Wrist & Hand Pain: A Guide to Causes, Treatment and Prevention

As their name suggests, repetitive strain injuries are caused by doing the same motion or activity repeatedly until it starts to hurt your body. Any motion or movement — from typing on a computer at work to practicing an instrument — can cause a repetitive strain injury if you do it too often.

• Workers with physically demanding jobs.
• Athletes.
• Musicians.
• People who sit at a desk or use a computer often.

Sudden falls, twisting movements, or excessive force applied to the hand or wrist can lead to sprains (ligament injuries) or strains (muscle or tendon injuries).

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and wrist. It happens when there is increased pressure within the wrist on a nerve called the median nerve. This nerve provides sensation to the thumb, index, and middle fingers, and to half of the ring finger. The small finger (the “pinky”) is typically not affected.

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. It involves inflammation of the tendons that control the movement of the thumb, causing pain and discomfort in the wrist and hand.

It is particularly noticeable when you are:

• Moving your thumb
• Forming a fist
• Grasping or gripping something
• Turning your wrist
• Lifting something with your arms in front of you and thumbs pointed toward the ceiling (e.g., lifting a child)

A condition in which one of the fingers or thumb gets stuck in a bent position and then suddenly straightens with a snapping sensation. It occurs due to inflammation and thickening of the tendon sheath, causing difficulty in finger movement. Treatment may involve rest, splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, or corticosteroid injections. In severe cases, surgical release of the affected tendon may be necessary.

Ganglion Cysts are fluid-filled sacs that commonly develop on the wrist or hand joints. These cysts are usually harmless but can cause discomfort and limit movement. Treatment options include observation, aspiration (draining the cyst with a needle), corticosteroid injections, or surgical removal if necessary.