WRIST/HAND PAIN
What Are Common Causes of Hand Pain?
In this day and age of smartphone texting, video game controllers, computers - the keyboard, mouse and even the mousing surface on our laptops - it’s no wonder so many people have pain in their hands and wrists. Hand/Wrist pain most often occurs due to long-term repetitive motion/stress on the joint leading to conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Pain symptoms affecting the wrist and hand can quickly make simple everyday tasks such as writing, brushing your teeth, buttoning your shirt or even drinking your favorite cup of coffee in the morning very difficult.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is comprised of a bundle of connective tissue surrounding the wrist joint. The median nerve travels beneath the tunnel as it passes from the forearm to the wrist. When the medial nerve does not have enough room to pass through the wrist or is squeezed/compressed by the tunnel you will typically experience pain, numbness or tingling in the hand and arm. Conservative treatments are recommended to try and stretch the tunnel as well as mobilize the nerve from getting “kinked.” If conservative treatments fail and the symptoms worsen then surgery is recommended to release the tension on the median nerve to avoid further nerve damage.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder when your immune system mistakenly attacks its own body tissue. It affects the lining of the joints leading to joint pain and swelling and eventually bone erosion and deformity. Unfortunately, the disorder does not stop at just the joints. It often will affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, salivary glands, nerve tissue, bone marrow and blood vessels.
Raynaud's Phenomenon
Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition resulting in discoloration of the fingers and/or the toes after exposure to changes in temperature (cold or hot) or emotional events. Skin discoloration occurs because an abnormal spasm of the blood vessels causes a diminished blood supply to the local tissues. This condition will often cause pain in the hands and feet making it almost disabling to perform basic daily functions such as brushing your teeth or opening a jar or even simply standing or walking.
