain, tingling, numbness or muscle weakness.

Since ganglion cysts are painless, you will not require any treatment. But, if it causes you pain or interferes with your joint movement, your doctor may suggest to temporarily immobilise the area with a brace or splint; drain the fluid using a needle; or surgery to remove the cyst.

4. Trigger Finger

Trigger finger, also referred to as “stenosing tenosynovitis”, is a painful condition whereby you can’t straighten your affected finger or thumb properly. At times, you will need to use your other hand to straighten it.

This condition develops when the flexor tendons are irritated, causing them to thicken within the tendon sheath surrounding it. Nodules may also form on the affected tendons. Thus, preventing the tendons from moving smoothly.

Trigger finger treatments in Singapore will vary but wearing a splint may help to relieve your symptoms. Taking over-the-counter medication may also help to ease the pain. If all else fails, your doctor may recommend surgery.

Upon your diagnosis, your doctor may suggest choosing among 2 types of trigger finger surgery:

• Open surgery – Your surgeon will make a small incision in your palm, then locate the tendon sheath and carefully cut through it to make more space for the tendon. Your surgeon may flex and extend your affected finger to make sure that the tendon can move freely.

  Tenosynovectomy – This surgical method is only recommended for inflammatory causes of trigger finger. Your surgeon will open the tendon sheath and release the constriction to allow the tendon to move freely. If necessary, your surgeon will remove the surrounding tissue to remove inflammation.

At Spire Orthopaedic Centre, everyone should be cared for and healed holistically in comfort without having to travel to different locations to seek medical and surgical help and rehabilitation support.

With a combined facility for collaboration between physicians, physiotherapists, and surgeons, you will experience a seamless service from diagnosis to treatment and rehabilitation, that’s tailored just for you at our clinic.