Carpal tunnel syndrome | Causes, symptoms, treatment

You may need surgery if there’s severe compression of median nerve or if the numbness and pain don’t improve with other treatments. The surgery, known as carpal tunnel release or decompression surgery relieves pain by reducing the pressure on median nerve.

Surgery usually takes place as a day case. The operation is normally carried out under a local anaesthetic and may be done by conventional open surgery or by keyhole surgery. Your surgeon will be able to tell you which is most suitable for you.

Following the operation, you might need to wear a bandage on your hand and wrist for a few days. It’s important that you keep moving your fingers and arm to reduce stiffness and swelling, and to prevent the nerve and tendons getting caught up in the scar tissue that can form after the operation. You may be able to start gentle exercises on the same day as your operation.

Your stitches will usually be taken out between 10 and 14 days after the operation, though some surgeons use dissolving stitches instead which don’t need to be removed.

You should recover from the surgery in less than a month, although it may take longer to get all the feeling back in your hand, especially if you’ve had the condition for a long time.

Sometimes, the operation may not bring a complete recovery, especially if you have muscle wasting or loss of sensation in your hand but it should greatly reduce your pain. If you feel there has been no improvement in your symptoms in the first six weeks after your operation, you should speak to your surgeon.

During the first few weeks after surgery you should avoid heavy tasks, but you should start to use your hand for lighter activities, as long as it’s not too uncomfortable. You shouldn’t drive until you are able to comfortably make a fist with your hand.

For most people surgery is very successful. But as with all operations, there is a small risk of complications, which may include infection, nerve damage or scarring. On rare occasions, the pain may continue, or it may return some time after the operation, even if it had seemed successful at first.

Possible causes and when to see a doctor

Hand pain is often the result of a recent injury or from overusing the hand or wrist. However, persistent or reoccurring pain in the hand may be the sign of an underlying condition.

In this article, we describe the possible causes of pain in the hand and when to see a doctor.

We also cover some home remedies for hand pain.

Share on PinterestCauses of hand injuries can include knocks, blows, jamming a finger, and repetitive strain.

The hands and wrists contain many different bones, joints, and connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels.

Injuries to the hand can damage these structures and lead to pain, swelling, bruising, and other symptoms.

Common causes of hand injuries can include:

• knocks and blows
• landing on the hands during a fall
• jamming a finger
• bending the fingers or wrist too far backward
• repetitive strain, such as from long periods of typing, heavy lifting, or playing sports

Finger fractures and dislocations are common types of hand injury. The pain usually feels sudden and intense, and it may develop into throbbing or soreness over the course of several days.

Falls and severe blows can also fracture the wrist, causing sharp pain and swelling.

People with fractures may require a cast. Less frequently, a doctor may need to set the bones back into place.

Injuries to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are called soft tissue injuries. People with soft tissue injuries do not usually require medical treatment, but ice and elevation can help relieve pain and swelling.

It is also important to rest or immobilize the hand while it recovers.

Mallet finger, or baseball finger, is another common hand injury. This injury occurs when a sudden blow, such as from a ball, tears or stretches the extensor tendon in the finger. It can also happen if a person jams or cuts their finger.

A typical sign of mallet finger is a drooping fingertip that will not straighten without help. The finger may also be bruised, swollen, and painful.

Splinting the injured finger can help with healing. In some cases, a person may need surgery or physical therapy.

Repetitive movements or overuse of the hands and wrists can cause the muscles, tendons, and nerves to become painful, sore, or tense.

Pain and tension from muscles in the arms and shoulders can also radiate down to the hands.

This type of pain typically results from carrying out very repetitive or high-intensity activities for long periods of time. Holding the hands in awkward positions for too long can also lead to overuse injuries.

Common causes include:

• typing or using a computer mouse
• using tools
• lifting heavy items
• playing, or training for, sports

Overuse injuries usually respond well to rest, hot or cold packs, and gentle stretching. Taking over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen may also help reduce pain and swelling.

A doctor may also recommend physical therapy or making adjustments to a person’s working and training habits to help prevent reinjury.

Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled lumps that can develop near joints and tendons in the hand and wrist. These cysts can vary size, but they are often harmless and disappear without treatment.

However, they can sometimes be painful and may affect a person’s ability to use their hand or wrist.

Researchers do not yet understand what causes ganglion cysts, but they tend to be more common in younger people and females.

Ganglion cysts do not usually require treatment. If a person has pain or difficulties moving a joint, a doctor may recommend draining the cyst or removing it surgically.

Share on PinterestTrigger finger can make it difficult to move the affected finger or thumb.

Stenosing tenosynovitis, or “trigger finger,” occurs when the ring of connective tissue called the tendon sheath at the base of a thumb or finger becomes swollen.

This swelling can affect the movement of the tendon, making it difficult or painful to move the affected finger or thumb.

A person may also notice a popping sensation when trying to move the finger, or a feeling that the finger is catching on something.

Treatment options for trigger finger may include:

• resting the finger
• immobilizing it with a splint
• taking anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen
• having steroid injections
• seeking release of the tendon sheath when the above treatments fail

A doctor may also recommend surgery if other treatments are unsuccessful.

Scleroderma is a group of conditions that result in unusual growth of connective tissue under the skin or around internal organs.

All types of scleroderma can cause the skin of the fingers to thicken and tighten, which can make them difficult to move.

Systemic scleroderma can also narrow the blood vessels of the hand, which can lead to pain and tingling.

Scleroderma is a chronic condition with no cure. However, steroids, blood pressure medications, and immunosuppressants can help relieve symptoms and prevent the condition from progressing.

Raynaud’s phenomenon is a condition in which the blood vessels in the fingers or toes temporarily narrow. It often occurs in response to cold temperatures or stress.

During a flare-up, blood flow to hands becomes severely reduced. This may cause the fingers to lighten or become blue, and they may feel numb or painful.

When the blood flow begins to return, the hands may appear red or purple. The length of these attacks can vary from less than 1 minute to several hours.

Other conditions, such as scleroderma, can cause Raynaud’s phenomenon. However, for most people with Raynaud’s, the cause is unknown.

There is no cure for Raynaud’s. However, making lifestyle changes and taking medications can help prevent flare-ups and reduce their severity. Treating any underlying conditions can also help.

Arthritis is a general term for more than 100 different disorders that cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in joints.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage that protects a joint wears away over time. This wear and tear allows the bones in the joint to rub against each other, causing pain and stiffness.

Another common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs when a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues in the joints, which can cause inflammation and pain. Over time, this inflammation can lead to permanent joint damage.

Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, including in the hands and wrists. Treatment depends on the type of arthritis, but it can include making lifestyle changes, taking medications, exercising, and seeking physical therapy or occupational therapy.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs through the wrist, becomes compressed or squeezed.

Symptoms can start gradually and are often worse at night. They typically include pain, tingling, and numbness in the hand and arm.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause weakness in the affected hand. Some people may experience a loss of proprioception, which is a sense of where the hand is in space.

This condition can get worse with time, so early diagnosis and treatment is important. Treatment options include:

• making lifestyle changes
• wearing a splint
• taking medications, including anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections
• seeking physical therapy
• having surgery

Osteoporosis is the gradual loss of bone mass, which causes the bones to become weak and brittle. This weakness increases a person’s risk of fracturing or breaking bones, particularly in the wrists and hips.

Osteoporosis tends to develop slowly and is more common in females and older people.

Treatment for osteoporosis typically involves:

• exercising to improve bone health, muscle strength, and mobility
• taking medications to increase bone strength
• making lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of falls and fractures
• making dietary changes, such as taking calcium or vitamin D supplements to improve bone health

Share on PinterestA person should see a doctor if their hand pain does not get better with home treatment.

A person should see a doctor for severe, persistent, or reoccurring pain in the hands or wrists.

See a doctor for hand pain that:

• does not get better with home treatment
• gets steadily worse
• does not respond to treatment that a doctor recommends
• may be due to a fall or other injury
• occurs along with other symptoms, such as arm pain, a fever, or exhaustion

Go to the emergency room for:

• intense, sudden, unbearable hand pain
• a suspected broken wrist or arm
• a visible injury to the hand that causes very intense pain

Hand pain sometimes gets better with gentle stretching exercises.

To ease pain in the hands or wrists, a person can:

• Rotate the wrists counter-clockwise and then clockwise. Repeat each movement 10 times.
• Open the hands as widely as possible, spread the fingers apart, then close the hands into a tight fist. Repeat 10 times.
• Use one hand to gently extend the fingers of the other hand back toward the chest for a gentle wrist stretch. Repeat five to 10 times.

A doctor or physical therapist may be able to recommend additional hand and wrist stretches.

RICE therapy can help with a range of minor injuries, including hand and wrist pain. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation:

• Rest. Avoid using the affected hand as much as possible.
• Ice. Apply an ice or cold pack to the injured hand for 20 minutes several times per day.
• Compression. Wrap the affected area in a soft bandage, splint, or cast.
• Elevation. Keep the affected hand raised, such as by using a sling, above heart level.

Other home remedies for hand and wrist pain include:

• Massage. Try massaging the painful area and surrounding muscles. Sometimes, massaging the arms or shoulders can help with hand pain.
• Heat. Some pain responds well to heat. Consider alternating between heat and cold packs, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off for each.
• OTC medications. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen can help with pain and inflammation from a wide variety of conditions.

There are many possible causes of hand pain. They range from injuries and overuse to degenerative conditions such as arthritis.

Home remedies for hand pain include gently stretching, trying RICE therapy, and taking OTC medications.

A person should see a doctor for severe, persistent, or reoccurring pain in the hands or wrists.

Radial Tunnel Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Overview

What is radial tunnel syndrome?

Radial tunnel syndrome is a set of symptoms that include fatigue or a dull, aching pain at the top of the forearm with use. Although less common, symptoms can also occur at the back of the hand or wrist.

The symptoms are caused by pressure on the radial nerve, usually at the elbow. The radial nerve is one of the three main nerves in the arm. It runs from the neck to the back of the upper arm. Next, it crosses the outside of the elbow and goes down to the forearm and hand. At the elbow, the radial nerve enters a narrow tunnel formed by muscles, tendon, and bone. This is called the radial tunnel.

Symptoms and Causes

What are the symptoms of radial tunnel syndrome?

Radial tunnel syndrome causes dull aching pain at the top of the forearm, to the outside of the elbow, or the back of the hand. Patients less often describe the pain as cutting, piercing, or stabbing. It happens most often when the person straightens his or her wrist or fingers.

Radial tunnel syndrome can cause fatigue and weakness in the forearm muscles and weakness in the wrist.

Radial tunnel syndrome affects the muscles, not the nerves, so it does not cause tingling or numbness in the arm, wrist, or fingers.

What causes radial tunnel syndrome?

Any time the radial nerve is pinched anywhere along its length, it can cause pain. The tunnel at the elbow is one of the most common spots the nerve gets pinched or squeezed because it travels between muscle bellies and under facial bands. (Facial bands are tissue fibers that enclose, separate, or bind together muscle, organs, or other soft structures of the body.)

Overuse of the arm to push or pull and overuse of the hand by gripping, pinching, or bending the wrist can irritate the nerve and cause pain. Repeating the same movement, such as twisting the arm or wrist on the job or playing sports, squeezes the radial nerve. Over time, this can cause radial tunnel syndrome.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is radial tunnel syndrome diagnosed?

Pain in the forearm and hand are usually the symptoms that send a person to the doctor. However, there are no tests to prove a person has radial tunnel syndrome. This makes the diagnosis difficult. The doctor must depend on the patient’s physical exam and the type and location of the pain. As part of the exam, the patient is asked to turn his or her palm up with a straight elbow while the doctor restricts arm and hand movement. If the patient feels pain while trying to move the arm or hands against resistance; it is a sign of radial tunnel syndrome. In another test, the patient is asked to point with his or her middle finger against resistance. Pain with this movement is another sign of radial tunnel syndrome.

Management and Treatment

How is radial tunnel syndrome treated?

Treatment begins with resting the arm from the activity that is causing the symptoms. For most patients, rest combined with medical treatment for 3 to 6 weeks will relieve symptoms.

Treatments include:

• Over-the-counter medications to reduce swelling
• Steroid injections to relieve inflammation and pressure on the radial nerve
• Wrist and/or elbow splints to reduce irritation of the radial nerve
• Exercise, techniques to reduce the effects of repetitive motion stress, ultrasound, heat and cold

The goal of treatment is to prevent the return of symptoms. If the job is causing the problem, the work site may need to be changed. More breaks may be needed during the workday and heavy pulling and pushing should be avoided if possible.

For sports injuries, strength and flexibility exercises and adequate warm-up time before playing or practicing are important.

Wearing an arm splint at night can keep the arm in a position that prevents pinching the nerve.

Is there a surgical treatment for radial tunnel syndrome?

The results of surgery for radial tunnel syndrome vary. Doctors recommend surgery only when time and non-operative therapy fails.

Radial tunnel surgery is uncommon, and usually is done as an outpatient surgery (the patient does not stay in the hospital overnight). It can be done with total anesthesia (the patient is asleep) or a partial anesthesia. Partial anesthesia blocks the feeling only in the arm being operated on. The patient is awake if partial anesthesia is used.

The operation to treat radial tunnel syndrome is called radial tunnel release. In this operation, the surgeon divides all compressive sites within the radial tunnel. This makes the radial tunnel bigger so the radial nerve has more space. After the operation, new tissue grows across the split, and builds a permanently larger tunnel.

What happens after surgery for radial tunnel syndrome?

After surgery, patients wear an elbow splint with the arm wrapped. One week after surgery, the patient will start on a gentle exercise program. Patients use ice packs, soft-tissue massage, and stretching to improve patients’ range of motion.

After 6 weeks, patients begin strength-building exercises for the forearm and hand under a therapist’s supervision. During recovery, lifting and other activities that require bending the arm at the elbow are not allowed. In the final stage, the therapist adds exercises to stabilize and strengthen the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, and improve fine motor control in the hand.

Full recovery after surgery can take 6 to 8 months or longer. How long it takes to recover depends on the amount of damage to the nerve before surgery.

Prevention

Who is at risk for developing radial tunnel syndrome?

Risk factors for developing radial tunnel syndrome include:

• Sports or jobs that require a constant wrist twisting motion
• Poor physical arm and wrist strength and flexibility
• Lack of adequate warm-up time before playing sports
• Diabetes
• Underactive thyroid gland
• Tumors or ganglion cysts (mass or lump) in the arm that cause pressure on the nerve
• Swelling or fluid in the arm that squeezes the nerve
• Inflammation of the radial nerve
• A hard blow to the forearm

Outlook / Prognosis

What is the outlook (prognosis) after treatment for radial tunnel syndrome?

Most patients recover completely with medical treatment if they follow instructions carefully and avoid future injury to the nerve. Surgery improves symptoms for patients who did not respond to medical treatment, but some patients continue to have mild pain after surgery.

Preventing re-injury to the radial nerve is the most important goal after recovery.

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury

Do you have a finger, hand, or wrist problem?

This includes symptoms like pain, numbness, and trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrists normally.

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist problem

No

Finger, hand, or wrist problem

How old are you?

Less than 5 years

Less than 5 years

5 years or older

5 years or older

Are you male or female?

Why do we ask this question?

The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.

• If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts (such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina) you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
• If your symptoms aren’t related to those organs, you can choose the gender you identify with.
• If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as “male” and once as “female”). This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Did you injure the finger, hand, or wrist in the past month?

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist injury in the past month

No

Finger, hand, or wrist injury in the past month

Have you had finger, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month?

If a cast, splint, or brace is causing the problem, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Fingers, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month

No

Fingers, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month

Do you think that any of your fingers might have frostbite?

Yes

Cold temperature exposure

No

Cold temperature exposure

Has sudden, severe weakness or severe numbness affected the whole arm or the whole hand?

Weakness is being unable to use the arm or hand normally, no matter how hard you try. Pain or swelling may make it hard to move, but that is not the same as weakness.

Yes

Severe or sudden numbness or weakness in the whole arm or hand

No

Severe or sudden numbness or weakness in the whole arm or hand

When did it start?

Think about when you first noticed the weakness or numbness or when you first noticed a major change in the symptoms.

Less than 4 hours ago

Numbness or weakness began less than 4 hours ago

From 4 hours to 2 days (48 hours) ago

Numbness or weakness began from 4 to less than 48 hours ago

From 2 days to 2 weeks ago

Numbness or weakness began 2 days to 2 weeks ago

More than 2 weeks ago

Numbness or weakness began more than 2 weeks ago

Do you still have any weakness or numbness?

Weakness or numbness that does not go away may be more serious.

Yes

Numbness or weakness is now present

No

Numbness or weakness is now present

Has the weakness or numbness:

Gotten worse?

Numbness or weakness is getting worse

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Numbness or weakness is unchanged

Gotten better?

Numbness or weakness is improving

Is your hand blue, very pale, or cold and different from the other hand?

If the hand or arm is in a cast, splint, or brace, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Hand is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other hand

No

Hand is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other hand

Is there any pain in the fingers, hand, or wrist?

Yes

Pain in fingers, hand, or wrist

No

Pain in fingers, hand, or wrist

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is increasing

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is improving

Do you have any pain in your fingers, hand, or wrist?

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist pain

No

Finger, hand, or wrist pain

How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

8 to 10: Severe pain

Severe pain

5 to 7: Moderate pain

Moderate pain

1 to 4: Mild pain

Mild pain

How long has the pain lasted?

Less than 2 full days (48 hours)

Pain less than 2 days

2 days to 2 weeks

Pain 2 days to 2 weeks

More than 2 weeks

Pain more than 2 weeks

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is getting worse

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is getting better

Do you think the problem may be causing a fever?

Some bone and joint problems can cause a fever.

Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?

Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?

“Hardware” includes things like artificial joints, plates or screws, catheters, and medicine pumps.

Yes

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

No

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

Have you had trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrist for more than 2 days?

Yes

Difficulty moving hand for more than 2 days

No

Difficulty moving hand for more than 2 days

Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days?

Yes

Swelling for more than 2 days

No

Swelling for more than 2 days

Have you had finger, hand, or wrist problems for more than 2 weeks?

Yes

Symptoms for more than 2 weeks

No

Symptoms for more than 2 weeks

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

• Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
• Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
• Medicines you take. Certain medicines and natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
• Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
• Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

• Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms.
• Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect). You may need care sooner.

Symptoms of infection may include:

• Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area.
• Red streaks leading from the area.
• Pus draining from the area.
• A fever.

Pain in adults and older children

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that you can’t stand it for more than a few hours, can’t sleep, and can’t do anything else except focus on the pain.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it’s severe when it’s there.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold, it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood supply to the area. This can be serious.

There are other reasons for colour and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal colour returns after you move it. What you are looking for is a change in how the area looks (it turns blue or pale) and feels (it becomes cold to the touch), and this change does not go away.

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in children 3 years and older

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the child can’t stand it for more than a few hours, can’t sleep, and can’t do anything else except focus on the pain. No one can tolerate severe pain for more than a few hours.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child’s normal activities and sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): The child notices and may complain of the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system’s ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

• Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
• Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
• Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
• Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
• Medicines taken after organ transplant.
• Not having a spleen.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

• Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
• If you cannot reach your doctor or you don’t have one, seek care today.
• If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
• If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

• Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
• If you cannot reach your doctor or you don’t have one, seek care in the next hour.
• You do not need to call an ambulance unless:
  • You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
  • You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.

• Make an appointment to see your doctor in the next 1 to 2 weeks.
• If appropriate, try home treatment while you are waiting for the appointment.
• If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

Sometimes people don’t want to call 911. They may think that their symptoms aren’t serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital.

Cold Temperature Exposure

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries

Post-Operative Problems

Symptom Checker: Hand, Wrist, Arm Problems

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Noninjury

Do you have a finger, hand, or wrist problem?

This includes symptoms like pain, numbness, and trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrists normally.

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist problem

No

Finger, hand, or wrist problem

How old are you?

Less than 5 years

Less than 5 years

5 years or older

5 years or older

Are you male or female?

Why do we ask this question?

• If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts (such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina) you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
• If your symptoms aren’t related to those organs, you can choose the gender you identify with.
• If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice (once as “male” and once as “female”). This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you.

Did you injure the finger, hand, or wrist in the past month?

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist injury in the past month

No

Finger, hand, or wrist injury in the past month

Have you had finger, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month?

If a cast, splint, or brace is causing the problem, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Fingers, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month

No

Fingers, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month

Do you think that any of your fingers might have frostbite?

Yes

Cold temperature exposure

No

Cold temperature exposure

Has sudden, severe weakness or severe numbness affected the whole arm or the whole hand?

Weakness is being unable to use the arm or hand normally, no matter how hard you try. Pain or swelling may make it hard to move, but that is not the same as weakness.

Yes

Severe or sudden numbness or weakness in the whole arm or hand

No

Severe or sudden numbness or weakness in the whole arm or hand

When did it start?

Think about when you first noticed the weakness or numbness or when you first noticed a major change in the symptoms.

Less than 4 hours ago

Numbness or weakness began less than 4 hours ago

From 4 hours to 2 days (48 hours) ago

Numbness or weakness began from 4 to less than 48 hours ago

From 2 days to 2 weeks ago

Numbness or weakness began 2 days to 2 weeks ago

More than 2 weeks ago

Numbness or weakness began more than 2 weeks ago

Do you still have any weakness or numbness?

Weakness or numbness that does not go away may be more serious.

Yes

Numbness or weakness is now present

No

Numbness or weakness is now present

Has the weakness or numbness:

Gotten worse?

Numbness or weakness is getting worse

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Numbness or weakness is unchanged

Gotten better?

Numbness or weakness is improving

Is your hand blue, very pale, or cold and different from the other hand?

If the hand or arm is in a cast, splint, or brace, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it.

Yes

Hand is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other hand

No

Hand is blue, very pale, or cold and different from other hand

Is there any pain in the fingers, hand, or wrist?

Yes

Pain in fingers, hand, or wrist

No

Pain in fingers, hand, or wrist

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is increasing

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is improving

Do you have any pain in your fingers, hand, or wrist?

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist pain

No

Finger, hand, or wrist pain

How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine?

8 to 10: Severe pain

Severe pain

5 to 7: Moderate pain

Moderate pain

1 to 4: Mild pain

Mild pain

How long has the pain lasted?

Less than 2 full days (48 hours)

Pain less than 2 days

2 days to 2 weeks

Pain 2 days to 2 weeks

More than 2 weeks

Pain more than 2 weeks

Has the pain:

Gotten worse?

Pain is getting worse

Stayed about the same (not better or worse)?

Pain is unchanged

Gotten better?

Pain is getting better

Do you think the problem may be causing a fever?

Some bone and joint problems can cause a fever.

Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it?

Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system, peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?

“Hardware” includes things like artificial joints, plates or screws, catheters, and medicine pumps.

Yes

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

No

Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area

Have you had trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrist for more than 2 days?

Yes

Difficulty moving hand for more than 2 days

No

Difficulty moving hand for more than 2 days

Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days?

Yes

Swelling for more than 2 days

No

Swelling for more than 2 days

Have you had finger, hand, or wrist problems for more than 2 weeks?

Yes

Symptoms for more than 2 weeks

No

Symptoms for more than 2 weeks

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

• Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
• Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
• Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, herbal remedies, or supplements can cause symptoms or make them worse.
• Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
• Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Try Home Treatment

You have answered all the questions. Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home.

• Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms.
• Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns (for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect). You may need care sooner.

Symptoms of infection may include:

• Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area.
• Red streaks leading from the area.
• Pus draining from the area.
• A fever.

Pain in adults and older children

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that you can’t stand it for more than a few hours, can’t sleep, and can’t do anything else except focus on the pain.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it’s severe when it’s there.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold, it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood supply to the area. This can be serious.

There are other reasons for color and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal color returns after you move it. What you are looking for is a change in how the area looks (it turns blue or pale) and feels (it becomes cold to the touch), and this change does not go away.

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in children 3 years and older

• Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the child can’t stand it for more than a few hours, can’t sleep, and can’t do anything else except focus on the pain. No one can tolerate severe pain for more than a few hours.
• Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child’s normal activities and sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days.
• Mild pain (1 to 4): The child notices and may complain of the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system’s ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

• Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
• Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
• Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
• Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
• Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
• Medicines taken after organ transplant.
• Not having a spleen.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

• Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
• If you cannot reach your doctor or you don’t have one, seek care today.
• If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
• If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner.

Seek Care Now

Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care.

• Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.
• If you cannot reach your doctor or you don’t have one, seek care in the next hour.
• You do not need to call an ambulance unless:
  • You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
  • You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down.

Make an Appointment

Based on your answers, the problem may not improve without medical care.

• Make an appointment to see your doctor in the next 1 to 2 weeks.
• If appropriate, try home treatment while you are waiting for the appointment.
• If symptoms get worse or you have any concerns, call your doctor. You may need care sooner.

Call 911 Now

Based on your answers, you need emergency care.

Call 911 or other emergency services now.

Sometimes people don’t want to call 911. They may think that their symptoms aren’t serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them. Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call 911 for medical transport to the hospital.

Cold Temperature Exposure

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries

Postoperative Problems

Chronic Cold Hands: Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, tingling and other symptoms in the hand and arm, including cold hands.  

Cold hands are a common symptom of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome along with pain in the shoulder, pain in the forearm and even in your neck. The most notable reason for chronic cold hands with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome are caused by pinched nerves that restrict blood circulation which interferes with the healing process and most time leaving your hands cold regardless of the weather.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a compressed nerve in the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist.  Two reasons for this condition is injured soft tissue and the other is inflammation that traps parts of the hand and wrist creating prtessure on the blood flow and causing numbing, tingling and cold hands.

Some of the cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Repetitive Motions, like typing, or any motions of the wrist that your do over and over.  This typically occurs when your hands are lower than your wrists.
• Medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and obesity are common conditions that can be associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

If you have any of the symptoms mentions you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  If you think you may have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, you need to have it checked and treated by a fellowship trained board certified orthopaedic hand and wrist surgeon because the symptoms can last a long time, get worse, and can even go away and return.  The sooner diagnosed the easier Carpal Tunnel syndrome can be treated. 

Treatments

Treatments can range from yoga to surgery, but many fellowship trained board certified orthopaedic hand and wrist surgeons will order a steroid injection, physical therapy or home therapy with a brace to see if the symptoms go away before more testing is ordered to see if surgery is necessary to provide complete relief.

Things to try

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can become worse when you hold your hand and wrist in the same position for long periods of time keeping your wrist and bent either up or down.  If your work makes it hard to keep your wrist straight then you can try some of the tips can help reduce your cold hands by:

• Take a break for 10-15 minutes every hour and stretch your hands.
• Talk to your manager to see if you can change your desk, tools, or workstation setup.
• Try to alternate which hand you use for your tasks.
• Use only as much force as you need. Don’t hold your tools too tightly or pound away at your keyboard.
• Watch your posture. Try not to roll your shoulders forward, which sets off a chain reaction that makes wrist problems even worse.

Schedule an appointment

Your well-being is important to us. Click the button below or call us to schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists. If your injury or condition is recent, you can walk right into one of our Raleigh Orthopaedic Urgent Care locations for immediate care. For rehabilitation and physical therapy, no referral is needed to see one of our physical therapists.

90,000 Why your hands can hurt | Nizhegorodskaya Pravda

Pulls his fingers together

Reason . This is an occupational disease of those who constantly work at the computer keyboard. Doctors started talking about it quite recently, calling it tunnel syndrome. Such people often have persistent pain in the right hand (in left-handers – in the left), numbness of the thumb, index and middle fingers. The reason is a pinched nerve that passes through the narrow canal of the wrist – the tunnel (hence the name), it is compressed due to the constant static load on the same muscles.

Council . Treating this disease is more difficult than preventing it. The main thing here is to take care of the correct position of the hands while working at the computer.

First, make sure that the arm at the elbow is bent at right angles. Secondly, the brush should lie on the table as far from the edge as possible. Third, use a computer-specific wrist bump, such as a curved mouse pad, a specially shaped stand, or a computer desk.

It is also good to periodically do hand exercises during the working day. The simplest – shake your brushes, clench and unclench your fists and rotate them around their axis clockwise and counterclockwise.

Rash on hands

Reasons. Often, reddened, dry, itchy areas appear on the hands of women with allergies, blisters and small pustules may appear. This is the so-called contact dermatitis, which is also called housewife dermatitis.If you do not take urgent measures, then over time, crusts may form in these places, the skin will become covered with painful cracks, sometimes even ulcers, which will heal over time.

Most often, at the onset of the disease, a woman does not fully realize the danger and continues to wash, wash dishes with detergents, scrub tiles with cleaning powders and lubricate her hands with creams. All this only aggravates the painful process, since it is the contact of the skin with various chemicals that causes dermatitis.In the end, irritated skin reacts to regular toilet soap and chlorinated water.

Advice. First of all, you need to understand that any skin disease has very deep roots. It may also indicate malfunctioning of the stomach or intestines, gallbladder and malfunctioning of the kidneys and immune system. Therefore, before practicing with your hands, you need to be examined by specialists.

In addition, you should at least temporarily exclude from your everyday life everything that irritates the skin of your hands.Use household gloves. If possible, it is best to stop washing dishes for a while, agreeing with your family that they will take on this responsibility. As a last resort, you can wash the dishes with a long-handled brush.

Wash your hands not often and not with ordinary toilet soap, but with a liquid soap with a cream, it is less irritating to the skin. After each wash, dry your hands thoroughly with a dry, clean towel and lubricate with hypoallergenic hand cream. If ulcers do appear on your hands, you need to consult an allergist or dermatologist.

To cleanse the body, you need to drink sorbents (only after consulting a doctor): these are activated carbon, polyphepan, enterosgel. Some products have similar properties – for example, baked apples, cranberries, green tea.

… In any case, it’s better not to joke with hand diseases. At the first unpleasant symptoms that do not go away for a long time, consult a doctor.

Check-up program for pain and numbness in hands

People do not always pay attention to hand numbness, but when this condition is accompanied by pain, the unpleasant symptoms cause concern.Such symptoms cannot be ignored, since the cause of their appearance may be associated with serious illnesses. You can find out what led to the appearance of unpleasant sensations and assess your general health with the help of a comprehensive Check-up examination “Pain and numbness in the hands”. A specially developed program allows you to diagnose violations in time and prevent the development of severe forms of diseases and serious complications.

Get a specialist consultation
or make an appointment

Hands hurt and numb.What is the cause and danger of the condition?

Diseases do not develop accidentally or unexpectedly. Signs of pathologies may not appear immediately, but if a person does not hurt anything, this does not mean that he is healthy. Many people believe that hand numbness is a normal condition caused by being in an uncomfortable position for a long time.

Numbness of the hands can occur with hormonal, oncological, infectious diseases; diseases of the kidneys, liver. Stress and prolonged uncomfortable posture can also lead to numbness in the limbs.

Hand numbness often occurs in women in the 30-60 age group.

• Numbness of the hands during sleep occurs in those who sleep on an overly thick pillow that puts the neck in a wrong position.
• With carpal tunnel syndrome (more often observed in those whose professional activities are related to handwork: musicians, computer scientists, artists, etc. ).
• For cervical dorsopathy, when a displaced vertebra or a deformed intervertebral disc pinches a nerve.
• For a serious neurological condition, multiple sclerosis, sensitivity may be present and hands may feel numb.
• With polyneuropathy (peripheral nerve damage), sensory impairment occurs.

Benefits of the Check-UP program Pain and numbness in the hands

• Check-Up program based on personal experience
• More than 80% of patients who underwent Check-Up solved the health problem on time
• Comprehensive survey in an ecologically clean park area
• Polite attitude and patient care

What is included in the diagnostic program Check-up

To find out the causes of hand numbness and pain in them, the Pain and Numbness Check-up program uses laboratory and hardware diagnostic methods:

• daily observation;
• skin stimulation electromyography on motor fibers;
• Ultrasound of the peripheral nerve;
• MRI of one spine;
• blood test for 11 indicators and urinalysis.

A check-up examination is aimed at identifying the problem and the degree of nerve damage. Treatment depends on the cause of the disease.

CheckUP “Pain and numbness in the hands” at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow.

Our advantages

Check-up programs at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences are designed for quick and comfortable medical examination of patients who do not have time to visit hospitals and wait in queues. In one day and in one place, you can pass all the tests, go through the necessary procedures and visit highly qualified specialists.

We guarantee:

• accurate and fast expert level diagnostics;

90,067 fixed prices without additional fees after passing the examination;

• comfortable conditions and a convenient schedule of visits.

All patients are given a detailed medical report with the results of analyzes and studies. If health problems were found during the diagnosis, treatment can be obtained from our specialists.

To register for examination at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences and clarify the cost of services, you can call +7 (499) 400 47 33 or use a special form on the website.

Get a specialist consultation
or make an appointment

90 055 90 000 Pain and numbness in the fingers may indicate a serious illness

Photo: coalcreekpt.com

Many people complain of numbness in their fingers and pain that wakes up at night and interferes with full work. However, not everyone goes to the doctor when the disease has not gone so far, and irreversible changes can be avoided. About what symptoms should cause concern, and in what cases surgical intervention is necessary, we talk with the orthopedist-traumatologist of the Medical Diagnostic and Treatment Center Simonas SYAREYKA.

– What diseases of the hand and wrist are most often treated by patients?

– These are mainly diseases caused by pinched nerves – tunnel syndromes of the carpal and ulnar canals, as well as diseases caused by inflammation of the tendons – the so-called “clicking” finger and tenosivitis of the radius. Diseases of the joints, pain in the hand, and disorders of the subcutaneous structure are common.

The most common and well-known carpal tunnel syndrome is carpal tunnel syndrome. compression of the median nerve under the transverse wrist ligament, which occurs between the three bony walls and the dense ligament that hold the tendons of the muscles that flex the fingers and hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome and diseases caused by inflammation of the tendons are more often diagnosed in women over 50 or in young people who are burdened with hard physical work.They cannot sleep at night due to numbness and pain in their fingers. During the holidays, these symptoms are most likely to improve. Pain in the wrist sometimes occurs after an injury, gradually worsens and begins to interfere with daily life. Ulnar canal syndrome affects both men and women over the age of 30. Dupuytren’s contracture (palmar fibromatosis) – a painless scarring and shortening of the palmar tendons – is inherited, more often observed in smokers, physically working men over 60 years old.

– How are the symptoms of these diseases different?

– With carpal tunnel syndrome fingers go numb at night, pain appears in 1-4 fingers, in the morning they are constrained. At the initial stage, the numbness after waking up disappears, with the progression of the disease it remains, and objects begin to fall out of the hands, it becomes difficult for the patient to button up the buttons, although at night there may be no pain at all.

Elbow syndrome most often manifests itself only in numbness of the fingers, less often in pain at night.4-5 fingers are damaged. With the progression of the disease, the muscles of the palm weaken, strength goes away.

The main cause of stenosing tenosynovitis (“clicking” finger) is pain in the hand. The palm begins to ache when the fingers move. The pain spreads to the forearm. With the progression of the disease, it becomes more difficult to unbend the finger, it “gets stuck”, a characteristic sound appears – a click, which gave the popular name to this disease. Sometimes the finger does not unbend at all, then it has to be returned to its place with the other hand.Snap finger syndrome is caused by a nodule in the extensor tendon. Most often, patients are damaged 1, 3, 4 fingers.

Dupuytren’s contracture is manifested by the inability to straighten the fingers, knotty compaction of the skin on the palms. At first it can be painful, then changes occur in the fingers – it is not possible to straighten them.

Hygroma of the wrist (hernia) is a small, rounded bulge under the skin. It occurs as a result of a sharp turn with a load or after a lot of physical exertion.Because of this formation, patients most often turn to a hand surgeon. A “bump” grows on the brush, it frightens people very much.

Diseases of the joints of the hand and wrists are very complex, so a thorough examination is necessary.

– What is the cause of this or that disease?

– The most common cause is excessive physical exertion or injury, as a result of which the tendons become inflamed, enlarged, begin to injure other tissues, and pinch the nerves. After an injury, the joints begin to wear out faster. Hormonal changes and, oddly enough, everyday habits also affect, for example, during sleep, take a pose with strongly bent arms, while working, constantly rest your elbows on the table, and for drivers – against the edge of the car door. The causes of some diseases are not fully understood.

– What symptoms should lead a person to see a doctor?

– You should always consult a specialist if your fingers gradually or suddenly become numb – this is a sign of a pinched nerve, also if a neoplasm has appeared and it begins to grow.When a person does not go to a doctor due to diseases that manifest numbness of the fingers, night pains, the nerve is damaged more and more – the fingers lose sensitivity, the muscles of the hand begin to atrophy, the hands become weak, it becomes difficult to take small objects, the hands are afraid of the cold. In this case, even after the operation, the hand function may not fully recover. If the finger gets stuck, and the disease progresses, even after the operation, movement may remain limited.

Very often it is difficult for patients to name clear symptoms, so conditions in which the nerve is pinched can remain undiagnosed for a long time.By contacting on time, the patient can receive qualified assistance. Very informative in these cases is a diagnostic study – electroneuromyography, which helps to establish the degree and amount of damaged tissues.

– What is the tactics of treating the listed diseases?

– At the initial stage, these diseases are treated conservatively. If this does not help, the doctor decides if surgery is required. It is important that the patient presents on time. Operations carried out in a timely manner are simple and very effective.When the disease goes far, the performance of the operations is not so high.

Conservative treatment carpal tunnel and ulnar canal syndromes comes down to reducing physical activity on the arm, prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, B vitamins that improve blood flow and nerve nutrition, vasodilators, and splints. Electroneuromyography helps diagnose these diseases and determine the treatment tactics.

Most often I start the treatment of the “snapping” finger with a hormonal blockade with Kenalog.In the treatment of tenosynovitis , a splint, hormonal blockade is prescribed. A neoplasm – in the case of hernias of the wrist, finger joints, tendons – is punctured. Changes in the wrist joints are treated with splints, anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy, and joint injections.

– When is surgery necessary?

– Always with Dupuytren’s contracture , in other cases – if the methods of conservative treatment do not help, and the symptoms persist or progress.

Operations are compensated by the Health Insurance Fund, so the patient can not wait in line and go to any clinic that can carry out such an operation, for example, to our Center. After all operations, the patient is discharged home the same or the next day. The main thing is not to hesitate at the first symptoms in order to prevent serious diseases.

For all questions, please contact your personal manager
Beate Putramenet by phone: +370 687 99 342 (Russia, Viber, WhatsApp) or by email.by mail: [email protected], as well as by the general number of the department for the reception of foreign patients: +370 5 247 63 69

90,000 If your hands hurt from a computer mouse

Tunnel syndrome is pain in the wrist and numbness in the fingers that can be caused by prolonged use of the computer.

Our hands can withstand heavy loads, but they also have their weak point – this is the carpal tunnel. It is located at the junction of the forearm into the hand. Inside the canal, there are 9 muscle tendons and one nerve – the median.With prolonged monotonous movements of the hand, the pressure in this channel increases. And since the nerve is softer than the tendons, it is he who is damaged.

As a rule, the syndrome occurs during long-term work with a computer mouse and keyboard, on which the hands are located in an unnatural position for the body. Of course, the disease will not arise only because of the keyboard and mouse – its development is accompanied by a lot of factors such as chronic diseases, obesity and diabetes. But the wrong position of the hands when working on a PC can be a catalyst for getting tunnel syndrome.

Preventing this condition is much easier than treating it : in advanced cases, the nerve is damaged, which then takes a very long time to recover. Therefore, even surgery often does not bring relief.

First alarms

Discomfort, weakness in the hand and arm. After continuous work at the computer, there is discomfort in the hand or aching pain in the hand, wrist. These symptoms go away with a warm-up or rest.

If in the initial stage of the disease the symptoms disappear after resting the arms or warming up, then in the future numbness and pain in the arms persists constantly, bothering at night.

Symptoms:

• Wrist, muscles or tendons hurt
• Tingling sensation often occurs in hands or fingers
• Hands in general become weaker
• Your shoulders are always tense, and the muscles in the neck seem to be stiff.

How to get rid of pain in the hands

• The most effective way to deal with the initial stages of tunnel syndrome is physical therapy .
• Swap your regular mouse for an ergonomic one and the keyboard for a comfortable palm rest.
• Pause your work regularly. In addition to the benefits for the hands, you will give a little respite to your eyes by looking away from the monitor.
• Use wrist pads.
• Warm up your forearms, hands and fingers between work.
• Straighten your arms regularly.

Important: If after working at the PC you feel a sharp pain in your arm or wrist, do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor. He is guaranteed to be able to help you and prescribe pain relievers, medications, or physical therapy.

Have questions? Write to the doctor.

90,000 common causes and treatments

Pain in the hands is one of the most common causes that bring people to a rheumatologist’s office. The hands are a very delicate mechanism, but at the same time it is able to withstand enormous loads.However, some diseases can practically immobilize the hands and cause severe pain in the joints of the hands.

Arthralgia – this is the scientific name for joint pain – does not just impair the quality of life. It deprives a person of the opportunity to work and perform basic everyday activities. There are a lot of diseases that can cause this symptom. Conventionally, the reasons for severe pain in the joints of the hands can be divided into two large groups – inflammatory and mechanical.Inflammatory pain in the hands is usually accompanied by stiffness in the affected joint and is relieved by movement. As a rule, there are other symptoms of inflammation – swelling or redness of the skin over the joint.

Mechanical causes – degenerative diseases or injuries – cause pain on movement. At rest, the patient feels noticeable relief. Usually, this pain in the joints of the hands is not accompanied by stiffness or numbness.

The most common causes of pain in the joints of the hands

Pain in the joints is a frequent companion of many diseases.Sometimes it is the nature of the pain that helps the doctor determine which disease the patient is suffering from.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s defense system fails and begins to perceive its own cells as foreign. As a result, the joint begins to gradually collapse, causing inflammation and severe pain in the affected area. Rheumatoid arthritis can manifest itself both in the elderly and at a young age – 25-30 years. It usually develops symmetrically – that is, the same joints on both hands are affected.Over time, the joints become deformed, resulting in curvature of the fingers and loss of mobility.

Gout

The accumulation of crystals of uric acid and its derivatives in the joints can lead to gout, which is also called “meat-eating disease”, as it often develops in those who eat too much meat. Gout causes very severe excruciating pain in the joints of the legs, but as the disease progresses, the hands also begin to suffer. Characteristic gouty bumps form around the affected joints.Burning throbbing pain with gout, as a rule, is especially strong at night, and by morning it subsides somewhat.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs as a result of wear of the articular cartilage. Typically, this disease begins to develop in old age. With osteoarthritis of the joints of the hands, pain is noted in the small joints of the hands, the metacarpal-carpal joint of the thumb, in the elbow and shoulder joints. Symptoms of osteoarthritis in the wrist joint include pain during physical exertion, painful sensitivity to pressure in the area of ​​the injured joint, and limited mobility.

Arthritis

Arthritis, which is caused by infectious diseases that cause joint inflammation, is very common. There are two forms of arthritis:

• acute arthritis – characterized by severe pain, swelling, reddening of the skin in the joint area and fever;
• chronic arthritis – reminds of itself with painful sensations only from time to time.

Injuries

Fractures, dislocations and sprains are always accompanied by excruciating pain.Depending on the nature of the injury, the pain syndrome can be more or less pronounced. Usually, joint injuries are accompanied by swelling, redness of the skin, and limited joint mobility.

Treatment of pain in the joints of the hands

Severe pain in the joints of the hands is a big problem for the patient who loses the ability to work normally and perform the most simple movements – for example, cannot fasten buttons or hold a fork.

Therapy, regardless of the cause, should be comprehensive, aimed at solving three problems at once – treatment of the underlying disease, restoration of hand functions and pain relief.

Of course, treatment depends on the nature of the disease. But pain relief and functional development of the hand during rehabilitation are subject to general rules.

The main remedy for relieving pain in the joints of the hands is medication. The largest and most commonly used group of drugs that have a pronounced analgesic effect are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They relieve inflammation and pain, but they have many unpleasant side effects, in particular from the gastrointestinal tract.

Glucocorticosteroid hormones are used to relieve pain caused by autoimmune diseases (eg rheumatoid arthritis). They have powerful anti-inflammatory effects and provide immediate relief.

Medicinal ointments, which include anti-inflammatory and anesthetic components, can also enhance the effect of drugs.

As part of complex therapy – or in cases where medication is contraindicated – the doctor may prescribe non-drug methods.

Non-surgical relief from pain in the hands

Pain in the joints of the hands is a symptom that accompanies many diseases, which are different both in terms of their occurrence and in the mechanism of development. Each disease has its own methods of therapy. With a correct diagnosis and adequate treatment, the pain gradually fades away. However, sometimes the healing process is delayed, the pain becomes chronic, and then the doctor’s task is not only to cure the patient, but also to relieve him of pain, as well as to prescribe a course of rehabilitation therapy.

To quickly relieve pain in the joints of the hands, a complex treatment is required in which some methods complement others.

This approach has been perfected in the rehabilitation center. In the treatment of such diseases, the rehabilitation center uses the principles of Pain Management, which in English means “pain management”. The center’s specialists not only help to relieve pain syndrome, but also teach patients new behavioral models that allow them to relieve unnecessary stress from a sore arm.In addition, psychotherapeutic methods are used in pain management.

As a rule, the clinic employs doctors of various profiles – rehabilitation therapists, rheumatologists, neurologists and physiotherapists, as well as nutritionists, massage therapists and medical gymnastics specialists. The combination of medicinal and physiotherapeutic methods of treatment, supplemented by measures to restore mobility in the injured limbs, gives a quick and lasting effect. The patient not only gets rid of the underlying disease, but also gets the opportunity to return to normal life as soon as possible.

* License of the Ministry of Health of the Moscow Region No. LO-50-01-011140, issued by LLC RC Three Sisters on August 02, 2019.

90,000 Arm pain was a symptom of a life-threatening disease

Extensive experience and clinical thinking allows us to make a diagnosis with a high level of accuracy based on anamnesis and interpretation of the results of diagnostic measures, including decoding, radiographs of the skull and spine, MRI and CT, electroencephalograms, results of electroradiography, ultrasound examinations (US) of the vessels of the head and neck, conclusions of ophthalmologists …

He is proficient in the methods of therapeutic blockades, as well as kinesiological taping in the treatment of injuries – sprains and hematomas, muscle pains, edema. Is engaged in acupuncture. He is a member of the Republican Neurological Society. Active participant of conferences and symposia on neurology

“Neurology is a broad specialization. Many people come to us, mistaking neurologists for psychiatrists, I believe that neurologists are dealing with issues of a weakened psyche, including increased irritability, irascibility, aggressiveness, etc.In fact, neurologists deal with pathologies of the central and peripheral nervous system. These are the brain, back brain, nerve roots, peripheral nerves, muscles. Many pathologies and diseases are associated with this. Among the symptoms that can alert you and lead to a neurologist are the following: frequent headaches, dizziness, back pain, muscle pain, weakness in the limbs, fatigue. In addition, disorders of vision, speech, memory, sleep. All this is done by a neurologist. ”

Nadezhda Sergeevna Evseeva, a neurologist at the Medservice clinic, talks about the types of stroke, causes of development, and signs.Self-diagnosis or diagnosis of a loved one. Why is it important to recognize and provide assistance in time.

Now, during the period of self-isolation, when elderly people suffering from chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, very often remain at home alone.
Therefore, it is very important to keep in touch with your family online. Nadezhda Evseeva tells in detail how you can suspect signs of a stroke in your loved ones, even during online communication (through audio-video broadcasts).

90 055 90 000 Arthritis of the joints of the hands, feet and fingers: types, symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention

Views: 134 843

Date of last update: 29.06.2021

Average Read Time: 4 minutes

Contents:

Causes of arthritis
Treatment of arthritis pain
Prevention of arthritis
Educational video “Pain in arthritis and arthrosis”

Diseases of the joints are widespread in society, they are most often accompanied by acute or constant aching pain, which can be extremely difficult to remove.Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Today, there are 150 known types of arthritis. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every tenth person suffers from one or another arthritic disease. Diseases can progress over the years, leading to thinning and deformation of the articular tissues, a significant decrease in the patient’s quality of life. Joint pain with arthritis is the main symptom that is characteristic of all forms of the disease. It is complemented by puffiness, hyperemia, limited mobility and morning stiffness.

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Causes of arthritis (knee, shoulder and fingers)

There are three main groups of arthritis: independent forms of arthritis, traumatic arthritis and arthritis associated with other diseases. Arthritis can develop slowly and gradually (chronic forms) or suddenly and abruptly (acute forms). The exact causes of the emergence of an independent disease arthritis can be difficult to establish.

The cause of the development of an inflammatory process in the joint can be a local or general infection, trauma, allergy, autoimmune disorders, metabolic disorders, hormonal disorders, etc.However, the cause of some severe inflammatory joint diseases is still not clear enough. The factors contributing to the development of arthritis are hypothermia, physical overload of the joint, hereditary predisposition:

Each type of arthritis has its own cause, the elimination of which should be directed to the main treatment. Symptoms of arthritis can also differ depending on the form of the disease and its type, but joint pain is an inevitable companion of any arthritis.Often, arthritis is accompanied by a febrile condition, swelling and redness in the joint area, impaired motor function of the joint, weakness and weight loss, morning stiffness. As the disease progresses, the pains become more intense and severely exhaust the patient. At the same time, pain in arthritis is spontaneous, most intense in the second half of the night and in the morning, and decreases after movement.

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Treatment of arthritis pain

Treatment of arthritis is long-term, takes more than one month and requires compliance with all medical prescriptions.The sooner you see a competent specialist, the higher the likelihood of recovery or a significant reduction in relapses. In the acute period, when the pain is severe, it is necessary to exclude direct loads on the joints of the arms and legs. But you can, with the permission of the doctor, go in for swimming, light warm-ups, so as not to lose shape and skills.

To get rid of joint pain, the doctor may recommend taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as part of the complex therapy for the treatment of arthritis.After an acute period of the disease and a decrease in signs of inflammation, physiotherapy is used: ultraviolet irradiation, electrophoresis, massage, exercise therapy.

If conservative therapy is ineffective, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgeries or endoprosthetics are recommended.

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Prevention of arthritis

Prevention of arthritis is reduced to avoidance and elimination of all possible provoking factors. A healthy lifestyle, weight control, a balanced diet, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption and regular preventive examinations with a doctor will significantly reduce the likelihood of developing arthritis, and compliance with all doctor’s recommendations in the early stages of the development of diseases will significantly increase the likelihood of recovery or significantly reduce the likelihood of relapse.

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The information in this article is for reference only and does not replace the professional advice of a physician. Consult a qualified professional for diagnosis and treatment.

Educational video “Pain in arthritis and arthrosis”

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