Like other parts of your body, your hand is made up of bones, joints, tendons, nerves, and connective tissues. So, there are many causes of hand pain and you should see an orthopedic surgeon for diagnosis. Here are the common reasons for hand pain.
Hand Injury
Hand injuries are common because they are the most exposed parts of our bodies. There are 27 small bones in a hand and they can get injured or fractured in many ways causing pain. Hand injuries are more common in sports, job sites, and due to falls.
When a hand is injured, it can be a fracture or strain on the muscles. In case of a traumatic injury, get an X-ray done to know the extent of the injury.
The treatments for hand injuries vary, but splitting is the common treatment. Surgery is done in severe cases. If it’s a fracture, ensure proper recovery as poorly healed fractures can cause problems in the future.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints of the whole body. It attacks the joints of the hand and tendons, making them inflamed, deformed, and painful to move. It impacts the daily life of the patient and makes daily routines difficult or impossible.
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that affects the hands. It can be caused by both normal use of hands or a hand injury. It is also called degenerative arthritis and usually affects the finger joints and the base of the thumb. The articular cartilage is a tissue that covers the bones for smooth movement. With the use of hand and with age, it
Osteoarthritis has its own types as well which have different symptoms. So, you must go to a specialist for diagnosis. In the meantime, use heat to reduce the pain and ice for reducing the swelling.
Rheumatoid arthritis is another type of arthritis that’s a chronic disease. It begins from the hands or feet on both sides leading to inflammation, pain, and stiffness in joints.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
When nerves are compressed or injured, they cause pain and hand movement problems. When the median nerve located on your wrist is compressed, it causes a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome. The compression can be due to inflammation or swelling.
Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are tingling, itching, burning, or numbness in the fingers, thumb, and palm. The patient may feel swelling in the fingers even though the fingers won’t look swollen, pain at night and morning, and difficulty in differentiating between hot and cold sensations.
The common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is the repetitive movement of the hand, for example, typing on a computer.
For treating this condition, the patient should avoid repetitive activities that put stress on the hand and wrist, use a splint, ice packs, and medication, and perform exercises & stretches.
Ganglion Cysts
This condition is commonly not painful as it appears as a painless lump on the back of the wrist. The size of the lumps varies but they are usually filled with fluid and can appear and disappear. Moreover, they can change size as well.
That being said, if the cysts become big enough to put pressure on the surrounding nerves, the patient may feel tingling, pain, or numbness.
This condition doesn’t need treatment if the cysts are painless. All you need is rest and sometimes, splinting. But if the cysts begin causing pain, go to a doctor as he/she may drain the fluid or remove the cyst entirely.
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis that’s extremely painful. It occurs with sudden attacks of pain in the joints making the joints tender, red, or have a burning sensation. The joints could be knees, feet, hands, and wrists.
The attacks of severe pain can be at any time of the day or night so it can wake the patient up if the attack is in the night.
There are medications available to treat the gout attacks and prevent them, but going to a GP is critical for the treatment of gout.
Conclusion
Hand pain can due to many reasons, some of which are mentioned above. Again, if you’re feeling pain in your hand or wrist, don’t delay your visit to a hand injury doctor Woodbridge.
