What are the common causes of sharp pains in the arm and hand. How can you differentiate between various types of arm and hand pain. What are the most effective treatment options for arm and hand pain. When should you seek medical attention for arm and hand pain.

Understanding the Anatomy of Arm and Hand Pain

Arm and hand pain can originate from various structures within these complex appendages. The arm consists of the upper arm (humerus) and the forearm (radius and ulna), while the hand comprises numerous small bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves. Understanding this anatomy is crucial for pinpointing the source of pain.

Key anatomical components involved in arm and hand pain include:

• Bones: Humerus, radius, ulna, carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges
• Muscles: Biceps, triceps, forearm flexors and extensors
• Tendons: Connecting muscles to bones
• Ligaments: Stabilizing joints
• Nerves: Median, ulnar, and radial nerves
• Blood vessels: Supplying oxygen and nutrients

Can pain in the arm and hand be related to issues in other parts of the body. In some cases, arm and hand pain can be referred from other areas, such as the neck, shoulder, or even the heart. This interconnectedness highlights the importance of a comprehensive evaluation when experiencing persistent pain.

Common Causes of Sharp Pains in the Arm and Hand

Sharp pains in the arm and hand can stem from various conditions, ranging from minor injuries to more serious underlying health issues. Here are some of the most frequent causes:

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm, becomes compressed at the wrist. Symptoms typically include:

• Numbness, tingling, and pain in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers
• Weakness in the hand and difficulty gripping objects
• Pain that may radiate up the arm

2. Tendonitis

Tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon, often caused by repetitive motions or overuse. Common types affecting the arm and hand include:

• Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
• Golfer’s elbow (medial epicondylitis)
• De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (affecting the thumb side of the wrist)

3. Arthritis

Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause sharp pains in the joints of the arm and hand. Symptoms may include:

• Joint pain, swelling, and stiffness
• Reduced range of motion
• Warmth and redness around affected joints

4. Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

This condition involves compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, leading to:

• Numbness and tingling in the ring and little fingers
• Pain on the inner side of the elbow
• Weakness in grip and difficulty with fine motor tasks

5. Radial Tunnel Syndrome

Radial tunnel syndrome occurs when the radial nerve is compressed in the forearm, causing:

• Pain in the outer part of the forearm and elbow
• Weakness in wrist and finger extension

Diagnosing the Source of Arm and Hand Pain

Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment of arm and hand pain. Healthcare providers typically use a combination of methods to determine the underlying cause:

Physical Examination

A thorough physical exam may include:

• Assessing range of motion
• Testing muscle strength
• Evaluating sensation and reflexes
• Palpating for areas of tenderness or swelling

Imaging Studies

Depending on the suspected cause, imaging studies may be ordered:

• X-rays: To evaluate bone structure and detect fractures or arthritis
• MRI: For detailed images of soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, and nerves
• CT scan: To visualize complex fractures or bone abnormalities
• Ultrasound: To assess soft tissue injuries and guide injections

Electrodiagnostic Tests

These tests evaluate nerve function and can help diagnose conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Electromyography (EMG)
• Nerve conduction studies

How long does it typically take to diagnose the cause of arm and hand pain. The time frame for diagnosis can vary widely depending on the complexity of the condition and the need for additional tests. Some cases may be diagnosed during an initial consultation, while others may require multiple visits and specialized testing.

Treatment Options for Sharp Pains in Arm and Hand

Treatment for arm and hand pain depends on the underlying cause and severity of symptoms. Here are some common approaches:

Conservative Treatments

Many cases of arm and hand pain can be managed with non-invasive methods:

• Rest and activity modification
• Ice or heat therapy
• Over-the-counter pain relievers (e.g., NSAIDs, acetaminophen)
• Splinting or bracing to immobilize affected areas
• Physical therapy exercises to improve strength and flexibility
• Ergonomic adjustments to reduce strain during daily activities

Medications

In some cases, prescription medications may be necessary:

• Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation
• Muscle relaxants for spasms
• Anticonvulsants or antidepressants for nerve pain

Injections

Targeted injections can provide relief for certain conditions:

• Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation in joints or around tendons
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to promote healing
• Nerve blocks for severe pain

Surgery

When conservative treatments fail, surgery may be considered for conditions such as:

• Severe carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendon ruptures
• Joint replacement for advanced arthritis

What factors determine the most appropriate treatment plan for arm and hand pain. The choice of treatment depends on several factors, including the specific diagnosis, severity of symptoms, patient’s overall health, and personal preferences. A healthcare provider will work with the patient to develop a tailored treatment plan that addresses their individual needs and goals.

Prevention Strategies for Arm and Hand Pain

While not all causes of arm and hand pain are preventable, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk:

Ergonomic Considerations

Proper ergonomics can help prevent repetitive strain injuries:

• Maintain good posture when sitting and working
• Use ergonomic keyboards and mouse devices
• Take regular breaks to stretch and move
• Adjust workstations to promote neutral wrist positions

Exercise and Strengthening

Regular exercise can help maintain joint health and muscle strength:

• Perform hand and wrist stretches daily
• Engage in strength training exercises for the upper body
• Practice exercises to improve grip strength

Lifestyle Modifications

Certain lifestyle changes can contribute to overall arm and hand health:

• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce stress on joints
• Stay hydrated to support joint lubrication
• Quit smoking, as it can impair circulation and healing
• Manage stress, which can contribute to muscle tension

How effective are these prevention strategies in reducing the risk of arm and hand pain. While no prevention method is 100% effective, implementing these strategies can significantly reduce the risk of developing many common causes of arm and hand pain, particularly those related to overuse and repetitive strain.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Arm and Hand Pain

While many cases of arm and hand pain can be managed at home, certain symptoms warrant prompt medical attention:

Red Flags

Seek immediate medical care if you experience:

• Sudden, severe pain accompanied by swelling or discoloration
• Inability to move your arm, hand, or fingers
• Visible deformity following an injury
• Signs of infection, such as fever, redness, and warmth
• Numbness or tingling that doesn’t improve with rest
• Pain that radiates to the chest, jaw, or neck (which may indicate a heart problem)

Persistent Symptoms

Schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider if you experience:

• Pain that persists for more than a few weeks despite home treatment
• Recurring pain that interferes with daily activities
• Gradual loss of strength or dexterity in the hand
• Any symptoms that concern you or affect your quality of life

What information should you prepare before visiting a doctor for arm and hand pain. To help your healthcare provider make an accurate diagnosis, be prepared to discuss:

• The location, duration, and intensity of your pain
• Any activities that worsen or alleviate the pain
• Recent injuries or changes in your daily routine
• Your medical history, including any chronic conditions
• Current medications and supplements you’re taking

Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Managing Arm and Hand Pain

In addition to conventional medical treatments, some individuals find relief from arm and hand pain through complementary and alternative approaches:

Acupuncture

This traditional Chinese medicine technique involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. Some studies suggest acupuncture may help alleviate certain types of arm and hand pain, particularly those related to nerve compression or arthritis.

Massage Therapy

Therapeutic massage can help reduce muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. It may be particularly beneficial for conditions involving soft tissue strain or overuse.

Herbal Remedies

Certain herbs and supplements are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce pain:

• Turmeric
• Ginger
• Boswellia
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Mind-Body Techniques

Practices that focus on the connection between mind and body can help manage pain and reduce stress:

• Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Meditation
• Biofeedback

How should complementary approaches be integrated with conventional medical treatments for arm and hand pain. It’s important to discuss any complementary or alternative treatments with your healthcare provider before starting them. These approaches should generally be used in conjunction with, not in place of, conventional medical care. Your provider can help you determine which complementary therapies might be safe and potentially beneficial for your specific condition.

The Impact of Arm and Hand Pain on Daily Life and Work

Chronic arm and hand pain can significantly affect various aspects of a person’s life:

Work Performance

Pain can interfere with job duties, particularly in occupations that require manual dexterity or repetitive hand movements. This may lead to:

• Decreased productivity
• Increased absenteeism
• Need for workplace accommodations

Daily Activities

Simple tasks can become challenging when dealing with arm and hand pain:

• Difficulty with personal care (e.g., dressing, grooming)
• Challenges with household chores
• Limitations in recreational activities and hobbies

Emotional Well-being

Chronic pain can take a toll on mental health:

• Increased stress and anxiety
• Risk of depression
• Frustration and loss of independence

Social Interactions

Pain may affect social relationships and activities:

• Reluctance to participate in social events
• Difficulty engaging in physical activities with friends and family
• Potential strain on relationships due to limitations and mood changes

What strategies can individuals use to cope with the impact of chronic arm and hand pain on their daily lives. Coping strategies may include:

• Learning and implementing proper body mechanics
• Using assistive devices to make tasks easier
• Practicing stress management techniques
• Joining support groups to connect with others facing similar challenges
• Working with an occupational therapist to develop adaptive strategies
• Communicating openly with employers, family, and friends about limitations and needs

By addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of chronic pain, individuals can improve their quality of life and maintain a sense of independence and well-being despite their condition.

Pain in the back of the hand

There are many causes of pain in the back of your hand. You can often ease the pain yourself. But see a GP if the pain does not improve.

How you can ease pain in the back of your hand yourself

If you see a GP, they’ll usually suggest you try these things:

Do

• rest your hand when you can

• put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) in a towel and place it on the back of your hand for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours

• take paracetamol to ease the pain

• take off any jewellery if your hand is swollen

• wrap a bandage around your hand to support it – read more about how to apply a bandage

Don’t

• do not use ibuprofen in the first 48 hours after an injury

• do not use heat packs or have hot baths for the first 2 to 3 days after an injury

You can ask a pharmacist about:

• the best painkiller to take
• treatments for common skin problems
• if you need to see a GP

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

• the pain is stopping you doing normal activities
• the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
• the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
• you have any tingling or loss of sensation in your hand
• you have diabetes – hand problems can be more serious if you have diabetes

What we mean by severe pain

Severe pain:

• always there and so bad it’s hard to think or talk
• you cannot sleep
• it’s very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress

Moderate pain:

• always there
• makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
• you can manage to get up, wash or dress

Mild pain:

• comes and goes
• is annoying but does not stop you doing things like going to work

Information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP

It’s still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:

• visit their website
• use the NHS App
• call them

Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19

Urgent advice: Go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E if you:

• have severe pain
• feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain
• heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of the injury
• are not able to move your hand or hold things
• have a hand that’s changed shape or colour, such as blue or white

These might be signs of a broken hand.

Find an urgent treatment centre

What we mean by severe pain

Severe pain:

• always there and so bad it’s hard to think or talk
• you cannot sleep
• it’s very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress

Moderate pain:

• always there
• makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
• you can manage to get up, wash or dress

Mild pain:

• comes and goes
• is annoying but does not stop you doing things like going to work

Common causes of pain in the back of your hand

Pain in the back of your hand is often caused by bruising or injuring your hand.

Your symptoms might also give you an idea of what’s causing the pain in the back of your hand.

Information:

Do not worry if you’re not sure what the problem is. Follow the advice on this page and see a GP if the pain does not get better in 2 weeks.

You can also read about pain in other areas of your hand.

Page last reviewed: 1 May 2019
Next review due: 1 May 2022

Types of Lower Arm Pain

There are many reasons you could experience lower arm pain. Your doctor will need your help to zero in on the most likely possibilities. First, locate the pain, such as generalized forearm pain, elbow pain, or wrist pain. Describe the pain with words, such as dull, achy, cramping, sharp, shooting, stabbing, throbbing or burning.

You will probably need to rate the pain on a scale so your doctor can understand how severe it is. Your doctor will also need to know whether it started suddenly or gradually. You should also let your doctor know about activities that make it worse including:

• Flexion of the hand (bending your hand down at the wrist)

• Forearm pronation (rotating with the palm side down)

• Forearm supination (rotating with the palm side up)

Arm-related symptoms that may occur along with lower arm pain

Lower arm pain may accompany other symptoms affecting the arm and hand including:

Other symptoms that may occur along with lower arm pain

Depending on the cause, it is also possible to have symptoms outside the arm when you have lower arm pain. This includes fever, fatigue, weight loss, and problems with other joints.

Symptoms that might indicate a serious condition

When a broken bone is the cause of forearm pain, it requires immediate medical attention. If you, or someone you are with, have symptoms that could indicate a broken forearm, elbow, wrist or hand, seek immediate medical care (or call 911 for help). Symptoms can include:

• A deep wound on the forearm, elbow, wrist or hand or trauma with open skin

• Bone sticking out through the skin

• Hearing a snapping sound during the injury

• Inability to move the elbow, wrist, hand or fingers

• Inability to tolerate having the arm hang down and feeling like you need to support it with the other hand

• Severe pain, swelling or bruising

• Visual deformity

Pain Symptoms

What is pain? The International Association for the Study of Pain defines it as: An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage. This description is a bit less personal and doesn’t seem to hurt as bad. A more personal description of pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain’s location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensation and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain. To take this a step further, a neurological description of pain is when the sensory system is impacted by injury or disease, the nerves within that system can’t work to transmit sensation to the brain. This often leads to a sense of numbness, or lack of sensation. However, in some cases when this system is injured, individuals experience pain in the affected region. This type of pain doesn’t start abruptly or resolve quickly but is rather a chronic condition which leads to persistent pain symptoms. Depending on what is the cause of an individuals pain will typically determine how severe it is. For many with multiple sclerosis (MS), they will suffer from a clinically significant amount of pain at some time. For many, the pain that they deal with becomes more chronic. Causes of MS Pain Pain in MS is directly related to either an MS lesion or plaque in the nervous system (nerve pain), or the effects of disability. When MS makes moving about difficult, stress on muscles, bones and joints can cause pain (musculoskeletal pain). Pain in MS can be caused or worsened by infection, or pressure ulcers. Nerve pain can be continuous and steady or sudden and irregular. Nerve pain is reported in varying degrees of severity. 50% of those who report MS pain say their pain is constant and severe. Intermittent, sudden pain is described as shooting, stabbing, electric shock-like, or searing and is often caused by sensations that normally do not cause pain like the weight of bed covers, chewing, or a cold breeze. Other examples of intermittent pain include the feelings of tightness, cramping, clawing, and sudden spasms of a limb. Tightness or band-like feelings, nagging, numbness, tingling in legs or arms, burning, aching, and throbbing pain is termed constant or steady nerve pain. Steady nerve pain is often worse at night or during changes in temperature, and can be worsened with exercise. The most common pain syndromes experienced by people with MS include: headache (seen more in MS than the general population), continuous burning pain in the legs and/or arms, back pain, and painful spasms. Types of Pain It’s useful to distinguish between two basic types of pain, acute and chronic, and they differ greatly. • Acute pain typically results from disease, inflammation, or injury to tissues. This type of pain generally comes on suddenly, like after trauma or surgery, and may be accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress. The cause of acute pain can usually be diagnosed and treated, and the pain is self-limiting, in that it’s confined to a given period of time and severity. In some rare instances, it can become chronic. • Chronic pain is widely believed to represent disease itself and can be made much worse by environmental and psychological factors. Chronic pain persists over a longer period of time than acute pain and is resistant to most medical treatments. It can, and often does, cause severe problems for patients. A person may have two or more co-existing chronic pain conditions. Such conditions can include chronic fatigue syndrome, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, and MS just to name a few. When most people think of MS, they think of a disease that causes symptoms of weakness and motor problems and not pain. Pain is both a biochemical and neurological transmission of an unpleasant sensation and an emotional experience. It’s estimated that at least 70% and possible as many as 90% of those with MS experience pain at some point during the course of the disease and around 50% are never pain free with clinically significant pain. MS causes many pain syndromes with some being acute while others are chronic. Some types of pain worsen with age and with disease progression. Pain syndromes associated with MS are typically trigeminal (facial) pain, powerful spasms and cramps, optic neuritis (pain in the eye), pressure pain, stiffened joints, and a variety of sensations including feelings of itching, burning, and shooting pain. MS is a type of neuropathic pain being that it’s a chronic pain that usually is accompanied by tissue injury. With neuropathic pain, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged, dysfunctional or injured. These damaged nerve fibers send incorrect signals to other pain centers. The impact of nerve fiber injury includes a change in nerve function both at the site of injury and areas around the injury. Like fatigue, pain is often described as one of the worst symptoms of MS. The presence of pain tends to be independent of gender, age at onset and examination, disability, disease course and duration. About 40% of those with pain symptoms say that it had important influence on their daily activities. Steady and achy type pain often results because muscles become fatigued and stretched when they are used to compensate for muscles that have been weakened by MS. People with MS may also experience more stabbing type pain which results from faulty nerve signals emanating from the nerves in MS lesions in the brain and spinal cord. Pain from awkward positions is called “musculoskeletal dysfunction”. It results from unusual positioning of the body caused by MS symptoms like hip, knee, or low back pain can stem from an odd standing position that a person has developed in an attempt to maintain balance. Fatigue can make this kind of pain even worse. Overuse of certain muscles to compensate for other muscles can also lead to pain. Chronic Pain from MS Chronic pain usually is typically caused by an initial trauma/injury or infection, or there may be an ongoing cause of pain. With MS, the signals of pain remain active in the nervous system for weeks, months, or even years. Types of chronic pain caused by MS: Nerve pain caused by an injury or dysfunction in the central nervous system (CNS). MS attacks the CNS and damages nerve fibers. This damage can decrease the body’s ability to correctly process pain signals and may lead to chronic pain. Symptoms of neuropathic pain are often described as paresthesias. This pain includes joint and muscle pain and stiffness. This type of pain is a result of muscle weakness, poor posture, or abnormal use of muscles or joints due to muscle spasms or continuous muscle contractions caused by MS. The emotional toll of chronic pain also can make pain worse. Anxiety, stress, depression, anger, and fatigue interact in complex ways with chronic pain and may decrease the body’s production of natural painkillers; moreover, such negative feelings may increase the level of substances that amplify sensations of pain, causing a vicious cycle of pain for the person. Even the body’s basic defenses may be compromised in the form of a suppressed immune system. The symptoms of chronic pain include: • Mild to severe pain that does not go away • Pain described as shooting, burning, aching, or electrical • Feeling of discomfort, soreness, tightness, or stiffness Pain is not a symptom that exists alone. Other problems associated with pain include: • Fatigue • Sleeplessness • Withdrawal from activity • Increased need to rest • Weakened immune system • Changes in mood • Anxiety and stress • Depression and irritability • Disability Central Pain Syndrome Central pain syndrome (CPS), also called neuropathic pain, is a neurological condition caused by damage to or a dysfunction of the CNS. The pain is typically constant, may be moderate to severe in intensity, and is often made worse by touch, movement, emotions. It’s often aggravated by temperature changes, particularly cold. CPS may affect a large portion of the body or may be more restricted to specific areas, such as hands or feet. The extent of pain differs widely among individuals partly because of the cause of the CNS injury or damage. Individuals with CPS may experience one or more types of pain sensations, with the most prominent being burning due to paresthesis. Mingled with the burning may be sensations of “pins and needles” like a pressing, lacerating, or aching pain; and brief, intolerable bursts of sharp pain similar to the pain caused by a dental probe on an exposed nerve. CPS may also have intense skin reactions that can accompany these symptoms, such as a burning, stretching, tightness, itching, or a crawling feeling that can be sensitive to or irritated by any light touch, such as the feel of cloth on skin, which can make getting dressed an ordeal. Sometimes the simple act of a touch by someone may often be a way to overwhelm the brain with pain. In CPS, sometimes the hands and feet are affected with a numbness that is painful, and doesn’t offer any relief, but rather only adding to the pain. Individuals may also have numbness in other areas affected by pain. The burning and loss of touch sensations are usually most severe on the distant parts of the body, again usually in the feet or hands. CPS often begins shortly after the causative injury or damage, but may be delayed by months or even years. In many cases, when a person rates the pain as high as a 9 or 10 on a pain scale, there seems to be no relief even with medications. Transverse Myelitis Transverse myelitis occurs when the immune system attacks a section of the spinal cord. Damage to the spinal cord is known as a myelopathy. The hallmark of a myelopathy is a sensory level. This means that there is a location on the patient below which the patient feels numb and above which sensation is normal. Sometimes this is only on one side of the body. It’s also common to have weakness in the parts of the body below the level and normal strength above. In some cases of myelopathy, there are problems with controlling ones bowels and bladder. In some people, transverse myeltis represents the first symptom of an underlying demyelinating disease of the CNS such as MS or neuromyelitis optica (NMO). A form of transverse myelitis known as “partial” myelitis, because it affects only a portion of the cross-sectional area of the spinal cord, is more characteristic of MS. Neuromyelitis optica typically causes both transverse myelitis and optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve that results in visual loss), but not necessarily at the same time. All those with transverse myelitis should be evaluated for MS or NMO because those with these diagnoses may require different treatments, especially therapies to prevent future attacks. There’s a large differential for myelopathy and typically having a MRI will sort out most of the causes. Once it’s identified to be a transverse myelitis, then one has to determine if it’s part of MS, neuromyelitis optica, idiopathic (meaning all by itself) or as a consequence of a systemic disease such as lupus. If there is sufficient symptoms to warrant therapy, then a high dose of IV steroids is typically given. If the transverse myelitis appears to be the first attack of MS, then standard MS disease modifying medications are started. If it’s over multiple spinal cord segments, then neuromyelitis optica needs to be considered. No effective cure currently exists for those with transverse myelitis. Corticosteroid therapy is usually begun during the first few weeks of illness to decrease inflammation. Following initial therapy, the most critical part of the treatment for this disorder consists of keeping the patient’s body functioning while hoping for either complete or partial spontaneous recovery of the nervous system. If an individual begins to recover limb control, physical therapy begins to help improve muscle strength, coordination, and range of motion. Trigeminal Neuralgia Trigeminal neuralgia, also called tic douloureux, is a chronic stabbing pain condition that affects the trigeminal or 5th cranial nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain. If you have trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. While it can be confused with dental pain, this pain is neuropathic in origin, meaning it’s pain associated with nerve injury or nerve lesion. You may initially experience short, mild attacks, but trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it’s more likely to occur in people who are older than 50. In trigeminal neuralgia the trigeminal nerve’s function is disrupted. Some people may experience trigeminal neuralgia due to a brain lesion or other abnormalities. Trigeminal neuralgia can occur as a result of aging, or it can be related to MS or a similar disorder that damages the myelin sheath protecting certain nerves. It may also occur as an initial symptom of MS. Usually, the problem is contact between a normal blood vessel — in this case, an artery or a vein — and the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. This contact puts pressure on the nerve and causes it to malfunction. The typical or “classic” form of the disorder (called “Type 1”) causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like facial pain that lasts anywhere from a few seconds to as long as two minutes per episode. These attacks can occur in quick succession, in volleys lasting as long as two hours. The “atypical” form of the disorder (called “Type 2”), is characterized by constant aching, burning, stabbing pain of somewhat lower intensity than Type 1. Both forms of pain may occur in the same person, sometimes at the same time. The intensity of pain can be physically and mentally incapacitating. The trigeminal nerve is one of 12 pairs of cranial nerves. The nerve has three branches that conduct sensations from the upper, middle, and lower portions of the face, as well as the oral cavity, to the brain. • The ophthalmic, or upper, branch supplies sensation to most of the scalp, forehead, and front of the head. • The maxillary, or middle, branch stimulates the cheek, upper jaw, top lip, teeth and gums, and to the side of the nose. • The mandibular, or lower, branch supplies nerves to the lower jaw, teeth and gums, and bottom lip. More than one nerve branch can be affected by the disorder. Rarely, both sides of the face may be affected at different times in an individual, or even more rarely at the same time (called bilateral). Because of the variety of treatment options available, having trigeminal neuralgia doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doomed to a life of pain. Doctors usually can effectively manage trigeminal neuralgia with medications, injections or surgery. Lhermitte’s Lhermitte’s Sign, sometimes called the Barber Chair phenomenon, is an electrical sensation or shock that runs down your back and into the limbs. It’s produced by bending the neck forward and/or backward. These electrical sensations are known as paresthesia and include tingling, buzzing, electrical shocks, partial numbness and sharp pains. The problem can be painful, but it’s not life-threatening and for some people it may go away over time and/or with treatment. Lhermitte’s sign is caused by nerves that are no longer coated with myelin. These damaged nerves respond to the movement of the neck, which causes sensations from the neck to the spine. As with many MS symptoms, you’re more likely to trigger it if you’re tired or overheated. It can also happen if you move your head the wrong way, often when your chin hits your chest. In MS, Lhermitte’s is an indicator of lesions in the cervical spine. Movement of the neck causes the damaged nerves to be stretched and send erroneous signals. The symptoms can occur anywhere below the neck and many people with MS find that it can move around their body from one day to the next. Lhermitte’s sign is common in MS, but it’s not exclusive to the disease. People with spinal cord injuries or inflammation, such as cervical spondylitis or disc impingement, might also feel symptoms of the condition. Severe vitamin B-12 deficiency can also cause symptoms of Lhermitte’s sign. Medications can treat the symptoms of Lhermitte’s sign such as anti-seizure drugs and steroids. Anti-seizure drugs help manage the pain by controlling your body’s electrical impulses. Your doctor might prescribe steroids if Lhermitte’s sign is part of a general MS relapse. You might also take medication to lessen the nerve pain that is commonly associated with MS. Paresthesia Paresthesia includes “pins and needles,” tingling, shivering, burning pains, a feeling of pressure, and areas of skin with heightened sensitivity to touch. The pains associated with this can be aching, throbbing, stabbing, shooting, gnawing, tingling, tightness and numbness. The cause of paresthesia is the direct damage to the nerves themselves (neuropathy) which itself can stem from injury, infection, or which may be indicative of a current neurological disorder. Chronic paresthesia is often a symptom of an underlying neurological disease or traumatic nerve damage. Paresthesia can be caused by disorders affecting the CNS, such as stroke and transient ischemic attacks (mini-strokes), MS, transverse myelitis, and encephalitis. A tumor or vascular lesion pressed up against the brain or spinal cord can also cause paresthesia. It can occur everywhere in the body, presenting the following problems: • Feet – causing problems walking because of pain, sensory ataxia and interference with proprioception • Hands – causing problems with writing, fine motor movements, holding things • Genitalia – causing sexual dysfunction • Tongue – causing problems speaking, such as dysarthria, or detecting temperature of food Paresthesia in an arm has been described as having a blood pressure cuff inflated on your arm and not releasing the pressure. The pain, discomfort, burning and tingling sensations that most people experience for just a moment are what many with MS experience on a constant basis. For many this paresthesia is cronic and never goes away. In addition, it may be in just a single arm, both arms, both legs, the side of a face, or even an entire side of a persons body. Many people (with or without MS) have experienced a mild and temporary paresthesia at some time when they have sat with legs crossed for too long, or fallen asleep with an arm crooked under their head. It can happen when sustained pressure is placed on a nerve and quickly goes away once the pressure is relieved. For many, they are lucky because it’s only a temorary discomfort or pain, but this is an example of what those with MS experience on a constant basis. This can also cause something as simple as writing a note or holding a beverage to become difficult if not impossible if it’s located in an arm or hand. If it happens to be in a leg or foot, the challenge of walking can be a task without falling down. Then if it’s affecting the face or mouth, a bowl of hot soup may become a “burning” experience, just like when getting a cavity filled at the dentist and you can’t feel your face for an hour or so. For many it’s a combination of these on top of a number of other issues. Dysesthesia Dysesthesia is the technical name for the burning, aching or “girdling” around the body that’s sometimes referred to as the “MS Hug”. It’s a symptom of pain or abnormal sensations that typically cause hyperesthesia, paresthesia, or peripheral sensory neuropathy. Dysesthesia can be due to lesions in sensory nerves and sensory pathways in the CNS. These painful sensations typically affect the legs and feet, but may also affect the arms and trunk, such as the feeling of constriction around the abdomen or chest area, which is where the term “MS Hug” comes from. They are neurologic in origin and are sometimes treated with antidepressants. Three types of pain which occur secondary to MS Musculoskeletal pain can be due to muscular weakness, spasticity and imbalance. It’s most often seen in the hips, legs and arms and particularly when muscles, tendons and ligaments remain immobile for some time. Back pain may occur due to improper seating or incorrect posture while walking. Contractures associated with weakness and spasticity can be painful. Muscular spasms or cramps called flexor spasms can be severe and discomfiting. Paroxysmal pains are seen in about 5 to 10% of those with MS. The most characteristic is the facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia, which usually responds to carbamazepine. L’Hermitte’s sign is a stabbing, electric shock-like sensation running from the back of the head down the spin brought on by bending the neck forward. Chronic neurogenic pain is the most common, distressing and intractable of the pain syndromes in MS. This pain is described as constant, boring, burning or tingling intensely. It usually occurs in the legs.

Arm Pain | RemedyConnect

Is this your symptom?

Causes

There are many possible causes of arm pain. Some common minor causes are:

• Muscle overuse
• Muscle strain
• Muscle aches that occur with the common cold, the flu, and other viral illnesses.

Often arm pain can be from arthritis in one of the joints of the arm. Arthritis means joint (“arthr”) inflammation (“itis”). It can occur in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, or finger joints. The most common forms of arthritis are:

• Gout: This type of arthritis happens to some people because of a build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints. Pain from gout or gouty arthritis comes on quickly. A person will notice rapid start of severe pain, redness, and swelling in one joint.
• Osteoarthritis: This is also called “wear and tear” arthritis. It is the most common type of arthritis. As people get older the cartilage in the joints wears down. This type of arthritis often affects both sides of the body equally. The joints hurt and feel stiff. Osteoarthritis is seen more often after age 50. Nearly everyone will get some degree of wear and tear arthritis as they get older.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is a rare type of arthritis. It usually affects both sides of the body. In addition to pain, there can be joint redness, swelling, stiffness, and warmth. Special blood tests are needed to diagnose this type of arthritis.

Other less common causes of arm pain are:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (pain from pressure on the median nerve)
• Cellulitis (skin infection)
• Cervical radiculopathy (pain from pinched nerve in neck)
• Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in arm)
• Phantom limb pain (pain in missing part of arm after amputation)

When Should You Seek Medical Help Right Away?

Here are some signs that the arm pain might be serious.

You should call 911 or go to the emergency department right away if shoulder or arm pain occurs with:

• Chest pain lasting longer than 5 minutes
• Trouble breathing or unusual sweating (such as sweating without exertion)

You should seek medical help right away if:

• Shoulder or arm pain happens with exercise (such as while walking, goes away on resting)
• Signs of infection occur (such as spreading redness, red streak, warmth)
• Joint swelling with fever occurs
• Entire arm is swollen

Pain Scale

• None: No pain. Pain score is 0 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Mild: The pain does not keep you from work, school, or other normal activities. Pain score is 1-3 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Moderate: The pain keeps you from working or going to school. It wakes you up from sleep. Pain score is 4-7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It may be worse than any pain you have had before. It keeps you from doing any normal activities. Pain score is 8-10 on a scale of 0 to 10.

When to Call for Arm Pain

Care Advice

Mild Arm Pain

1. What You Should Know:
   • Arm pain can be caused by many things. Muscle aches can occur with the common cold, the flu, and other viral illnesses. Muscle strain and overuse can cause arm pain. Often arm pain can be from arthritis in one of the joints of the arm. It can also be caused by a pinched nerve in the neck or arm.
   • The best way to treat arm pain will depend on the exact cause.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. What to Expect:
   • Muscle aches from the common cold, the flu, and other viral illness most often last just 2 to 3 days.
   • Minor muscle strain and overuse should start to get better in a couple days. The pain should go away within one week.
   • Pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis) can be chronic. That is, it can last weeks, months or years. Sometimes the pain can flare up and then get better after a couple days.
   • What to expect in other cases will depend on the cause of pain.
3. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe pain
   • Pain keeps you from doing normal activities (such as school, work)
   • Pain lasts more than 7 days
   • Signs of infection occur (such as spreading redness, red streak, warmth)
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Muscle Strain or Overuse

1. What You Should Know – Muscle Strain:
   • A muscle strain occurs from over-stretching or tearing a muscle. People often call this a “pulled muscle”. This muscle injury can occur while playing a sport or lifting something. Sometimes it can also occur while doing normal activities.
   • People often describe a sharp pain or popping when the muscle strain occurs. The muscle pain worsens when moving the arm.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. What You Should Know – Overuse:
   • Sore muscles are common following vigorous activity (such as sports, weight lifting, and moving furniture). This can happen when your body is not used to this amount of activity.
   • The arm muscles often feel achy and sore all over.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
3. Apply a Cold Pack:
   • Apply a cold pack or an ice bag (wrapped in a moist towel) to the area for 20 minutes. Repeat this in 1 hour and then every 4 hours while awake.
   • Do this for the first 48 hours after an injury.
   • This will help decrease pain and swelling.
4. Apply Heat to the Area:
   • Beginning 48 hours after an injury, apply a warm washcloth or heating pad for 10 minutes three times a day.
   • This will help increase blood flow and improve healing.
   • Caution: Avoid burns. Make sure it is warm, not hot. Never sleep on, or with, a heating pad.
5. Hot Shower:
   • If stiffness lasts over 48 hours, relax in a hot shower twice a day.
   • Gently move the arm under the falling water.
6. Rest vs. Movement:
   • Rest your arm for the first day or two.
   • Staying active helps muscle healing more than resting does.
   • Continue normal activities as much as your pain permits.
   • Avoid heavy lifting and active sports for 1 to 2 weeks or until the pain and swelling are gone.
7. What to Expect:
   • Minor muscle strain and overuse should start to get better in a couple days.
   • The pain should go away within one week.
8. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe pain
   • Pain keeps you from doing normal activities (such as school, work)
   • Pain lasts more than 7 days
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

Over-the-Counter Pain Medicines

1. Pain Medicine:
   • You can take one of the following drugs if you have pain: acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).
   • They are over-the-counter (OTC) pain drugs. You can buy them at the drugstore.
   • Use the lowest amount of a drug that makes your pain feel better.
   • Acetaminophen is safer than ibuprofen or naproxen in people over 65 years old.
   • Read the instructions and warnings on the package insert for all medicines you take.
2. Call Your Doctor If:
   • You have more questions
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the ‘Call Your Doctor’ symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Burner (Stinger) (for Teens) – Nemours KidsHealth

What Are Burners & Stingers?

Burners (also called stingers) are injuries to the nerve network that provides feeling and muscle control in the shoulder, arm, forearm, hand, and fingers. The medical name for burners is brachial plexus injuries. They are common sports injuries. Most go away pretty quickly.

What Happens in a Burner?

The brachial plexus nerve network begins with nerve roots at the spinal cord in the neck and reaches to the armpit. Nerves branch out from there and continue down the arm to the forearm, hand, and fingers.

When a strong force increases the angle between the neck and shoulders, the brachial plexus nerves might stretch or tear. The injury may also pull the nerve roots of the brachial plexus from the spinal cord. Damaged nerves conduct sensation poorly and weaken muscle movements.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of a Burner?

Someone with a burner may complain of:

• pain or an electric shock shooting down the arm
• numbness in the arm or fingers
• clumsiness or weakness in the hand or arm
• a warm sensation in the affected area

A severe injury may cause paralysis (loss of movement) of the arm and a loss of sensation.

Who Gets Burners?

Football players are most at risk for burners. But they also can happen in teens who participate in:

Burners can also happen in a motor vehicle crash when the head is pushed to one side or something hits the neck and shoulder.

How Are Burners Diagnosed?

A doctor will usually recognize a burner from your symptoms and a physical exam. The doctor may check arm strength, reflexes, and range of motion in the arm.

The doctor may order imaging tests — like X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) — if you have:

• a history of burners
• neck pain or decreased range of motion in the neck
• symptoms in both arms
• weakness lasting more than a few days
• problems with thinking, speech, or memory

The tests can help doctors see the extent of the injury and rule out a more serious condition, such as a spine fracture.

How Are Burners Treated?

Treatment depends on how severe a burner is. Many mild injuries need no treatment because feeling and muscle control return within a few minutes.

Someone with a lasting burner might need:

• Ice applied to the affected area. Use an ice bag or a cold compress for 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours for the first couple of days to ease any swelling.
• Anti-inflammatory medicines. Pain relievers (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen) can help ease pain and
  inflammationin the neck and shoulder.
• Range of motion exercises. Your doctor may recommend exercises to keep the neck, shoulder, arm, and hand limber and flexible while the nerves heal. These can also help ease muscle spasms.

What Else Should I Know?

Most burners go away on their own. Someone with a more serious injury might work with a physical therapist or trainer to keep the muscles strong during healing.

A burner should heal completely before you return to sports. To make burners less likely if you play contact sports, be sure to:

• Keep your neck and shoulder muscles as strong and flexible as possible.
• Gently stretch the neck muscles before any athletic activity.
• Use protective gear (like a football neck collar or specially designed shoulder pads).
• Use proper sports technique (never lead with your head during a football game, etc. ).

Brachial Neuritis | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What is brachial neuritis?

Brachial neuritis is a form of peripheral neuropathy that affects the chest, shoulder, arm and hand. Peripheral neuropathy is a disease characterized by pain or loss of function in the nerves that carry signals to and from the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) to other parts of the body. It is a fairly rare condition.

Brachial neuritis is also referred to as brachial neuropathy or a brachial plexus injury. When acute brachial neuritis occurs, the damage to the brachial nerves comes on suddenly and unexpectedly, without being related to any other injury or physical condition. This is also called Parsonage-Turner syndrome or neuralgic amyotrophy.

Brachial neuritis affects mainly the lower nerves of the brachial plexus, in the arm and hand. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves that travels from the spinal cord to the chest, shoulder, arms, and hands. It usually affects just one side of the body, but it can involve other nerves and other parts of the body, as well. Here is a brief overview of the different types of brachial plexus injuries:

• Acute brachial neuritis. This type of brachial neuritis occurs unexpectedly on its own. It is characterized by sharp, severe pain in the nerves of the brachial plexus, followed by weakness or numbness. The cause of acute brachial neuritis is unknown.
• Brachial plexus injury. Some people have pain and loss of function to the brachial plexus as the result of another type of injury. For example, babies can injure the brachial plexus when they pass through the birth canal during labor.

What causes brachial neuritis?

In brachial neuritis, pain, loss of function, and other damage occurs in the brachial plexus, the bundle of nerves that travels from the spinal cord to the chest, shoulder, arms, and hands.

The cause of brachial neuritis is unknown. In some instances, the symptoms of brachial neuritis seem to be related to another illness or injury. At other times, however, the pain and weakness associated with the disease occur without any explanation. 

What are the symptoms of brachial neuritis?

Symptoms of brachial neuritis include:

• Severe pain in the upper arm or shoulder
• Pain usually affecting just one side of the body
• After a few hours or days, the pain transitions to weakness, limpness, or paralysis in the muscles of the affected arm or shoulder
• Lack of muscle control in the shoulder or arm
• Lack of sensation or feeling in the shoulder or arm

Symptoms typically resolve slowly over the course of a few months or a few years.

How is brachial neuritis diagnosed?

If any of the symptoms are noted, the location of the symptoms in the chest, shoulder, upper back, or upper arm area is an indication that brachial neuritis is the cause.

If the healthcare provider suspects that brachial neuritis might be the cause of your pain, he or she may also do electromyography or nerve conduction studies to determine the specific nature and extent of the nerve damage. If the healthcare provider suspects that your brachial pain might be related to another type of medical condition or illness, he or she may do more tests.

How is brachial neuritis treated?

In some cases, acute brachial neuritis will resolve on its own over time. Your healthcare provider may give you corticosteroids for the pain in the meantime. If the brachial neuritis is the result of an injury and surgery can be done in a timely fashion, then surgery might be used to repair the nerves of the brachial plexus region.

Can brachial neuritis be prevented?

Experts don’t know how to prevent brachial neuritis. The best thing you can do is avoid arm and shoulder injuries. But in a lot of cases, the cause of brachial neuritis is unknown, and there is little you can do to prevent it.

Living with brachial neuritis

In many cases, brachial neuritis will resolve on its own after a few months. The best thing you can do is be patient, and follow the instructions of your healthcare provider to manage the severe pain of brachial neuritis.

Avoiding cigarettes and alcohol, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercises can help many with various types of peripheral neuropathy, and brachial neuritis is no exception. In many cases, working with a physical therapist can help improve the condition.

Relaxation techniques such as yoga may also help ease emotional and physical symptoms by helping you relieve stress naturally. 

Key points

• Brachial neuritis is a fairly rare condition that causes pain and loss of muscle control in your shoulder or arm.
• Medicines and therapy can help reduce the pain and improve the condition.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
• At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
• Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
• Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.

Pain in Left or Right Arm Treatment

As Chiropractors, Osteopaths and sports therapists, the ProBack team are responsible for more than just back pain but for the mechanical components of the whole body; how they align and interact is key to understanding how any pain evolves including pain in the arms.

We see many patients whose arm pain is a direct result of nerve compression within the upper back or neck; similar to the well-known entrapment in the lower back known as sciatica, neck radiculopathy (trapped nerves) most commonly involve shooting pain down the arm often extending into the wrist and fingers, however sometimes the pain occurs just in the elbow or wrist without additional symptoms.

Pain in the left arm

Quite rightly, pain in the left arm is a cause for concern, whilst there are a multitude of simple biomechanical explanations for pain in the left arm, it is also the referral pattern for heart, therefore angina and heart attacks must be ruled out. Heart Pain tends to be sudden onset but ranges from mild to severe, it has a specific pattern involving the upper left chest, anterior shoulder, then down the inner bicep and into the little finger. It is often accompanied by other symptoms such as being short of breath, sweating or nausea. If in doubt, then it is advised to contact emergency services.

Pain in the right arm

Unlike the left arm, when pain is felt in the right arm its far less of a concern as the heart does not refer to this side. Pain in the right arm therefore is far less sinister and can be from a multitude of biomechanical injuries as described below.

Causes of Arm Pain (either side)

Alternative causes for pain in the arm or wrist can be brought on by many different things, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Often specific injuries can be related from a certain individual action or a direct injury with an obvious cause such as a work or sports injury.

Yet there may be a more complicated problems related to a bio-mechanical issues as a result of stresses and strains on the system, it is impossible to underestimate the role of the neck and the nerves supplying the arm in this scenario; as they coordinate the firing or movement patterns or the arm an irritation at the top of the neck can lead to a muscular instability and eventual injury further down the extremity.

To find out an exact diagnosis; a full examination and sometimes x-rays will be needed. Here are just some of the possible locations or causes of pain in the arms:

• Epicondylitis: Repetitive strain injuries including golfers/tennis elbow,
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: pain in the wrist and hand
• Muscle strains or sprains: i.e. bicep strain/tendinopathy
• Bursitis (various locations)
• Rotator cuff injuries (shoulder)
• Arthritis: (various locations)
• Clavicle or Scapular dysfunction and referral

90,000 Pain in the hands, its causes and preventive measures

Such a phenomenon as pain in the hands is common, including at a young age. There are many reasons for unpleasant sensations, and in order to get rid of the problem, you need to know what caused it.

Types of pain and diagnosis

The joints, ligaments and muscles of the hands receive a constant maximum load. As a result, they can get sick for many reasons. The nature of the pain allows for a more accurate diagnosis.

1. Aching pain – it lasts for several hours and can be exhausting.Can spread from the wrist to the fingers and palm. The nature of the pain is predominantly muscular. Pain is caused by microtrauma, the initial stage of tendinitis (pain comes from soft tissues and inflamed tendons), the initial stage of tunnel syndrome.

2. Burning pain – it occurs in severe stages of joint destruction or trauma. Such sensations can accompany myocardial infarction, which is why special attention should be paid to them. Traumatic injuries of the hand, such as fractures and dislocations, as well as injuries, are always accompanied by acute pain and require urgent medical attention.In the last stages of arthrosis and with advanced arthritis, acute pain accompanies all movements of the injured hand. In such a situation, pain is noted only in the joints.

3. Prolonged moderate pain syndrome – often accompanied by tingling in the fingers, some numbness and swelling. It occurs against the background of tunnel syndrome or occupational overload, as a result of a chronic inflammatory process in soft tissues.

4. Constant dull pain in bones – the main cause is aseptic necrosis.It occurs against the background of insufficient blood supply, due to which the bone necrosis and its resorption occurs. The impetus of the pathology gives a fracture or inflammation of the bone tissue. The pain does not go away even after a long rest.

Joint pains of various nature can appear with rheumatism at the time of a change in weather. The phenomenon is predominantly senile. At a young age, it occurs against the background of systemic pathologies.

Types of pain in tunnel syndrome

Tunnel syndrome is characterized by several forms of pain and additional symptoms.At the onset of the disease, only tingling in the hands occurs after prolonged exertion, to which a tiring aching pain gradually joins after monotonous work with the hands. As the progression progresses, numbness and general weakness of the hand appear. The pain disappears completely if the arm is lowered, and increases significantly when it is raised.

Pronatory syndrome accompanying tunnel syndrome is pain that occurs in the forearm after lifting weights with the distribution of the load on the shoulder.Also, with a severe form of pathology, an increase in pain in the forearm is noted with prolonged writing and the position of the hand up. It is not uncommon for patients to complain of pain at night.

Pain in the area from the elbow to the hand, passing to the fingers, occurs with cubital syndrome. In this situation, pain occurs first in the little finger and ring finger, and then, as the disease progresses, it reaches the elbow, without treatment provoking muscle atrophy. Most often occurs with frequent flexion of the elbow or injury.It is noted that women of thin build are more susceptible to pathology.

When using a cane with an incorrectly selected handle or excessive pressure on the palm, muscle atrophy occurs against the background of tunnel syndrome. As a result, the patient feels a tingling sensation in his hand and goosebumps, which seem to move under the skin. There is also a drop in overall sensitivity.

Nighttime numbness of the fingers, not accompanied by pain, also refers to the manifestations of the tunnel syndrome. After a few flexions and extensions of the fingers, the stiffness disappears.As the disease progresses, the condition worsens.

What is tunnel syndrome

The concept of carpal tunnel syndrome applies to the hand. With it, under the influence of mechanical factors or inflammation, the formation of callus occurs, which compresses the median nerve, causing problems with the hand. As a result, the nerve is clamped in the middle between the 3 walls of bone tissue, as well as the flexor retainer. It is impossible to eliminate the problem in a severe stage without surgical intervention.At the initial stage of the disease, special gymnastics gives good results. The disease occurs with frequent and prolonged monotonous load on the hands.

Ways to relieve pain and prevention

In case of intense pain syndrome, the doctor prescribes the administration of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Also, during the course of therapy, immobilization of the hand is indicated in order to reduce nerve irritation and prevent an increase in the inflammatory process.

Physiotherapy allows you to act directly on the site of inflammation. Warming up procedures and electrophoresis are used to administer pain relievers and hydrocartisone. At the very beginning of the disease, it is useful to immobilize the diseased limb for several days and alternate the application of cold and warming ointments.

To prevent illness, it is shown to carry out special gymnastics, which also helps to relieve pain in the fingers. Be sure to break away from work 1 time in 2 hours and knead the brushes.For this, the following exercises are recommended:

1. Hands fold palm to palm and squeeze as tightly as possible. Repeat the exercise 2 times.

2. Spreading fingers to the sides. The fingers are held in the maximally divorced position for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise 3 times.

3. Fist clenching – exercise allows you to stretch the tendons and improve blood circulation. The fingers are clenched into a fist and then fully unclenched as quickly as possible within 30 seconds.

4. Rubbing the wrists in a circular motion for 5 seconds. This relieves stress on the wrist and improves blood circulation. Also eliminates friction and tendon spasm.

Wearing special wrist rests (wristbands) allows you to reduce overload during hard work and protect tissues from micro-trauma. This reduces the risk of tunnel syndrome by 30%. Supports can be massage, warming, or just support.You have to choose from personal preference.

90,000 What the pain in the arms says | Healthy life | Health

Dumb hands: the neck is to blame

Are you familiar with such a state when in the morning your hands, like strangers, become numb, have lost their sensitivity and with difficulty “come back to life.” What’s the matter here? Oddly enough, the reason must be sought not in the hands, but much higher – in the neck. This is how cervical osteochondrosis manifests itself. The nerves that control the movements of the hands pass through the cervical vertebrae, and if they are compressed, compressed or damaged due to osteochondrosis, then discomfort in the limbs will not keep you waiting.

What to do. An employee of the Research Institute of Neurology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Ph.D. Lev Manvelov advises before going to bed to rub the back of the neck with a brush with natural bristles until you feel a pleasant warmth in this area, which indicates an improvement in blood circulation. A warm shower directed to the neck area and a small set of exercises, which are good to repeat in the morning and in the evening, will also help.

1. Slowly rotate your neck so that your head “rolls over one shoulder, over your chest, over the other shoulder, over your back.

2. Stretch your ear to your right shoulder, then to your left.

3. Imagine that you have a ball on your chest, and push it vigorously with your chin.

4. Bend your arms at the elbows, hands towards the shoulders, make several circular rotational movements back and forth.

Joint pain: watch out for arthritis

It looks like numbness of the hands, but always with the presence of pain and stiffness (when it is difficult to bend the hand into a fist in the morning), the initial stages of rheumatoid arthritis and polyarthritis occur.Moreover, the disease often begins with the hands, when the joints of the big, middle, index fingers begin to swell and hurt. Rheumatologist Anna Lukina warns that sometimes the development of rheumatoid arthritis “triggers” pregnancy, since metabolic disorders occur.

In other cases, joint dysfunction may be associated with infection, including genital infection. And finally, with age-related forms of arthritis and gout, metabolic and nutritional disorders of the connective tissue occur.

What to do. In all cases, it is not only pointless to fight the disease on your own and to use “grandma’s remedies”, but also dangerous. It is necessary to consult a rheumatologist or one of the rheumatological centers, where they will prescribe modern treatment. Arthritis can sometimes be confused with bursitis, an inflammation of the joint capsule associated, for example, with trauma. But in this case, only one joint hurts, which quickly passes when taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, warming massage or physiotherapy, which the doctor should again prescribe.

Ligament sprain: complete rest!

Another cause of discomfort in the area of ​​the hands can be a sprain or overstrain, when the same hand is performed many times in the same movement. Stretching of the ligaments of the hand is expressed by a sharp pain with a certain movement or position of the hand.

What to do. There is only one way out – to stop the traumatic movement and keep the hand for some time – at least a week – in immobility. In some cases, doctors even advise applying a fixation or plaster cast.And take anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs, as well as pain relievers.

Muscle spasm: holding the hand correctly

There is another, fairly common cause of pain in the hands of people working on a computer – the so-called tunnel syndrome, which doctors have recently started talking about. The essence of the problem is that due to overstrain of the same muscle group, a spasm occurs, which impairs the nutrition of the nerves passing through the arm. Gradually, the channel through which the nerves pass imperceptibly narrows and the muscles and tendons begin to press more and more on the nerves, exacerbating the situation.

What to do. According to neuropathologist Larisa Buzukova, treating this disease is more difficult than preventing it. To ensure sufficient prevention, you need to take care of the correct position of the hands while working at the computer:

make sure that the arm at the elbow is bent at a right angle;

The brush should lie on the table as far from the edge as possible.

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 exercises for the hands during the working day:

1. Shake the brushes, relaxing them, as if shaking water off your fingers.

2. Clench your fists, open your fingers wide apart.

3. Rotate the fists around their axis clockwise and counterclockwise.

4. Fold your palms in front of you and press with one hand on the fingers of the other hand to twist the wrist outward.

Dermatitis: watch the intestines

Quite 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 beginning of the disease, a woman does not fully realize the danger and continues to wash, wash dishes with detergents, scrub the 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.

What to do. First of all, you need to understand that any skin disease has very deep roots. It may 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 need to 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 infrequently 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 activate the excretory systems that help cleanse our body, you need to regularly drink sorbents: this is activated carbon, and polyphepan, and enterosgel. Some foods have similar properties – for example, baked apples, cranberries, green tea.

See also:

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Arthrosis of small joints: how to get rid of pain in the hands and feet. Arthrosis of small joints is a disease that destroys the cartilaginous layer between the joints. With the disease, the joints of the hands and fingers of the hands and feet are affected.If the treatment of arthrosis of the hand or foot is not started in time, the joints begin to take on unnatural ugly shapes and may lose mobility. The disease often occurs in women during menopause. If at work you often load the joints of the fingers and toes, or you have relatives who suffer from arthrosis of small joints, it is worth thinking about prevention. We will tell you about it at the end of the article. Symptoms Joint aches are unpleasant aching, pulling sensations in the area of ​​the articular joints, the intensity of which sometimes reaches the degree of pain.The symptom is combined with muscle aches, weakness, weakness, crunching, limited movement and may precede joint pain (arthralgia). Articular aches are accompanied by lesions of the musculoskeletal system, infections, diseases of the hematopoietic system, vascular pathology. To identify the cause of the disorder, laboratory tests, ultrasound, radiographic and invasive methods are used. Treatment involves treating the disease that caused the aches. What to do with pain in the joints of the hands.Pain in the joints of the hands is a symptom of a whole list of diseases that should not be ignored. Lack of timely treatment can lead to deformity and loss of hand function. Leg pain can be the result of an injury. Also, diseases of the musculoskeletal system are always accompanied by pain in the legs. More details. Rheumatism. Pain in the joints of the arms and legs can be of a very diverse nature, as well as the causes of its occurrence. The appearance of pain in the joints of the hands can be caused by inflammatory processes or degenerative-dystrophic changes in the joints themselves or in the tissues surrounding them.Pain can be felt in the elbow or wrist joints of the hands, it can be muscular and neurogenic, it is better to entrust the doctor with determining the cause of their occurrence and choosing a means to reduce pain syndrome without self-medication. Pain in the joints of the arms and legs can be the first symptom of a serious illness. The feeling of aches, burning, limitation of the motor functions of the arms and legs are complaints that are voiced by patients with the following diseases: rheumatoid arthritis; arthrosis. Acute pain in the joints of the arms and legs requires prompt relief to relieve the patient’s condition.As a first aid, it is recommended to perform some actions: Provide rest to the limbs. 1. Joints hurt only in the elderly. In short: no. – Joints can hurt at any age with a number of infectious diseases (chickenpox, measles, scarlet fever, hepatitis, etc.), with bacterial infections (tonsillitis), with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (irritable bowel syndrome, yersiniosis), with diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, autoimmune diseases and not only. – By the way, joints can hurt at night even in absolutely healthy people.But the main trigger of joint pain in this case is overstrain, if before that a person experienced excessive physical exertion on the joints. But, as a rule, such pains appear infrequently. Pain in the joints of the arms, legs, spine and others are the reasons. Why do joints hurt? How to examine sore joints? Learn more about joint treatment. Most often, the disease begins with pain in the small joints of the arms and legs: fingers, joints of the hand or foot, less often – with the defeat of one knee, ankle or elbow joint, and then pains in other parts of the body join.Systemic lupus erythematosus is a rarer disease that affects young women more. It is characterized by flying pains in various joints of the body, deformation of the fingers, the appearance of a rash on the skin, especially characteristic on the face – redness on the forehead and cheeks in the form of butterfly wings. Ankle arthritis: causes, symptoms, stages of the disease. Classification of the disease: rheumatoid, reactive and other types of joint inflammation. Everything about effective treatment: drugs, non-drug methods.The ankle is a very busy joint, it is affected quite often, both with injuries and with various diseases. Ankle arthritis can develop for various reasons, but in the end, with a prolonged course and the absence of adequate therapy, it always leads to disability. Read on to learn about the symptoms of ankle arthritis and how it can be treated. General information about the disease. Arthritis is an umbrella term for inflammatory joint diseases. The inflammatory process can affect only one joint, or several at once.In the latter case, they talk about polyarthritis. The most commonly affected are such large joints as the knee, hip, and shoulder. The elbow and ankle joints become inflamed much less frequently. Arthritis can also affect small joints. Women suffer from arthritis more often than men. Although arthritis is found in all age groups (including children), the likelihood of the disease increases with age. Pain in the joints of the legs. More often, the pain bothers the patient in the first half of the day, then it can disappear and reappear at night, gradually increasing in the morning.Morning stiffness in joints, reminiscent of clenching the legs with tight boots. When a person walks, the stiffness is weakened or completely disappears. Swelling, swelling, redness in the leg, at the site of inflammation and deformity. Arthritis of the legs usually starts from the small joints of the fingers, as the disease progresses, the inflammation moves to the large joints – the knee joint, ankle). Sometimes the opposite happens – rheumatoid arthritis begins in large joints, and with the development of the disease, arthritis affects the toes (in elderly patients).

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90,000 Numbness of hands and tingling of hands

The usual feeling of slight numbness or showing in the hand arises after a long stay of the hand in a motionless position, may appear with prolonged pressure on the hand, on the armpit region – as a variant of the wedding night syndrome. After a while, the sensations are restored and this does not cause much concern. When to the numbness is added weakness in the arm, pain in the neck, paleness of the arm, skin rash, etc.the item is a reason for consulting a doctor, it is necessary to exclude local or systemic diseases.

It is necessary to find out how numbness, tingling is manifested, what is it connected with, how long it lasts and what is accompanied by it. It is important to distinguish between local disorders, such as tunnel syndromes, radicular syndrome of cervical osteochondrosis or herniated intervertebral discs, the consequences of trauma from systemic diseases in which the entire body suffers, and manifestations in the form of numbness and tingling of the hands are only symptoms of a general disease.Such systemic diseases are diabetes, hypothyroidism, polyneuropathy (as a result of alcohol abuse), metabolic disorders in the body, and vitamin deficiency. It can also be a manifestation of allergies to drugs, insect bites, food and odors.

The most dangerous process, starting with numbness in one hand, is a stroke – an acute violation of cerebral circulation, when numbness can be accompanied by weakness in the arm, general weakness, headache, speech and coordination disorders can occur.Numbness in the left hand can be a manifestation of another serious illness – myocardial infarction.

The clinic “Eleos” uses effective methods of treatment and rehabilitation of both spinal diseases and systemic diseases. A neurologist, therapist, cardiologist will be able to quickly conduct an examination, establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Clinic “Eleos” will provide you with comprehensive diagnostics, an individual approach to each patient, effective treatment and offer comfortable conditions for staying in the clinic.

Traumatology: Carpal tunnel syndrome – diagnosis and treatment in St. Petersburg, price

Description of the disease

Vessels, nerves, synovial membranes, tendons pass through the carpal (carpal) canal. Here is the median nerve – the main nerve of the hand, going from the brachial plexus to the fingertips. Responsible for coordinating movement, fine motor skills of the hands, constriction and expansion of blood vessels from external stimuli, regulates the work of sweat glands.The width of the canal is limited on three sides by the bones and the transverse ligament.

The carpal tunnel itself is quite narrow, which contributes to the formation of various pathologies. Any additional narrowing entails compression of the processes of nerve fibers and blood vessels, and blood supply is disrupted. Pathological processes proceed slowly, begin with a loss of physiological sensitivity, lead to motor, trophic disorders. The picture of the disease has clear symptoms with a characteristic clinic, which makes it easy to make a diagnosis even at the initial stage.

Symptoms of the disease

1. 1. Decrease in brush sensitivity. Patients initially begin to notice numbness in the fingers immediately upon awakening. Over time, the periods of paresthesia increase, and feelings of burning, pain, cold or heat are added to it. Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by a simultaneous, radically opposite change in sensitivity. In one area, it rises, but the other part of the palm does not feel anything.

2. 2. Burning pain in palms with shooting in fingers. Initially, pain is felt in the pinched nerve zone, then it gradually begins to affect the entire arm: from the shoulder to the fingertips. This is accompanied by swelling of the wrist. As a rule, the dominant hand hurts: the right hand in the right-hander, the left in the left-hander, but there are also bilateral symptoms.

3. 3. Muscle weakness and impaired motor activity. As a result of prolonged pinching and inflammation of the nerve fibers, the hand loses muscle strength, and movement restriction appears. It becomes difficult to handle small objects, such as buttoning up buttons. The function of grasping and then holding objects weakens. A gradual decrease in the working capacity of the hand leads to muscle atrophy and deformation of the hand.

4. 4. Lesions of the autonomic nervous system. This is expressed in a pale and sometimes cyanotic color of the hand, dry skin, brittle nails, cold hand.

Naturally, carpal tunnel syndrome affects the general physical and mental state of the patient. He loses his ability to work, the quality of life decreases. Regular pain and constant discomfort are worse at night, which interferes with normal sleep and causes insomnia.

A characteristic feature of this disease is that the patient can relieve discomfort on his own, without resorting to medications. To do this, it is enough to put your hands down, move your fingers, shake your hands, stretch them, do massage, gymnastics.These manipulations help restore blood supply, but, unfortunately, not for long, since they do not eliminate the causes.

Diagnostics

It is easy to diagnose this disease, it is enough to interview the patient and conduct several tests, since carpal tunnel syndrome has vivid distinctive features. Among them are the symptoms described above and the preservation of the functions of the little finger, which is not affected when the nerve and blood vessels in the carpal canal are pinched.

The doctor also conducts palpation and the following tests:

• Hoffman – Tinel test: tapping the median nerve area.With carpal tunnel pathology, the patient feels numbness, tingling, burning with his palm.

• Phalen’s test: the patient feels pain and numbness of the palm by flexing the hand as much as possible in the wrist joint.

• It is difficult to hold the arms raised above the head for more than 1 minute, pain syndrome and numbness of the extremities begins.

• It is impossible to connect (touch) the thumb with the little finger.

• To confirm the correctness of the diagnosis, to determine the degree of damage and associated complications, additional examinations are prescribed:

• Electroneuromyography to assess the conduction of nerve impulses is the gold standard for diagnosing tunnel syndrome.

• Ultrasonography helps detect damage and inflammation.

A neurologist, physiotherapist and hand surgeon can diagnose and treat.

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome

All measures taken are aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease – complete or partial elimination of the compression of the median nerve. The method of therapy depends on the severity of the syndrome. Choose between conservative and surgical treatment. Also, the doctor’s tasks include identifying the cause of the disease in order to limit movements that worsen the symptoms.

1. Conservative treatment

Patients are prescribed wearing an orthosis, which keeps the wrist joint in a position that is safe for blood vessels and nerves. It is recommended to wear it constantly, during the daytime and at night. According to statistics, orthotics are effective in the early and middle stages of the disease. It is recommended to switch to a salt-free diet and limit fluid intake to reduce swelling.

Prescribes and medicines:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents to reduce pain and inflammation.

• Oral or injectable corticosteroids to relieve pain and restore joint mobility.

• Vascular drugs to improve tissue blood supply.

• Diuretics to relieve puffiness.

• Vitamin B6 to relieve symptoms and increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Physiotherapy helps to speed up the process of therapy, to achieve a positive result faster: electrophoresis, UHF, magnetotherapy and other methods. Physical therapy and massage are often prescribed. The complex combination of these methods of therapy and the use of medications leads to remission in 59% of patients. The rest are forced, on average, after 1-2 years to turn to a wrist surgeon for an operation.

2. Surgical treatment

If conservative treatment is ineffective and if the disease is neglected, a surgical operation is prescribed.They are dealt with only by hand surgeons – narrow-profile specialists who conduct surgical aids on the hand. The purpose of the operation is to release the median nerve, relieve pressure. There are two ways to open the carpal tunnel:

• Open surgery, in which an incision is made in the wrist about 3 cm long. Having gained access, the surgeon dissects the ligament, increasing the volume of the carpal tunnel.

• Endoscopy is characterized by a shorter incision length, which is up to 1.5 cm, but is performed in two places.They are necessary for the introduction of a microcamera, using which the ligament can be dissected.

Both types of surgery are performed under local anesthesia. Sometimes excision of tissue around the nerve and tendons is required, with cicatricial changes, ovaries and strands. On average, the procedure is carried out within 20 minutes.

At first, the patient may feel pain in the area of ​​the scars and physical weakness in the wrist. It will take several months to fully recover, the period is individual in each case.Rehabilitation consists of gymnastics, massage, physiotherapy. During the recovery period, many have to give up their activity if it affects recovery.

According to statistics, up to 90% of patients who underwent surgical treatment completely restore physical activity of their hands and get rid of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Relapses occur in 8-12% of cases.

3. Alternative treatments.

You can relieve the symptoms of tunnel syndrome without medication and surgery.This requires:

• Reduce the stress on the hands and wrists, exclude activities that worsen the condition.

• Fix the arm with a splint, orthosis, or an elastic bandage to restrict movement.

• Remove puffiness with ice, limit fluid and salt intake.

• Perform arm gymnastics aimed at stretching the joints.We recommend exercising under the supervision of a physiotherapist.

If there is no improvement, then you should not delay seeking medical attention.

What will happen if you do not receive treatment?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is not life threatening, it is a slowly ongoing pathological process. The disease has a favorable prognosis for recovery, but due to the neglect of their health, some people are in no hurry to visit a doctor.Over time, this leads to a decrease in motor activity, muscle strength, and fine motor impairment. If left untreated, irreversible processes will begin, the median nerve will atrophy. This will lead to the loss of the functionality of the brush, which will no longer be possible to return.

Reasons for the development of the syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome develops under the influence of several factors. A decrease in the diameter of the carpal tunnel can occur due to compression of the nerve.Swelling of the surrounding tissues and for both reasons at the same time. The root cause is trauma, both one-time and microtrauma inflicted on a regular basis due to lifestyle or work.

1. “Dangerous” professions. Among the professions falling into the risk zone:

• drummers;

• programmers;

• gamers;

• artists;

• pianists;

• secretaries;

• sign language interpreters;

• seamstresses;

• engineers;

• conveyor production workers and others.

Most often, the syndrome is diagnosed in women over 40 years old, mainly due to their professional choice and hormonal changes in the body. However, the disease can occur at any age.

2. Concomitant diseases.

• A number of conditions increase the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, including:

• Injuries, dislocations, fractures causing hematomas and edema.

• Neoplasms, tumors of ligaments and tendons.

• Frequent intra-tunnel pressure and swelling of the limbs.

• Chronic heart failure and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels.

• Diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases and other endocrine pathologies.

• Obesity, regardless of the causes of its occurrence.

• Chronic arthritis, sclerosis, collagenosis and vasculitis.

• Tuberculosis and non-tuberculous bacterial infections.

• Renal failure

• Alcoholism, smoking, drug use.

3. External factors.

• Work in low temperatures. For example, fishermen, butchers, workers of public transport services.

• Working with heavy tools and vibrating devices. For example, builders, repairmen, industrial workers.

Any of the listed influences or a number of factors in combination causes a narrowing of the carpal tunnel and pathology develops.Most often, the disease develops according to the following scheme: trauma — aseptic (non-infectious) inflammation, passing to the carpal tunnel — swelling of the subcutaneous fat layer. Then everything goes in a new circle:

increasing pressure on the nerves and blood vessels leads to even greater trauma and inflammation, causing the progression of the disease and the transition to the chronic stage.

Disease prevention

People prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome need to take timely measures:

• Perform feasible physical activity, without overexerting the wrist, without sudden movements.

• If possible, exclude activities involving prolonged monotonous hand work.

• Maintain the correct posture during sedentary work, follow the rules for choosing office equipment and furniture.

• Periodically perform light exercises for the hands, take breaks during work.

• Lead a healthy lifestyle.

Get serious about organizing your workplace. The office chair should change in height to suit your height, be equipped with a backrest and armrests. Use an ergonomic keyboard, computer mouse, and dedicated wrist rest. The hands should be relaxed during work. You do not have to perform additional actions, including shoulders, in order to press the key. Most studies indicate that in modern people, the main cause of the development of the syndrome is the incorrect position of the arms and trunk while working at the PC.

The correct position of the hands is the position of the hand in relation to the forearm at a right angle. Avoid flexion and extension of the wrist. The brush should lie completely on the work surface and not be suspended.

Correct fit is the right angle between the lower back and the hips. The working area of ​​the monitor (text, graphics) should be at eye level or lower, but not more than 15 cm, to prevent neck bending.You need to sit leaning on the back, with your shoulders relaxed. The feet should completely touch the floor, if this is not possible, use a stand.

Implementation of preventive recommendations does not require a lot of time, complex equipment or skills. Therefore, everyone can protect themselves or at least significantly reduce the likelihood of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Do not self-medicate at the first signs of the disease – immediately consult a doctor (if possible, to hand surgeons).

What does the pain in the hand say? Possible causes of pain in the joint of the hand, in the wrist

Pain in the hand is more often observed in representatives of the weak half of humanity at different age periods, including among the working population.More often, pain in the hand causes arthritis (an inflammatory process in the synovium of the joint and periarticular tissues).

Causes of pain in the joints of the hand, in the wrist

There are many conditions in which there is arthritis in the hands, pain in the wrist, or a combination of these symptoms. Let’s list these diseases.

1. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic process that affects most articular formations, including the hands (hand arthritis). Pain in the joints of the hands (arthritis of the interphalangeal joints, metacarpophalangeal joints) is a typical marker of rheumatoid arthritis, and is observed in the vast majority of cases at the onset of the disease.

Pain in the hand reflects a pronounced inflammatory component, while the joints look reddened, swollen, it is difficult for the patient to bend his arms due to inflammatory edema of both the joint itself and the periarticular tissues. In an early stage, hand arthritis and wrist pain (arthritis of the wrist joints), under the influence of pharmaceuticals, may reverse.

In the absence of treatment, pain in the joints of the hands and wrist, joint stiffness increases, the patient restricts movement in them due to pain, which can eventually be complicated by ankylosis (fusion of the articular cavity of the joint), deformity of the hand and complete loss of the ability to move in the affected joint.The deformation of the hand has a typical shape – the hand is deflected outward. As a rule, pain in the joints of the hands is combined with damage to the ankle, knee, elbow, interphalangeal joints of the legs and other common manifestations (fever, asthenic syndrome).

2. Deforming osteoarthritis – a destructive process in all joints, more often large ones (hip and knee), often affecting the interphalangeal joints of the hand (pain in the wrist and hand joint). Pain in the joints of the hands with deforming osteoarthritis (DOA) has a slightly different character and is observed at an older age, both men and women are ill.Pain in the joints of the hands is not the result of a pronounced inflammatory process, it is not accompanied by significant swelling, redness and sharp pain. Joint stiffness, hyperthermia are not typical. The deformity of the hand is of a different nature (the interphalangeal joints are enlarged and deformed). Brush functions are not completely lost.

3. Osteoporosis may include one of the symptoms – pain in the hand. Pain in the joints of the hands will not be absolutely characteristic of osteoporosis.Pain in the wrist and hand in this disease is caused by bone loss and, as a rule, is combined with other symptoms of osteoporosis (decreased growth, pathological fractures).

4. Reactive arthritis – inflammation in the joint due to the reaction of the joint tissue to an infectious agent (viruses, microorganisms). Pain in the joints of the hands and in the joints of the hand, observed after a time after the transferred infectious disease. Arthritis of the hands with reactive arthritis is not so common and is combined with damage to large joints (knee, hip).Joint stiffness and hand deformity are not observed. Reactive arthritis (arthritis of the hands) can occur at any age (more often at a young age).

5. Psoriatic arthritis – pain in the joint of the hand (arthritis of the hands) and other joints is observed along with typical psoriatic changes.

6. Other systemic connective tissue diseases ( Sjogren’s syndrome , myositis, scleroderma ) can potentially affect all joint formations in the body, as well as muscles.Arthritis of the bones of the hands (pain in the joints of the hands and in the wrist) is often observed, combined with other signs (fever, bone pain, weakness, a tendency to inflammatory diseases, sclerotic changes in the skin and mucous membranes).

Thus, pain in the hand and wrist is one of the many complaints that can be observed in a wide variety of age-related, systemic, infectious pathologies. To understand what was the root cause of arthritis (pain in the joints of the hands) can only be a qualified doctor – a rheumatologist. The tactics of treatment and the success of pharmacological effects directly depend on the correct diagnosis, since the treatment of these diseases has completely different approaches.

Thumb hurts

Why does the thumb on the left or right hand hurt?

The cause of pain is always the same – inflammation. When it comes to joint problems, not only infection, but also tissue destruction may be the culprit. This can happen due to trauma (bruise, fracture), compression of the nerve, salt deposits in the joints, when the smallest crystals, like sandpaper, injure the delicate articular surface.

The most common reason why the thumb joint on the hand hurts is arthrosis. This is inflammation of the joint, which causes salt deposits (for example, gout), old injuries, autoimmune diseases (for example, systemic lupus erythematosus), dystrophic diseases of the connective tissue. Certain endocrinological diseases can lead to arthrosis, as well as diseases associated with internal hemorrhages, for example, hemophilia.

Depending on how the diseased part of the hand behaves, the doctor concludes what happened to the patient.The first question to be asked is whether there were any injuries. An external influence can both lead to illness itself, and provoke an exacerbation of an already existing disease, which did not manifest itself in any way before. So, there was no injury, but there is pain. There are the following reasons for this:

• when the thumb on the hand hurts when bending or at the base, most likely arthrosis is to blame; if he does not bend and hurts, then the disease has gone quite far;
• If the thumb on the hand is swollen and sore, this may be a sign of Raynaud’s syndrome;
• when the phalanx of the thumb on the hand hurts, both joints and ligaments and tendons can be to blame for this: their inflammation is manifested by sensations in the area of ​​the phalanges;
• fingers from thumb to middle become numb at night, sensations can also affect half of the ring – this is a sign of cubital syndrome, or, more simply, pinching of the median nerve;
• if both hands hurt in the same places, autoimmune diseases should be ruled out.

If your feelings differ from the suggested options, describe them yourself. The time and conditions for the onset of pain, mobility in the joints, the nature of sensations (sharp, pulling, and so on) matter.

How to make a diagnosis

They begin to find out why the thumb hurts on the right or left hand, with an X-ray. This method of examination shows the condition of bones and joints. If there are signs of fracture or inflammation inside the joint capsule, we are talking about trauma or arthrosis.

If no pathology is detected on the X-ray, it is most likely a neurological disease – carpal tunnel syndrome or another disease.

Electroneuromyography is used to diagnose tunnel syndromes. It allows you to confirm the diagnosis and make sure that the compression of the nerve occurs exactly where the doctor suggested. But an experienced neurologist or surgeon can establish this diagnosis and only by symptoms: they do not occur in other diseases.

Blood tests are rarely taken, as a rule, when a systemic disease is suspected, which has resulted in a disease of small joints.

How to alleviate the condition

In the acute phase of the disease, the affected area is provided with rest and anti-inflammatory drugs are used to remove the cause of the disease, or as an analgesic for injuries. As soon as the condition allows, they begin to move the hand, giving it moderate loads to improve blood circulation. Then, in order to relieve pain in the thumb of the left or right hand, they act on the causes of the disease: they treat inflammation in the place that caused the pain with the help of anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy, physiotherapy exercises.

A traumatologist will help to recover in case of injury, and in all other situations – a therapist. He will prescribe all the necessary examinations and determine whether he can solve the problem on his own, or if the help of a neurologist, orthopedist or surgeon is required.