Wrist conditions involve the bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments around your wrist. Pain from wrist conditions can be acute (sudden, intense pain that lasts a few days or weeks) or chronic (lasts more than a few months).
Symptoms of a wrist condition may include numbness, tingling, and pain. Causes of wrist pain include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: impingement of a nerve on the palm side of your wrist
- Cysts: sacs filled with air, fluid, or other substances (most are noncancerous, but they can be cancerous)
- De Quervain’s disease: inflammation of the tendons on the side of the wrist at the base of the thumb
- Osteoarthritis: degenerative “wear and tear” of the wrist joint
- Repetitive motion injuries: damage to the nerves, ligaments or tendons from making the same motion over and over again (such as carpal tunnel syndrome)
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic (ongoing) inflammatory disorder
- Trauma or other injuries: such as broken bones or torn or stretched tendons or ligaments
- Tumors or cysts: abnormal tissue growth or swelling (can be cancerous or noncancerous)
Treatments
RICE Method
Most mild wrist 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 reduce swelling and pain.
Electrical Stimulation
Your 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 wrist condition has not been responsive to other treatment options, you may need surgery.
Tests
Comprehensive Exam
Your doctor will conduct a thorough exam and review your health history to diagnose a wrist injury.
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 a diagnosis.
Why Choose UHealth?
Orthopaedic trauma care you can count on. The trauma team manages orthopedic trauma services at Jackson Memorial Hospital and the UHealth Tower. Our team is made up of six surgeons who each have a subspecialty focus in orthopedic trauma. We treat everything from simple fractures that need a brace or cast to complex injuries that are best handled at a Level 1 or Level 2 trauma center.
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