Why Does My Hand Hurt? 5 Causes of Hand & Wrist Pain

WebMD discusses some common causes and treatment of hand pain, including carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and trigger finger. MenuAbdominalPainArthritisBackPainCarpalTunnelSyndromeFibromyalgiaHipPainKneePainFootPainLupusMigraineNervePainOsteoarthritisRheumatoidArthritisTypesofPainSymptoms&CausesDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareLiving&ManagingSupport&ResourcesNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaNeurologistFindanOrthopaedistMedicationsPillIdentifierCheckforDrugInteractionsDrugComparisonToolPainManagementGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyTylerWheeler, MDonDecember18,2020InthisArticleDeQuervain'sTendinitisCarpalTunnelSyndromeFracturesArthritisTriggerFingerHandpaincanhappenformanyreasons,fromaccidentstoconditionsthatareongoing.Itcanoftenbetreatedsothatyoursymptomseaseup.Thisarticlelooksat someofthemostcommoncausesofhandpain. DeQuervain'sTendinitisThisisalsocalleddeQuervain'stendinosis.Itcausespainonthethumbsideofthewrist.Thepainmaydevelopgraduallyorstartsuddenly.Itcantravelthelengthofthethumbanduptheforearm.IfyouhavedeQuervain'stendinitis,itcanbepainfulto:MakeafistGrasporholdobjectsTurnyourwristThepainresultsfromirritationorinflammationofthewristtendonsatthebaseofthethumb.RepetitiveactivitiesandoveruseareoftenresponsiblefordeQuervain's.Newmotherscangetitfromholdingtheirbabyinanawkwardposition.WristfracturescanalsomakeyoumorelikelytogetdeQuervain's.Painrelieftreatmentsinclude:AsplinttorestthethumbandwristAnti-inflammatorymedicationsCortisoneshotsSurgerymaybeanoptionifsymptomsremainsevereafteryouhavetriedothertreatments.CarpalTunnelSyndromeThisisoneofthemostcommonnervedisordersofthehand.Itcausespaininthe:PalmandsomefingersofthehandWristForearmOftenthepainisworseatnightthanduringtheday.Carpaltunnelsyndromecanalsocause:WeaknessTinglingNumbnessYoumayespeciallyfeelitinyourthumb,indexfinger,andmiddlefinger.Thiscanmakeithardtogripobjects.Thediscomforthappenswhenswellingconstrictsthemediannerve.Themediannervecontrolssensationandmuscleimpulsesinthethumbandmostofthefingers(exceptforthepinkiefingerandthehalfoftheringfingerthat’sclosesttothepinkiefinger).Themediannervepassesthroughthecarpaltunnel.Thecarpaltunnelisastructuremadeupofbonesandconnectivetissuesthatislocatedatthebaseofthehand.Itisinthisnarrowspacethatthemediannerveispinchedbyinflamedorirritatedtendonsorotherswelling.Commontreatmentsinclude:RestingthehandandwristAnti-inflammatoryoranalgesicpainkillersWristsplintsSteroidshotsPhysicaltherapyYourdoctormaysuggestsurgeryifyoursymptomslastfor6monthsormore.FracturesAfracture,orabreakinabone,cancauseagreatdealofhandpain.Besidespain,afterafractureyoumayhave:StiffnessSwellingLossofmovementIfyouhavefracturedafinger,forexample,youmaynotbeabletomoveitfully.Yourinjuredfingercouldbeswollenandinsomecasesslightlyshorterthanusual.Thereareseveraltypesoffractures:Simple(brokenboneisalignedandstable)Complex(breakmaycausebonetoshiftorbecomedisplaced,makingtreatmentmoredifficult)Comminuted(bonesbrokeninmorethanoneplace)Compound(brokenbonebreaksthroughskin)Fracturetreatmentdependsonthetypeofthebreak.Castsorsplintsareoftenusedforsimplebreaks.Youmayneedpins,wires,orplatestotreatmorecomplicatedfractures.Surgerymightalsobeneededtosetthebrokenbonecompletely.ArthritisThisisaleadingsourceofhandpain.Itcausesjointstolosethecartilagethatallowsthemtomovesmoothlyagainsteachother.Asthecartilagedeteriorates,painful,sometimesdebilitating,swellingbeginstooccur.Inthehand,theareaswherethismostoftenoccursarethe:BaseofthethumbMiddlejointofoneormorefingersEndjoint,whichisclosesttothefingertipOsteoarthritisisthemostcommonformofarthritis.Itcausesprogressivedegenerationofcartilage.Itcanhappenwithagingorfollowinganinjury,suchasafractureordislocation.Whenitaffectsthehand,itcauses:PainSwellingStiffnessBonynodulesmayalsoformatthemiddleorendjointsofthefingers.Osteoarthritiscanalsocausedeep,achingpainatthebaseofthethumb.Thehandmayalsobecomeweaker,makingeverydayactivitiesdifficult.Treatmentdependsontheseverityofthepainanddisability.Treatmentincludes:Anti-inflammatoryoranalgesicpainkillersSplintsforthefingersorwristHeatPhysicaltherapyIfthesetreatmentsdonotproviderelief,surgerymayberecommended.TriggerFingerDoctorscallthisstenosingtenosynovitis.Itcausesfingersorthethumbtolockinabentposition.Itcanbepainful,especiallywhenyoubendorstraightentheaffectedfingerorthumb.Theconditiondevelopswhentheflexortendons,whichcontrolthemovementsofthefingersandthumb,becomeirritated.Thiscanmakethemthickenwithinthetendonsheaththatsurroundstheflexortendons.Nodulesmayalsoformontheaffectedtendons.Thesheathitselfmaythicken,too.Allofthispreventsthesmoothmovementofthetendons.Eventually,thetendonmaybecomestuckwhenyoutrytostraightenabentfingerorthumb.Youmayalsofeelacatchingsensationwhenthefingerorthumblocksinplace,andthenapopasthetendonisreleased.Doctorsdon’tknowwhatcausestriggerfinger.You’remorelikelytogetitifyouhave:RheumatoidarthritisGoutDiabetesWomengettheconditionmoreoftenthanmendo.Andtriggerfingerismorecommoninadultsbetweenages40and60.Rest,sometimeswhilewearingasplint,mayfixtheproblem.Over-the-counterpainmedicationscaneasethepain.Corticosteroidinjections(steroidshots)oftencanhelprelievesymptoms.Yourdoctormayrecommendsurgeryifothertreatmentsfail.NextArticleCarpalTunnelSyndromePainManagementGuideTypesofPainSymptoms&CausesDiagnosis&TestsTreatment&CareLiving&ManagingSupport&ResourcesMuscleSpasms&MultipleSclerosisManageYourMigraineRAPainReliefTipsTreatingandPreventingMigrainesWhenPainAffectsYourRelationshipKneeArthritis:TreatmentAdvancesSlideshow:WhatIsDupuytren'sContracture?HowtoHandleHigh-TechHandInjuriesDupuytren’sContracture:CausesandRiskFactorsHowDupuytren’sContractureProgressesCarpalTunnelSyndromeFingerInfectionCausesofTinglinginHandsandFeetHandConditionsTopicsWhyYou’reInPainTopcausesandhowtofindrelief.GetMoving8exercisesforlesskneepain.AcupunctureGuideHowithelpsarthritis,migraines,anddentalpain.TruthAboutPainkillersHowmuchdoyouknowaboutyourmeds?Slideshow3SymptomsofCarpalTunnelSyndromeSlideshowWhat'sCausingYourLowBackPain?ArticleAntidepressantsforPain?Slideshow10FoodsThatFightPainSlideshowAlternativeTreatmentsforLong-TermPainSlideshowShouldYouUseaBrace?SlideshowTipsforCommonAchesandPainsVideoNSAIDs:WhatTheyAre&HowTheyWorkChronicPainSolutionsPersonalizedTipsforManagingMigraineVideo:HowtoDoTennisElbowExercises14TipstoRelieveBackPainQuiz:EverydayAchesandPainsVideo:5NaturalWaystoEaseBackPainHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads