Hand and Wrist
Discover Solutions for Common
Hand and Wrist Conditions
Explore causes, symptoms, and treatments for prevalent hand and wrist issues like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, Trigger Finger, Ganglion Cysts, Wrist Sprains, Fractures, and Arthritis. Regain control of your daily activities with expert guidance and treatment options.
Below, we outline prevalent issues, their underlying causes, symptoms, and available treatments:
Arthritis (Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis)
- Causes: Degeneration of joint cartilage (osteoarthritis) or autoimmune response (rheumatoid arthritis).
- Symptoms: Hand and wrist pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion.
- Treatments: Pain management, therapy, splinting, corticosteroid injections, disease-modifying drugs (for rheumatoid arthritis), and surgery if necessary.
Wrist Sprains and Fractures
- Causes: Sudden impacts, falls, or excessive force on the wrist leading to ligament injuries (sprains) or bone breaks (fractures).
- Symptoms: Pain, swelling, bruising, and limited movement.
- Treatments: Rest, ice/heat therapy, splinting, pain relief, physical therapy, and, for severe cases, surgery.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Causes: Compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel, often due to repetitive hand movements, wrist fractures, arthritis, or other medical conditions.
- Symptoms: Numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb, index, middle, and part of the ring finger, along with weakness and difficulty gripping objects.
- Treatments: Rest, nighttime wrist splints, over-the-counter pain relief, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and, in severe cases, surgical intervention.
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
- Causes: Inflammation of tendons in the thumb and wrist, commonly from excessive use or repetitive thumb movements.
- Symptoms: Pain, tenderness at the base of the thumb, swelling, and difficulty grasping or pinching objects.
- Treatments: Rest, avoiding repetitive thumb movements, cold packs, over-the-counter pain relief, splinting, corticosteroid injections, and, in severe cases, surgery.
Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis)
- Causes: Inflammation and thickening of finger tendons, resulting in limited mobility.
- Symptoms: Finger stiffness, snapping or popping when straightened, pain, and tenderness.
- Treatments: Rest, avoiding repetitive finger movements, splinting, corticosteroid injections, and, if necessary, surgical release of the affected tendon sheath.
Ganglion Cysts
- Causes: Non-cancerous cysts near tendons or joints in the hand or wrist.
- Symptoms: Soft, painless circular lumps beneath the skin, potentially causing discomfort if pressing against a nerve.
- Treatments: Observation, aspiration (draining the fluid), or surgical removal.
