Hand pain affects the fingers, thumbs, and middle hand. Pain can be caused by pressure, injury, or disease in the bones, joints, ligaments (connect the bones together), muscles, or tendons (connect the muscle to the bones). In addition to pain, symptoms of hand injury include stiffness, numbness, tingling, swelling, weakness, or locked or frozen fingers.
Common causes of hand pain and injury involve overuse or repetitive motions during sports, physical activity, or physical work tasks. Injury or problems in the wrists, arms, elbows, and shoulders can also cause hand pain.
Some conditions that cause hand pain include:
- Bursitis: painful inflammation in the thumb
- Cartilage injuries: damage to the tissue that covers the surface of the bone
- Cysts and tumors: sacs filled with air, fluid, or other substances (most are noncancerous, but they can be cancerous)
- Fractures: can occur in the fingers or hand
- Infections: can occur in the bones or joints
- Nerve compression, damage, or hand impingement: compression of the bony or soft tissue structures of the hand during certain activities, such as moving the fingers
- Osteoarthritis: degenerative wear and tear of the joint
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic (ongoing) inflammatory joint disorder
- Sprains: due to torn ligaments
- Tendonitis: inflammation due to strained or ruptured tendons
- Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis): inflammation of the lining of the tendon sheath (cover)
- Tumors: abnormal tissue growth or swelling (can be cancerous or noncancerous)
If your hand pain lasts longer than two or three days, call an orthopaedic specialist at University of Miami Health System. We provide a wide variety of non-surgical rehabilitation and minimally invasive orthopedic treatments for hand pain and injury. We offer appointments as soon as possible — often the same day or within 24 hours.
Treatments
RICE Method
Most hand pain and injuries resolve with home treatments, including rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE method).
Anti-inflammatory Medication
Your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication or recommend an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen, to help reduce swelling and pain.
Electrical Stimulation
our doctor may recommend you undergo electrical stimulation therapy to help get relief from your injury.
Physical Therapy
You may need to work with a physical therapist to regain strength and use following an injury.
Surgery
If your pain or injury has not responded to other treatment options, your orthopaedic specialist may recommend surgery to correct the problem, such as bone and cartilage implants, ligament reconstructions, or platelet injections.
Tests
Comprehensive Exam
Your doctor will conduct a thorough exam and review your health history to diagnose this condition.
Imaging
Your doctor may order an imaging test such as an X-ray, a computerized tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to confirm the diagnosis.
Why Choose UHealth?
Highly experienced in treating a full range of orthopaedic conditions. Our team of fellowship-trained orthopaedic specialists works together with a multidisciplinary group of physicians and scientists to provide high-quality care to people with benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) conditions. These include musculoskeletal diseases, bone and soft tissue sarcomas, metastatic diseases, benign neoplasms of bone and soft tissue, and all types of orthopedic injuries.
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