Wrist Pain Problem
Wrist pain is often caused by sprains or fractures from sudden injuries. But wrist pain can also result from long-term problems, such as repetitive stress, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Pain may occur for many reasons, whether simple fatigue or an underlying issue. Commonly, injuries to the wrist are the main cause. Squashing the nerves that pass through the wrist can also produce pain.
The most common causes include the following:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Carpel tunnel syndrome is a condition that develops when a ligament thickens and puts pressure on a nerve. The nerve is squeezed, which can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand.
- Wrist Tendonitis
- Wrist tendonitis can occur when the tendons of the wrist develop small tears or become irritated and inflamed. The condition usually occurs due to repetitive movement involving the wrist.
- De Quervain’s disease
- In this condition, tendons and their coverings on the thumb side of the wrist become inflamed and swell. The exact cause is not known, but it is often associated with an injury to the area or overuse. Symptoms include a grating feeling inside the wrist, swelling, and weakness along the wrist, forearm, and thumb.
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis causes inflammation of the joints and occurs when the cartilage that covers the bones wears away. The condition can affect a wide range of joints, including the wrist. Osteoarthritis of the wrist tends to occur most often in people who are middle age or older, and those with a family history of the condition.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where healthy tissues are broken down by the body’s immune system. This can cause wrist pain if the joints in the area are affected.
- Wrist Sprain
- According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, a wrist sprain is usually caused by falling and bending the wrist backward when the hand hits the ground. This movement overstretches the ligament.
- Repetitive motion syndrome
- Repetitive motion syndrome occurs from repeating a task over and over again, such as typing, or knitting. Overworking the joint can cause it to swell, putting pressure on the surrounding nerves.
What Are The Symptoms For Wrist Pain?
Wrist pain symptoms can vary depending on the cause. Wrist pain may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- swollen fingers
- difficulty making a fist or gripping objects
- numbness or tingling sensation in the hands
- pain, numbness, or tingling that gets worse at night
- sudden and sharp pain in the hand
- swelling or redness around the wrist
- warmth in a joint near the wrist
Diagnosing The Cause Of Wrist Pain
Your doctor will perform a physical examination and order certain tests to diagnose the cause of your wrist pain. Your doctor may do the following:
- Bend your wrist forward for 60 seconds to see if numbness or tingling develops
- Tap the area over the median nerve to see if pain occurs
- Ask you to hold objects to test your grip
- Order X-rays of your wrist to evaluate the bones and joints
- Order an electromyography to assess the health of your nerves
- Request a nerve conduction velocity test to check for nerve damage
- Order urine and blood tests to detect any underlying medical conditions
- Request a small sample of fluid be taken from your joints to check for crystals or calcium
How Physiotherapy Will Help?
Your physiotherapy treatment will control the inflammation, allowing the tendon to heal. Your physio will help you detect and avoid painful movements and help you correct incorrect postures to reduce stress on the wrist. Depending on your injury, a wrist splint may be applied to help the tendons heal.
Depending on your specific injury, your physio can identify appropriate strengthening exercises for you. This addresses the movement dysfunction that leads to tendonitis. A personalised program will help you meet your individual needs and goals. You can continue doing these exercises after your treatment cycle has been completed.
When your symptoms start to improve, we may start showing you how to correct dysfunctional movement patterns. For instance, we can show you the right position for typing on a keyboard. This will help you return to your daily activities pain-free. It will also help you avoid doing further damage to your wrist tendons.
