Common Hand Pain Causes and How to Find Relief
Hand pain is a common problem among for a lot of patients visiting the outpatient departments of orthopedic clinics. You are probably thinking that what could be causing your hand pain and how to find relief? Well, a hand is a complex structure composing of 27 bones, 29 joints, more than 120 ligaments, 17 muscles, and 48 nerves that permits you to make precise, strong and dexterous movements. Therefore it is more vulnerable to an injury, in fact, more the injury more the dysfunction. Here are the most common hand pain causes that are probably contributing to your distress.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: The small opening in hand through the bones at the wrist and the base of your hand is carpal tunnel. It is a secure place for the most delicate median nerve and the tendons. In this condition the tunnel gets compressed, and the patient can experience severe pain, tingling, and numbness of the palm. Some other symptoms include reduced grip strength and the feeling of swelling. This is seen mostly after fall, pregnancy or any chronic disease.
- Fractures of the fingers and hand bones: Among the hand pain causes fractures are most common. Fractures are mainly caused by fall/accident, overexertion, diseased bones, and old age. There may be a pain, bleeding, swelling or any obvious physical deformity to indicate that you are suffering from a hand fracture.
- Trigger finger: The fingers of your hand are similar to ropes and pulleys. At the joint, the tendons (ropes) easily slide through the tendon sheath (pulleys). In trigger finger, the tendon develops a thick area or a nodule over a period of time; this holds the tendon from sliding freely through its sheath resulting in the finger locking at a point when an extension of the finger is attempted.
- Arthritis: Arthritis is one of the major hand pain causes. The joints of the hand cause pain and leave the bone grating. Rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune condition, it one of the leading hand pain causes.Your hand joints are more susceptible for this attack if you have arthritis. You may feel severe pain and swelling of all the joints involved.
- De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: This condition is commonly seen affecting the thumb. Otherwise, it is similar to the trigger finger. It causes severe pain in the wrist and hand movements particularly involving the thumb.
- Ganglion cysts: These are small swellings commonly seen along the tendons. They can cause pressure symptoms and in turn, cause pain, numbness, and tingling in hand or the wrist. They can quickly appear and change size.
Treatment options for hand pain:
Relief from hand pain is extremely necessary as hands are used extensively day in and out. Non-surgical methods can be tried before proceeding with surgical management techniques. Treatment for hand pain includes:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines
- Cortisone injections
- Physiotherapy
- Reconstruction of any ligaments
- Platelet-rich plasma
- Diagnostic arthroscopy
- The release of the carpal tunnel by endoscopy
- The release of the trigger finger.
- Surgery
Do not let the hand pain interfere with your day to day activities. Any of the hand pain causes could be contributing to your condition. Hence to treat your problem the right way talk to your doctor at the earliest.