Wrist pain has many possible causes, including a sprain, tendonitis, arthritis, and fractures.
Some may heal with rest, while others may need treatment.
Wrist pain can also be a chronic or long-term issue.
Verywell / Alexandra Gordon
It is often treated with rest, ice, and pain-relieving medications.
Some causes may require surgery.
Verywell / Alexandra Gordon
1.
Wrist Sprain
Asprainis a ligament injury.Ligaments are tough connective tissues that control joint movement.
The ligaments around the wrist joint help stabilize your hand position.
They also allow you to make controlled motions.
A sprain happens when wrist ligaments are stretched past their limits.A common cause is falling onto your hand.
Wrist sprain symptoms include:
Why does my wrist hurt when exercising or lifting something heavy?
Use padding under your hands for weight-bearing exercises.
Athletic tape or wrist straps can provide extra support.
Wrist Tendonitis
Tendons are strong bands of tissue that cross over the wrist.
They connect the muscles in the forearms to the hand and finger bones.
Wrist tendonitisoccurs when one or more of these tendons become inflamed.
It causes:
Some people reportcrepitus(popping) when moving their wrist.
Repetitive scrolling with your thumb can cause tendonitis where your thumb connects to your wrist.
You may also hear wrist strain referred to as a pulled muscle.
Symptoms of this kind of injury include:
4.
De Quervains is most common in women between 30 and 50.
Its often brought on by a repetitive motion, such as lifting a child.
Wrist Fracture
Awrist fractureis a common injury.
Its more likely in people with weak bones, such as from osteoporosis.
A common bang out of wrist fracture is ascaphoid fracture.
Your scaphoid bone is on the thumb side of your wrist.
Its often broken when you fall and catch yourself on an outstretched hand.
A scaphoid fracture causes swelling, pain, and tenderness below the base of the thumb.
The pain may get worse when you make a run at pinch or grasp something.
Arthritis
A few different types of arthritis may affect the wrist.
They include:
8.
Bursitis
Bursitis comes up whenever fluid-filled sacs in the wrist called bursae become inflamed.
Symptoms of bursitis include:
9.
Less Common Causes
Several other conditions can cause wrist pain.
Its made up of several bones, muscles, and other tissues.This can make diagnosing wrist pain challenging.
Medical History
Youll be asked several questions about your wrist pain.
For instance:
This kind of information can help them narrow down the possible causes.
Theyll also move your wrist to evaluate its range of motion.
They may do a quick neurological exam on your hand, wrist, and arm.
This is to look for sensory problems (tingling, numbness) or muscle weakness.
Imaging Tests
Imaging is common with wrist pain.
The first test is typically an X-ray.
It can show fractures and arthritis.
Thats common with scaphoid fractures.
Special Tests and Procedures
Other tests and procedures depend on what your healthcare provider suspects.
They can also perform other tests that may help with the diagnosis.
Wrist Pain Treatment
Wrist-pain treatments depend on the cause.
That makes a proper diagnosis crucial.
Self-Care Strategies
Self-care strategies may soothe your wrist pain.
Theyre especially useful for sprains or tendonitis.
Some people with wrist arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome may benefit from cortisone injections.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy(PT) can be prescribed to help relieve wrist osteoarthritis.
Gentle mobility exercises can help improve joint stiffness and strengthening activities can stabilize the affected area and reduce pain.
Surgery
Some wrist conditions require surgery.
These include:
If you need surgery, your healthcare provider can help you find a hand surgeon.
This is an orthopedic or plastic surgeon with special expertise in the hand, wrist, and forearm.
Prevention
Some activities put your wrists at risk of getting hurt.
Dont attach them to your wrists with tight straps.
Some jobs or hobbies involve a lot of repetitive motions.
That puts you at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Help prevent it by:
What Is the Proper Way to key in?
When typing, your hand and wrist should be in a straight line with your forearm.
Do not bend your wrist, but instead, keep your wrist parallel to the keyboard.
If you find this difficult, an ergonomic wrist rest can help.
Hand physical therapy can help youstrengthen your wristjoint after an injury.
Summary
Wrist pain can come from injuries like sprains, tendonitis, and fracture.
It can also happen due to conditions such as arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Treatment may include rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, splints or casts, and surgery.
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