Hand & Wrist Pain

With dozens of bones and joints, more than 30 muscles, and 100+ ligaments and tendons, your hand and wrist are an anatomical masterpiece. They are also a common location for pain and injury affecting nearly 20% of the adult population.¹ Because of its complexity, a hand and wrist specialist may be called upon to diagnose and treat conditions in that area of the body.

What are the symptoms of hand and wrist pain?

Depending on the cause and location of your pain, you may experience any of a variety of symptoms:

• A dull ache or weakness
• Numbness or a tingling sensation (pins and needles)
• Swelling, redness, and tenderness
• Stiffness or discomfort associated with movement or grip
• Lumps or nodules on the hand or wrist

What are common causes of hand and wrist pain?

We use the joints and muscles within our hands and wrists on an almost constant basis which opens up many opportunities for pain to develop. Although we’re more likely to have hand and wrist pain as we get older, it can occur at any age.

Injury or Trauma

• Fractures — A bone can crack or break from a fall or hit. The wrist and fingers are common places for this to happen. 
  • A simple fracture may just need a cast or splint, but if the bone is dislocated, surgery is usually needed.
  • The larger forearm bone near the wrist (called the radius) often breaks when someone tries to catch themselves during a fall.
• Tendon Injuries — Tendons are stretchy bands that connect muscles to bone. They help you move your finger and wrist. A person can hurt hand tendons if a finger gets suddenly pulled or bent while reaching.
  • A mallet finger — The tendon on the back of the finger tears, making it hard to straighten the finger.
  • A jersey finger — The tendon that helps a finger bend gets torn. This often happens during sports.
• Wrist Sprain —This happens when the bands that hold the wrist bones together get stretched or torn. You might feel a sharp pain or a pop when it happens.

How is hand and wrist pain diagnosed?

Your provider will ask about the exact location and type of pain you are experiencing and conduct a complete examination. You will be assessed for range of motion and grip strength in your hand and wrist, along with signs of numbness, tenderness, or swelling.

If needed, an X-ray, MRI, or other imaging tool may be used to isolate the problem. The doctor may order nerve conduction studies if carpal tunnel syndrome is suspected.

How is hand and wrist pain treated?

The cause and severity of your pain will determine the treatment your doctor will recommend. When possible, our orthopedic team starts with nonsurgical solutions to treat your condition. Your options may include:

Lifestyle changes:

• Adjust your daily activities to limit repetitive motion.
• Adaptive tools for gripping and grabbing may help reduce pain.
• Exercise may improve flexibility and movement of stiff joints.

Non-surgical treatment options:

• A cortisone or hyaluronic acid injection may relieve mild, chronic inflammation and pain.
• Collagenase injections with manual therapy and splinting can relieve Dupuytren’s contracture of the hand.
• Braces and splints provide support and help with pain.
• Physical or occupational therapy can reduce pain and increase flexibility.
• Anti-inflammatory medications and Tylenol help with both swelling and pain.

Surgical treatment options:

Surgeries of the hand, wrist, and fingers use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible. Using the latest techniques, our specialists perform complex hand and wrist procedures. These include joint fusions, hand reconstruction, and nerve transpositions, among others.