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
Acute Injuries
Repetitive Stress (Overuse) Injuries
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
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
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
Looking to schedule an appointment with a physician?
Schedule an appointment with us by calling (916) 961-3434 or by clicking the button below to begin requesting your appointment today!
