Wrist pain is one of the problems that many people complain about. This pain is usually caused by sprains, dislocations, and cracks in the bone due to the damage. However, wrist pain can also be caused by long-term problems such as persistent pressure, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Because many factors can affect wrist pain, accurately identifying the root cause of the problem can sometimes be difficult. However, an accurate diagnosis of the cause of wrist pain is particularly important for the proper treatment of this problem.
How Do your Hands and Wrists Work?
The wrists and hands are:
- Complex structures made up of countless bones.
- The joints between these bones.
- The ligaments that hold them in place.
- The muscles that provide you with strength and mobility.
During the day, you use your fingers, fingers, and wrists a lot during preparing breakfast, eating, typing, and writing. The muscles that move your fingers are in your hand and are stretched towards the wrist, creating very complex networks. Wrist and wrist problems can be caused by overuse, injury, or natural changes in your body.
The wrist comprises eight small bones, collectively called the carpal bones. The bones of the forearm, and the upper and lower extremities, attach to the carpal tunnel, forming what we call the wrist joint.
Inside the hand, many muscles help move each finger. Some of these muscles have tendons that extend from the wrist to a bone called the carpal tunnel, and the carpal tunnel is covered with soft tissue that can trap inflammation in these tendons. Inflammation in this area can lead to pain, weakness, and even numbness in the hands and fingers.
Signs and Symptoms
The main symptoms of wrist pain are as follows:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Sensitivity and heat around the affected area
- Feeling of sound or tearing in the wrist
- Bruising
Diagnosis of Wrist Pain
Your doctor will examine your wrist condition to diagnose sprains of the wrist. In this case, the following may be required:
- Radiology photography
- MRI scan
- Arthrography is a special type of radiograph or MRI scan that is done after a dye is injected into the wrist.
- Arthroscopy is a low-invasive surgical procedure in which a camera is inserted into the wrist joint and closely examines the condition of the wrist.
Causes and Reasons of Wrist Pain
Some causes of wrist pain include:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
One of the causes of wrist pain is carpal tunnel syndrome. In this condition, the person may feel pain, burning, numbness, or itching in the palms, wrists, thumbs, or fingers. This way, the thumb muscles can be weakened, making it difficult to grasp objects. In addition, the pain may extend to the elbow in this condition.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the wrist’s median nerve is compressed by swelling. This nerve is responsible for transmitting emotion and movement to different hand parts. Causes of wrist pain and inflammation, and swelling can occur in the following conditions:
- Perform repetitive movements with the wrist, such as typing on a computer keyboard, using a computer mouse, playing rackets, doing handball, sewing, painting, writing, or vibrating tools.
- Pregnancy, menopause, or weight gain
- Diabetes, Premenstrual Syndrome, Hypothyroidism, or Rheumatoid Arthritis (Osteoarthritis)
Injury
Wrist pain, if accompanied by swelling and bruising, is usually the result of an injury. Symptoms of a possible bone fracture can include deformed joints and an inability to move a wrist, hand, or finger. Other conditions that can cause the patient to have these symptoms include sprains, tendonitis, and bursitis. Most hand sprains can be treated primarily with care, rest, ice, pressure, and lifting. Take care of your wrist so that it is not further damaged. You can use special wristbands to take care of the joint and reduce its movement. Rest is very important. Do not use your wrist, as this will only make the injury worse.
Arthritis
Osteoarthritis is another common cause of pain, swelling, and stiffness in the wrist. There are many different types of osteoarthritis of the wrist:
- Osteoarthritis is caused by aging and excessive use of the joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the wrists of both hands.
- Psoriatic arthritis is associated with psoriasis.
- Infectious arthritis is an acute illness that must be treated urgently. Symptoms of the infection in this condition can include redness and warmth of the wrist, fever above 100 degrees, and an infected patient.
Ways to Treat Wrist Pain
Non-surgical treatment
If the problem is diagnosed early, non-surgical methods can help improve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. These treatments are as follows:
Taking Medication
In some cases, taking different medications can reduce the pain and inflammation caused by carpal tunnel syndrome. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other painkillers can reduce the symptoms in the short term due to strenuous activity. Taking oral diuretics (such as disinfectant pills and water purifiers) can also reduce the patient’s inflammation.
Injection of Corticosteroids
Your doctor may use an injection into the carpal tunnel with a corticosteroid drug such as cortisone to reduce pain. Corticosteroids can reduce inflammation and swell in the wrist by reducing pressure on the median nerve. Note, however, that oral corticosteroids are less effective than corticosteroid injections in treating carpal tunnel syndrome.
Wrist Splint
Using a wrist splint at bedtime can help reduce the nocturnal symptoms associated with burning and numbness in the wrist. Night splints are a good choice when pregnant women have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Physiotherapy
A physiotherapist can use specific therapies and movement exercises to treat wrist injuries and related problems. If you need surgery, a physiotherapist can help you rehabilitate after surgery. In addition, you can benefit from ergonomic examinations by a physiotherapist for factors that may have caused wrist injuries in the workplace.
Motor Exercises under the Supervision of a Physiotherapist
Stretching and strengthening exercises can be especially helpful for people with reduced symptoms. These movement exercises should be performed under the supervision of a trained physiotherapist to treat physical injuries. For this purpose, they should be done with the opinion of an occupational therapist who has the necessary training and experience to assess physical injuries and help people provide the information they need. Used to improve health and how to properly perform physical activities.
Surgery
In some cases, surgery may be necessary to treat wrist problems. For example, in this field, the following can be mentioned:
- Severe bone fracture: In this case, the surgeon may connect the separated parts of the bone using special metal rods.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: If your symptoms are severe, you may need to open the carpal tunnel to reduce the pressure on the nerve.
- Tendon or ligament repair: Sometimes, surgery is used to repair a torn and stretched wrist tendon.