Hand and Wrist Pain

Hand and wrist pain is a common problem – one with tremendous difficulty. Don't be left out of your favorite activities.
Upper Extremity Services

Hand and Wrist Pain

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Table of Contents

Introduction

It is very easy for hand and wrist pain to interfere with your daily activities. Tasks such as tying your shoelaces, putting away dishes, or even turning the pages of a book can become much more challenging than they should be!

The specialists at Premier Podiatry & Orthopedics are ready to help. Our Sacramento area practice has helped patients find relief from many sources of hand and wrist pain – frequently through a mix of conservative care and advanced techniques.

And when surgery happens to be necessary, we perform the best possible procedures to produce the results our patients need – restored function and no more pain in your hands and wrists!

Causes of Hand & Wrist Pain

We can easily take them for granted, but our hands are complex structures. Each hand contains 27 bones, along with the muscles, nerves, and connective tissues to make everything work.

Having many components and moving parts unfortunately means that many different types of problems can develop. Pain can develop suddenly or be a chronic problem and can be felt in different ways including sharp jolts, dull aches, or tingling numbness.

Wrist and hand pain might arise as part of a sports injury, through repetitive work, or through certain diseases and conditions. Some of the specific injuries and conditions that can result in hand or wrist pain include:

Osteoarthritis

There are more than 100 different types of arthritic conditions. Osteoarthritis is the most common of the lot, and the one people usually associate with the general term “arthritis.”

This type of arthritis develops due to mechanical “wear and tear” against the protective cartilage covering the ends of bones in a joint. Without the cushioning normally provided by the cartilage, the joints become painful and swollen.

The risk of osteoarthritis – particularly in the wrist – tends to be greater for those who have had previous trauma to bones and joints in the area, such as fractures or severe/recurring sprains.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Whereas osteoarthritis develops over time in response to normal wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body’s immune system starts to attack the tissues meant to protect our joints. It is not fully known yet why this happens, but the disorder commonly affects wrists – often both wrists concurrently.

Acute Injuries

Sudden traumas are certainly not uncommon. A common scenario leading to wrist injury is our instinct to try and catch ourselves with our hands while falling. This might protect other body parts but can easily cause sprains or fractures in the wrists and hands.

Repetitive Stress (Overuse) Injuries

This is also a form of trauma but typically occurs over time instead of all at once. Any activity involving repetitive motion or impact can ultimately lead to inflammation in the tissues of the hands and wrists. Repetitive impacts to bone can even cause hairline fractures against the surface, known as stress fractures.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This particular overuse injury has been sustained by humans throughout history but became prominent in recent history with rises in assembly-line production and keyboard typing.

Carpal tunnel syndrome involves increased pressure on the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel, an anatomical passage found on the palm side of the wrist. This frequently causes nerve pain, tingling, and numbness.

Ganglion Cysts

These soft tissue cysts are typically non-cancerous but can be rather painful in certain areas.

Different ganglion cysts present symptoms in different manners. Pain might either improve or worsen with physical activity, for example. They may develop in the wrist area.

Kienbock’s Disease

When blood supply to small wrist bones is compromised, the cells do not receive the nutrients they need and may start to structurally collapse over time. This disorder is more common in young adults.

Finding Relief from Hand & Wrist Pain

Any pain in the wrist or hand can significantly restrict your ability to perform normal activities. We want to provide you every opportunity to stop that pain from holding you back!

Come see us if you are experiencing hand or wrist pain that:

  • Does not go away after a couple days of home care (involving rest, ice, and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication)
  • Is severe or causes numbness
  • Is accompanied by an obvious deformity
  • Includes unusual bumps, stiffness, or swelling
  • Restricts your range of motion
hand and wrist pain

The first key to treatment is properly identifying the problem and its underlying sources. We start with a visual examination of the area, but may also need to assess the area in motion, if possible. Imaging tests such as x-rays or MRI scans may be ordered to get a closer look at what’s happening within. We use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure your diagnosis is accurate.

Once we establish the core issue(s), we’ll make recommendations for a treatment plan customized to your exact condition and personal needs. Our goals will always be to relieve existing symptoms, restore any loss of mobility, and resolve the underlying problem as best as possible.

In many cases, conservative (nonsurgical) measures will be enough to provide the pain relief you need and allow you to recover back to full ability. Such methods might include:

  • Modifications to activities and workouts
  • Medications
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Physical therapy
  • Splints, braces, and other equipment to temporarily limit motion
  • Orthotic devices to shift excess stress away from vulnerable areas

If conservative methods fail to provide the results we need, surgery may be necessary to find relief. We have expert surgeons on our staff that provide outstanding results for our patients with less-invasive procedures. These may include wrist arthroscopy, tendon repair, fracture repair, cyst removal, and carpal tunnel release, among others.

We also aid our patients in preventing future wrist and hand problems through preventative measures. We can help you organize a plan to build your bone strength, reduce fall risks, protect your wrists, avoid excess stressors, and anything else that will reduce your factors for future injury or damage.

Schedule an Appointment at Premier Podiatry & Orthopedics

Some hand and wrist pain can be effectively addressed at home, but it’s never a bad decision to come in for a professional diagnosis. The sooner problems can be identified and properly treated, the less risk they have to become worse and longer-lasting.

Schedule an appointment with Premier Podiatry & Orthopedics by calling (916) 961-3434 or by filling out our online contact form.

Testimonials

Turner S.
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"Michael Denton and his team took care of my broken wrist in a quickly and efficient manner. He was easy to talk to and so was his caring staff. Had a great experience and a good recovery from my fracture. I continue to have great care from this group. Thank you!"

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