Wrist hurts when bending and pressing treatment. Pain in the wrist of the right or left hand

Today, pathologies of the skeletal and muscular system are a fairly common phenomenon. After all, every person at least once in his life felt pain in the wrist or in the area of ​​​​the left or right hand.

In most cases, diseases of the musculoskeletal system are accompanied by pain, which can be of a different nature. Very often, patients who come to see a doctor complain of pain in the area wrist joint. These symptoms can manifest themselves in a variety of diseases (osteoarthritis, necrotic bone lesions, etc.).

The wrist joint is very important for the comfortable existence of every person. After all, this joint is responsible for the movement of the hand. If discomfort is felt in the bone on the wrist, then you need to seek help. medical assistance to rule out the presence of a serious illness.

Why does my wrist hurt?

It is noteworthy that pain does not always indicate the presence of any degenerative process.

It happens that its causes lie in certain physiological conditions For example, a pregnant woman often experiences discomfort in the wrist joint.

In this case special treatment should not be carried out.

But most often pain is provoked by the following reasons:

• genetic predisposition;
• tumor in the area of ​​the wrist joint;
• hand injuries;
• nerve damage;
• dental diseases (brucellosis, syphilis);
• inflammation of the bones of the hand (arthritis).

In this case, the left wrist often becomes numb or tingling. Often, both hands are injured due to intense physical activity. In this case, severe pain appears in the affected area.

Also, the wrist joint can be affected if other diseases are treated with certain medications. Other causes of pain may lie in arthrosis or Peyronie's disease. Moreover, if your wrist hurts, then most likely the person is suffering from cardiovascular pathology, including a heart attack.

Why does pain occur in the wrist during pregnancy?
Quite often, pain accompanies a woman while carrying a child. In medicine there is a concept - carpal tunnel syndrome. The third trimester of pregnancy is considered the most critical.

As a rule, pain occurs due to damage to the median nerve located in the arm. But the main reasons for its occurrence lie in weight gain and the formation of swelling, which often plagues pregnant women.

However, not all pregnant women suffer from wrist pain. But if it occurs, it is often accompanied by tingling and a burning sensation in the hand.

Sometimes there is trembling. The intensity of pain increases at night. At the same time, discomfort haunts the woman constantly.

The specificity of painful manifestations in case of nerve damage is that they are localized on outside palms in the area where the first 4 fingers are located. Occasionally, unpleasant sensations accumulate in the little finger. Most likely, such a symptom indicates the presence of another pathology.

TO additional manifestations this phenomenon includes:

• swelling;
• muscle weakness in the upper limb;
• malaise;
• deterioration in general health.

An important factor is that after childbirth, the pain in the wrist disappears on its own. But for some women in labor, it may be noticeable for a short period of time.

The study of this condition consists of an external examination, the effectiveness of tests during passive flexion and extension of the arm. Also, the doctor sometimes performs percussion on the left or right hand. This technique allows you to determine at which point on the nerve the pain is concentrated.

Electromyography is prescribed as an additional diagnosis. Regarding therapeutic methods, then special treatment is not used in this case. Medical recommendations boil down to the fact that pregnant women should try not to strain their arm muscles, that is, refuse work related to fine motor skills fingers.

During sleep, you should not put your hands under the pillow, which contributes to increased compression of the nerve. It is also useful to carry out special gymnastics aimed at improving the functioning of the fingers of the left and right hand.

Sometimes, if the pain is very severe, the doctor will prescribe treatment, which consists of applying a splint at night and taking NSAID painkillers.

Arm pain due to rheumatoid arthritis

In many cases, wrist pain may indicate the presence of rheumatoid arthritis. This disease is a systemic pathology of connective tissues. If arthritis affects the hand, then there will definitely be pain in the wrist, which is far from the only manifestation of this disease.

In addition to the fact that the joint is affected, other organs can also be affected - the lungs, skin, heart. Unfortunately, if inflammation has developed in the wrist joint, then this pathological process can quickly spread to other joints. The pain that accompanies rheumatoid arthritis is constant, since such diseases are chronic.

As a rule, rheumatoid arthritis of the fingers appears in people aged 25-55 years. But sometimes symptoms of this disease appear in children. In this case, the disease occurs in an acute form.

In addition, children may experience not only symptoms such as pain in the wrist, but also unpleasant sensations concentrated in the cervical spine. In the later stages of arthritis, the wrist joint becomes deformed.

If treatment was not timely, then deformation of the joint can cause dislocations and subluxations.

In severe cases of the disease, the formation of contractures and tendon rupture are noted.

Sprain

Pain syndrome in the left or right upper limb can also occur due to sprain of the ligamentous apparatus. Children and professional athletes are susceptible to this phenomenon.

Ligaments are elastic, dense tissues, the main function of which is to bind the bone structures of the wrist and attach to them muscle tissue. Often this pathology appears in boxers and people involved in physical labor. Also, sprains can occur after unsuccessful training on the horizontal bar.

If the pain is localized in the hand, then the wrist may have been injured at home. Domestic injuries very often provoke the development of pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.

Discomfort in the hand is often a consequence of a fall. In this case, the sprain is combined with a dislocation. Trauma to the ligamentous apparatus involves rupture of the connective elastic fibers; however, blood vessels and nerves can be damaged.

There are 3 phases of sprain severity:

• The first stage – pain in the wrist is insignificant.
• The second is that the rupture does not exceed 50% of the total number of fibers, all accompanied by moderate pain and slight swelling.
• The third is characterized by swelling and severe pain, and it is also difficult for a person to make any movements with the hand.

Diagnosis is based on an external examination, medical history and X-ray results, which will rule out a fracture. The first thing to do when you sprain a ligament is to immobilize the joint using a splint or bandage. You also need to cool your hand and take an analgesic.

Sprains should be treated with gels and ointments that relieve inflammation and swelling. In addition, treatment involves the application of fixing bandages, exercise therapy and physiotherapy.

Occupational diseases

When pain occurs in the wrist joint, then perhaps the reasons for its occurrence lie in occupational diseases. After all, almost every profession has negative sides.

Discomfort in the hand occurs due to constant work at the computer, since when typing, you systematically need to make small movements with the brush, so the muscles are constantly tense.

This type of work promotes swelling and rapid wear of tendons and ligaments. Rarely, the nerve may become inflamed. Mostly the pain is concentrated in the right hand, with the exception of left-handers.

Signs of occupational illness are as follows:

1. discomfort in the hand;
2. weakness occurs if a person tries to grasp an object with his hand;
3. pain;
4. numbness of the palm.

These symptoms are characteristic of carpal tunnel syndrome. Hernias, osteochondrosis and spinal injuries play a significant role in the progression of this pathology.

In this case, it is important to carry out preventive treatment, including:

• warm-up or hand massage;
• proper organization of the workplace;
• pauses between work;
• proper lighting;
• comfortable posture while working with the support of your elbows and forearms.

Pain in the hand also occurs in carpenters, telephone operators, mechanics, people whose work involves jackhammers, tailors and musicians. The progression of this pathology leads to loss of ability to work.

In most cases, painful symptoms indicate avascular necrosis of the bone tissue of the wrist or tenosynovitis. In this case, necrosis appears in mechanics, crane operators and carpenters. The main factor in its development is systematic damage to the hand.

The principle of progression of the painful syndrome is associated with the destruction of bone tissue of the hand due to disruption of their blood supply. The intensity of pain increases during work.

Treatment consists of immobilizing the injured arm, taking analgesics, applying a plaster cast, and performing physical therapy.

And if conservative treatment did not bring the necessary results, then you cannot do without surgical intervention.

Pain in the arm due to other pathologies

In certain cases, pain in the wrist area indicates the presence of gouty arthritis. This disease is characterized by metabolic disorders and deposition of urates (salts).

As a rule, gout appears on the feet, but sometimes it affects the wrist joints. The main symptoms of the disease include:

• swelling;
• formation of tophi;
• temperature increase;
• pain in the affected joint;
• increased concentration uric acid in blood;
• hyperemia;
• limited movement.

Wrist pain can be associated with injury or the formation of pathological processes in the hand. The causes of wrist pain are numerous. In addition to pain in the hands, other symptoms appear that cause discomfort to a person. Only a correctly established diagnosis and timely prescribed treatment will help eliminate discomfort in the wrists.

Why does pain occur in the wrist area? Most often, the wrist of the right or left hand hurts due to inflammation:

• The inner layer of the joint capsule ( synovial membrane). Observed in arthritis, hand injuries.
• Radiocarpal joint. Caused by injuries in the form of dislocation or other destructive external influence on the joint. The wrist joints often undergo osteoarthritis changes.
• Channels located in the wrist. They become inflamed due to various factors production that adversely affects the performance and health of people (occupational hazards).
• Vascular, nervous tissue due to compression caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, injuries.

Also, the pathological process can affect bone tissue due to fractures with dislocations and osteoporotic changes.

Injuries

When a person falls unsuccessfully on his hand or the wrist area is injured in another way, a fracture or dislocation of bones may occur, and ligaments may also stretch. When injured, the hand in the wrist hurts greatly, it becomes less mobile, and the affected area swells.

Fracture

Most often, the lunate and scaphoid bones of the hands are broken, which is why the wrist joint hurts. The fracture will be visible on x-ray. If the fracture is severe, the pain will be acute, the joint will become deformed and become pathologically mobile. A hematoma, severe swelling of the affected area of ​​the arm, is also observed. With a mild fracture, the wrist will swell and the patient will experience a discomfort in the hand. Due to the fact that the fracture was not diagnosed in a timely manner, the joint will lose mobility.

Stretching

The ligaments that secure the bones of the wrists, as well as those that connect the hand to the forearm, can be stretched or torn. If a sprain occurs, the joint hurts when bending or turning, it becomes unstable, and gradually swells.

First aid

It is important to prevent hemorrhage during open fracture, shock, further injury to the hand. Place some ice wrapped in a cloth on the injured area. Exacerbated pain syndrome with swelling and hemorrhage will decrease. If there is a wound surface, then a sterile bandage is applied to it.

The limb is fixed with a splint (or bandaged to a board) so that the broken bone fragments do not move and prevent further injury and pain. Then you need to urgently seek medical help or call an ambulance. External sprays should not be used on open wound surfaces. The components of the drug will enter the bloodstream, causing an overdose, which will cause serious complications.

If there is bleeding from a wound with an open fracture, then it is stopped

Local anesthetics work short period. Many times they should not be used due to overdose. Analgesic tablet drugs can aggravate existing peptic ulcer, gastric hemorrhage and other complications will occur. Radiography is used for diagnosis.

Treatment

Treatment of broken but undisplaced bones during a fracture involves applying a plaster cast for 1 month or six months, depending on the type of fracture. When the plaster is removed, it is necessary to do a control radiographic diagnosis. Pain in the wrist area can appear over a long period of time, so a person may think that the joint hurts for no apparent reason. Pain may be a consequence of osteoarthritis changes. The joint will ache during tension, turning up and down, and its mobility will be limited.

Power loads

The carpal area can become damaged due to excessive stress, for example, if the wrist is bent sharply when playing sports. Therefore, a person gets tendonitis. The cause of the pathology is that the membranes through which the tendon tissue passes are narrowed or compacted. Symptoms of tendinitis:

• Fingers and hands hurt during movements.
• The patient feels the tendons cracking.
• The affected upper limb makes it difficult for the patient to grasp objects.

When carrying out diagnostic measures, the doctor will examine the hand, assess the nature and localization of the pain syndrome, how mobile the joint is, and also how the tendon cracks. During the treatment of tendinitis, the joint is fixed with a splint to ensure the hand rests, then the wrist will not hurt.

If treatment is unsuccessful or a fracture is suspected, an x-ray examination is required.

Wrist pain during pregnancy

In the second and third trimesters, a pregnant woman may suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. It manifests itself due to the woman’s increasing weight and edema, which compresses the median nerve. Symptoms can be observed in 50% of pregnant women. It may be mild or cause discomfort. After the woman gives birth, the pain syndrome will disappear. Sometimes the pathology can last for many months.

Symptoms:

• The wrist area is painful, burning, itching, tingling, and the fingers may tremble.
• Symptoms worsen at night, but may occur during the day.
• Unpleasant sensations are most often felt on the palms, 4 fingers are affected. If the little finger and the back of the hand go numb, it means that the woman suffers from a different pathology.
• Fingers are weakened and cannot grasp objects.
• If a branch of the median nerve is affected, the arm may go numb further palmar surface. The hand becomes cold, the skin on it turns pale, as the blood vessels are narrowed, and the hand is sensitive to hypothermia.
• General health has deteriorated, legs and arms are swollen.

Diagnostics

To establish a diagnosis, the doctor analyzes how the patient passively flexes and extends her arm, he taps the area where the nerve passes, and conducts other tests. Additionally, an electromyographic study is used, which records impulses in muscle tissue, which will make it possible to find out the segment that is affected or determine another pathological process.

Prevention and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome

When the pain syndrome worsens at night, you can try to change your position during sleep; the following recommendations apply:

• There is no need to put your hands under your head when sleep sets in.
• To prevent your upper limbs from going numb, you can shake them.
• Throughout the day, regular clenching and unclenching of the fingers is indicated, if the pain does not worsen.
• If your hands hurt, you should not do work in which your fingers are constantly moving.
• In a sitting position, you need to place your hands on an elevated surface.

If the recommendations do not help, you should seek medical help. The doctor will recommend taking vitamin supplements and wearing a special splint on the wrist area at night. The wrist will be fixed in a comfortable position, the muscles will no longer be overstrained, and the nerve will not be compressed. In severe cases, surgery is performed in which the oblique carpal ligament is cut, the median nerve stops being compressed, and the pain disappears.

Arthritis

Pain syndrome in the wrist area occurs due to arthritis. In adults, joints become inflamed more often than in children. Arthritis will manifest itself as a separate pathology or develop due to other pathological processes.

Joint inflammation is caused by various factors

Rheumatoid type of arthritis is autoimmune pathology, in which not only joint tissues become inflamed, but also are affected internal organs. This arthritis is characterized by pain caused by movement and pressure. The joints are stiff in the morning, and due to the fluid that forms inside the joint, swelling is observed. The ligaments with the bursa of the wrist joint are also inflamed.

The gouty form of arthritis is characterized by pathological changes in the joint and tissues located near the joint, caused by impaired purine metabolism. Urate is deposited in the joint tissues; the disease is more often observed in men. Paroxysms occur at night, the joint aches intensely, aches, it is swollen, hyperemic, and becomes nonfunctional.

Pathology is caused by:

• unbalanced diet;
• consumption alcoholic drinks;
• aggravated chronic pathological processes;
• injuries.

In septic arthritis, the joint is inflamed due to the introduction of infectious pathogens into the joint cavity directly (trauma, joint prosthetics, arthroscopic examination) or indirectly (the pathogen enters through the blood from other infectious foci in the body). This arthritis is often caused by staphylococcus, streptococcus. The disease begins acutely, the joints are painful, swollen, and the patient experiences hyperthermia.

The wrist area of ​​the hand may hurt due to reactive arthritis caused by intestinal and genitourinary infections. Combined damage to articular tissues, urinary organs, and ocular conjunctiva is caused by Yersinia, Salmonella, Chlamydia and other pathogenic microorganisms. Along with the wrist joint, the joints of the legs are affected, as well as the areas where the tendons attach to the bones. The affected hand and wrist are painful and swollen. This type of arthritis is often seen in men.

Psoriasis causes psoriatic arthritis. One or both wrist joints are affected. Psoriasis most often appears before inflammatory processes in the joints, but sometimes arthritis with psoriasis appears simultaneously. The wrist joint hurts, stiffness appears, and symptoms of psoriasis occur. Osteoarthritis, osteoarthritic changes are often observed in those who are 45–65 years old.

The joints hurt for a long time, they are swollen, stiff, and become deformed over time.

Osteoarthritis can affect one or more joints at the same time

Peritendinitis

With this pathology, the tendons in the wrist joint with the long muscle of the first finger are affected, thumb with the index finger they become less mobile. Why does this pathology appear? The disease occurs due to exposure pathogenic bacteria and also if the patient suffers from rheumatism.

Symptoms are characterized by pain and swelling of the wrist. If you press on the affected area, it hurts the person. When the patient moves his fingers, crepitus is sometimes heard, which can be felt during palpation of the affected area. Similar symptomatic manifestations are also observed with the following problems:

• Tunnel syndrome.
• Myotendinitis of the forearm area.
• Inflammatory processes of the wrist joint.
• Styloiditis of the radius.

In order to clarify the diagnosis, radiography is performed, which will confirm peritendinitis if the soft tissue structures are over styloid process carpal area thickened.

Medical assistance

Which doctor should I contact if my wrist area hurts? When a hand is injured, the patient must be treated by a specialist involved in traumatology or surgery. If symptoms are caused by debilitating physical work, sports competitions, the patient finds it difficult to grab objects with his hand, clench his hand into a fist, have difficulty bending and straightening his thumb, it is necessary to consult an expert involved in traumatology, orthopedics or surgery.

The patient may be suspected of having necrosis of the lunate bone (Kienböck's disease), when the carpal area constantly hurts if the person works with his hands or when putting pressure on the affected area. In this case, a doctor specializing in orthopedics and traumatology will help. This disease affects people in blue-collar occupations (carpenters, crane operators, mechanics).

If the pain syndrome is wavy in nature, torments a person for a long time, the affected area is swollen, hyperemic, hot on palpation, the patient may suffer from arthritis. Then a doctor specializing in rheumatology will help him. In the presence of burning, shooting pain sensations coming from the cervical region to the arm, if the muscle strength of the upper limb is reduced, the arm becomes numb, then neurological symptoms manifest themselves. Then the patient needs to see a neurologist.

Drug therapy for wrist pain syndrome

To eliminate symptoms, therapy with external agents (ointments, gels), tablets, and injections is indicated. Physiotherapeutic procedures with massage are also used. Treat with analgesics, for example Talenol, Ketanov. Shown non-steroidal drugs, relieving inflammation. They are treated with Ortofen, Larfix. Therapy with chondroprotectors is indicated, treated with Artra, Teraflex.

When your wrist hurts, you should urgently consult a doctor

In order to prevent irreversible pathological processes in rheumatism, therapy with Arava and Imuran is indicated. To strengthen bones after fractures, medications containing calcium are indicated, for example, they are treated with Calcemin.

To eliminate pain caused by arthritis and arthrosis, glucocorticosteroid therapy is indicated. Treated with Prednisolone, Celestone. To eliminate the inflammatory process, swelling, and pain, gels are used, for example, Dolobene. With the help of Diclak you can eliminate fever; the product has an antirheumatic effect.

Prevention

It is recommended to regularly perform gymnastics aimed at strengthening the wrist joint. If discomfort occurs in the wrist area, the load on the joint is stopped. Repetitive movements should be performed at a slow pace, with less force. You need to change your body position more often to evenly distribute the load.

If you have to work with a tool that causes vibration, your hands should be wearing gloves that will secure the hand, and you should also use pads that help absorb vibration. Don’t forget about safety precautions when working with different tools to prevent injury. At sports activities wrists must be protected with special devices.

Every 60 minutes when working on a computer, you need to find 5–10 minutes to warm up, during which you squat, stretch your fingers, and shake your hands.

You should refrain from lifting heavy objects, as they affect not only your wrists, but also your spine. If you experience discomfort in your wrist, it is better to immediately seek medical help rather than self-medicate. Otherwise, the pathological process will become chronic, and complications will appear that are difficult to treat.

If they bother you severe pain in the wrist, you won’t be able to put up with it for long. It’s not for nothing that even proverbs reflect the importance of this organ: in the absence of an important object they say “it’s like having no hands.” The wrist is, of course, not the whole hand; the term describes only the part that connects the forearms. It is formed by eight bones. Every day, the department is exposed to numerous loads, as it is the most mobile part of the hand. Statistics show that of all the pain syndromes affecting the hands, it is in the wrist that discomfort occurs most often.

Where did the problem come from?

Only a doctor can understand exactly why there is pain in the wrist joint. The doctor interviews the patient, establishes the specifics of the case, sends for x-rays and other studies, analyzes the information received and draws final conclusions. True, not every person has the opportunity to visit a specialist in a timely manner, and the pain syndrome is not so severe that it interferes with work, so ordinary people delay going to the clinic. However, there are cases when a person himself can figure out why his arm hurts and what to do about it.

Most often, pain in the right or left wrist is caused by an injury (sprain, fracture). Dislocations are common, especially if work or other daily tasks involve increased stress on the hands. The level of damage varies quite widely. There are known cases where fractures did not manifest themselves as pain at all, but went away on their own, without external help and the application of a plaster cast. Another scenario is also possible, when a seemingly simple bruise received completely by accident causes unpleasant sensations for a long time.

How to identify?

If pain in the wrist is caused by an injury, it is usually accompanied by swelling of the limb and stiffness of movement. If you neglect the case, do not start treatment or choose the wrong therapy, there is a risk of loss of arm mobility. However, such serious cases do not occur very often; sprains are much more typical, as can be seen from medical practice. If the injury is mild, then the damaged area does not swell or swell, you can move your hand, but unpleasant sensations appear at the moment of flexion and extension of the organ. Average level- this is a rupture of ligaments. It can be noticed by an extensive hematoma, swelling, swelling of the affected limb. There is pain even if you don’t disturb your hand. As a rule, the organ loses mobility.

If you have very severe pain in your wrist, it may be due to a severe sprain. A detailed examination shows a complete tissue rupture, the joint loses its integrity. This is accompanied by swelling of the limb, acute pain, and complete loss of mobility of the diseased organ.

Carpal syndrome

Often the possible causes of wrist pain are of interest to people who are forced to type on a computer keyboard for a long time. The peculiarities of the movements are such that the tendons quickly wear out, the nerve roots become inflamed, and this affects the performance of the ligament apparatus. Most often the pain occurs in the right hand, but can bother both limbs. Left-handed people usually have pain in their left hand, as the load on it is greater.

It can be assumed that the cause of pain in the wrist is carpal syndrome if the palm becomes numb and muscle weakness is felt when trying to grasp an object with the hand. The pain is localized in the wrist. There are many cases where this form was observed against the background of spinal injury. The risk group includes those suffering from vertebral hernias and osteochondrosis.

Sick joints are such a hassle!

Feature of the wrist - a very branched network blood vessels, an abundance of small elements. All this makes the area extremely vulnerable. Statistics prove that arthritis, arthrosis, which is a common cause of pain in the wrists, is more common among those who are forced to work in the cold, in cold water. Risk group - workers Agriculture, builders and employees in similar fields of activity.

The essence of arthritis is inflammation of small joints. This causes swelling, and the skin on the damaged area turns red. If pain in the right wrist or left is accompanied by just such a symptom, it makes sense to assume that the cause is arthritis. The sensations are sharp and unpleasant, acute, resonate in the palm, elbow, and are activated by movements. Arthrosis is another joint disease, causing severe pain. The pathology is systemic and leads to disruption of the shape and functionality of the articular area. The patient cannot move the affected limb normally and flexibility is lost.

Pathological process in tendons

The cause of pain in the right wrist or left may be hidden in various pathologies affecting the tendons. Such diseases develop gradually, smoothly. At first there is slight discomfort in the affected area, a slight pain gradually appears, and over time the syndrome intensifies. If the situation develops according to this scenario, it is necessary to see a doctor as quickly as possible - tendon injuries threaten irreversible loss of limb mobility. Various pathologies can provoke improper functioning and degenerative changes in this tissue.

Pain in the right wrist and the left are often bothersome due to tenosynovitis. This disease is diagnosed if the syndrome occurs when a person bends his thumbs. It is in the tendons responsible for this process that the disease is localized. Another common disease is tendevitis. The term describes the inflammatory processes of the areas responsible for the bend of the hand and the connection of the wrist and metacarpus. More often, tendewitis occurs in athletes, construction workers - those who perform numerous monotonous movements and are faced with a heavy load.

What else is possible: reasons

Treatment of pain in the wrist of the left or right hand should begin with formulating an accurate diagnosis. If the damage is localized in the areas responsible for the wrist joint, then the doctor diagnoses peritendinitis. The pathology is manifested by severe and sharp pain in the wrist area. Soon the patient cannot move his thumb normally, and at the same time the mobility of the index finger is lost.

Gout and sore wrist

Sometimes treatment of pain in the left or right wrist is necessary due to gout. The pathology is accompanied by the accumulation of salts in small joints. For this reason, the hand loses mobility, the person experiences pain, often quite severe. The process is explained by metabolic disorders, which causes the concentration of salts of certain types of acids to increase in the blood. Articular cells are able to accumulate these compounds, but the formation of such deposits soon causes severe pain. As a rule, gout is accompanied by numerous foci of inflammation.

Considering different variants causes and treatment of pain in the wrists, it must be recognized that some forms are a very complex case. Gout is one of these, since the patient’s joint tissues become deformed over time. Pathology affects appearance, skin. Areas close to the foci of inflammation are constantly hot, and the person himself looks unhealthy. The condition becomes especially serious if the patient consumes fatty, meat foods in unreasonably large quantities.

Pregnant women often experience wrist pain. Doctors call this carpal tunnel syndrome. If at the beginning of the pregnancy pain appears rarely and does not cause any particular concern, then closer to childbirth such sensations may be a cause for concern. It is quite possible that the root cause is a violation of the integrity of what is located in the upper limb. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be triggered by the kilograms a woman gains during pregnancy. Additionally, the situation is complicated by edema, which many expectant mothers are prone to.

As practice shows, the described syndrome can provoke not only pain in the wrist, but also a burning sensation in this area. Others describe the sensation as tingling. It is known that the syndrome can cause tremors. Often the pain becomes stronger during the rest period, especially at night, and this interferes with sleep. The nerve damage is due to disruption of a tissue element located near the first four fingers. But the little finger never bothers me. If not only the wrist, but the whole hand hurts, the cause is not carpal tunnel syndrome, but something else. As a rule, in addition to pain, pregnant women are worried about edema, swelling, and overall health becomes worse. In most cases, discomfort goes away on its own immediately after childbirth. In rare cases, this takes some time.

Wrist hurts: why?

It happens that a person has not received any injuries or bruises, but this area still hurts. There are cases where unpleasant sensations are explained by stress on the joints. This is the name for movements that are repeated frequently and for a long time. IN to a greater extent Tennis players, violinists, drivers and other people involved in activities that require repetitive hand movements are susceptible to wrist pain. Such physical activity can cause inflammation and stress fractures. It is especially dangerous to repeat the same movements for several hours in a row, day after day.

Another common cause of pain is rheumatoid arthritis. This is an immune disease in which the body's defenses misperceive the body's cells and attack them, assessing them as infectious agents. More often, with arthritis in this form, both wrists hurt at once. Another possible cause is ganglion. In this case, a cyst is formed in the wrist from above. The size of the tumor and the severity of the pain syndrome correlate. It is known to medicine and the risk group includes young people and middle-aged people. A feature of the pathology is the destruction of the bone elements of the wrist due to insufficient blood flow. The disease progresses over time.

To avoid pain, warn

If treating wrist pain is not always easy, then... preventive measures They are not particularly difficult, the main thing is to be systematic. The very first and most important thing is gymnastics for the joint, which increases the tone of organic tissues and strengthens the muscles. A few exercises are enough during a regular exercise routine - twist your fists in different directions, rotate your palms, stretch your fingers. In short, everything was as taught in physical education lessons. Surprisingly, it really works! If gymnastics does not help and discomfort begins to bother you, then it’s time to think about changing your lifestyle. The first step is to evaluate what is putting stress on your wrists and minimize those movements. When grasping objects, you should tense your hand, and not just your fingers. Regular gentle massage of the limbs will not be superfluous.

So that from playing sports there is maximum benefit, at least 45 minutes should be allocated for such activity every day, and it is better to allocate a whole hour. It is not necessary to train hard, forcing the body to fight heavy loads. You can do simple ones, but useful exercises. Due to regular, uniform load, blood flow is activated, the quality of the respiratory system improves, which means that all tissues and organs will be saturated with oxygen and nutritional components. This has a positive effect on both bone and muscle tissue. If mild pain in the wrist has already begun to bother you, regular training with reasonable loads will help completely get rid of this problem - unless, of course, the cause is inflammation, when the affected area needs rest.

Lifestyle and health

To avoid further pain in the wrist, people who are forced to type on a computer keyboard for a long time take constant breaks at least once an hour. During your rest, you need to shake your hands several times, stretch your fingers, and sit down a dozen times. If work involves frequent contact with vibrating objects, it is necessary to use protective gloves with vibration-absorbing pads. When playing sports, you should protect your wrists from overexertion and use elastic bandages to strengthen a potentially weak area.

There is a higher risk of experiencing wrist pain if metabolic processes in the body are disrupted. To prevent this from happening, you need to be responsible about your diet, eat right, and not consume too much fat and salt. It would be reasonable to completely abandon fast food, sweet carbonated waters, which disrupt the functioning of the most different systems body. People whose diet is rich in vitamin D and calcium, which are essential for bone health, feel better. Dairy products and different varieties of cabbage are rich in these compounds. Don't forget about fish oil and nuts.

I'm worried about unpleasant sensations: how to help?

Treatment for wrist pain should be prescribed by a doctor. Therapy is selected based on the cause of the problem. In particular, if a bone fracture is observed, a plaster cast is most often applied. In this case, you will have to take sick leave for at least a month, and sometimes the treatment extends for six months. Much depends on the specifics of the injury, as well as on the patient’s age and individual characteristics. For example, when diabetes mellitus any injury heals much more slowly than in a person with the correct metabolic processes in organism.

If, after a fall, sharp pain occurs in the wrist, treatment involves providing first aid - fixing the joint to reduce discomfort. Immediately after this, they call an ambulance or help the victim get to the nearest hospital to the traumatology department. If the injury is open, first stop the bleeding by applying a tourniquet. Light anesthesia is carried out using ice. Fixation is carried out using a bandage. The limb is attached to a splint so that bone fragments do not move in the soft tissues.

What else will help?

Sometimes ointments and gels are used to relieve wrist pain. If the doctor reveals severe form arthritis, arthrosis or other diseases, injections or tablets may be prescribed. To enhance the effectiveness of the medication program, the patient is referred to physical therapy. Common techniques are electrophoresis, UHF, therapeutic massage, treatment using a magnetic field. To eliminate the pain syndrome, a course of painkillers may be prescribed, and if an inflammatory process is detected, medications that relieve it. Sometimes your doctor will recommend a treatment program with medications designed to protect and improve joint function. Come to the benefit calcium supplements, and for swelling and pain, corticosteroids may be prescribed. If all the described measures do not show positive result, surgery is performed.

Traditional recipes for pain

If there are no signs of a fracture, a sprain is excluded, and the pain, although disturbing, is not very strong, you can try to cure it using traditional methods. If the symptom appears frequently, put five garlic cloves through a garlic press, add half a liter of apple vinegar, half a glass of vodka and three-quarters of a glass of water. The liquid is placed in the refrigerator for two weeks, stirring three times every day, after which it is filtered, added to the composition with 15 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and used for rubbing. Frequency of use - twice daily, program duration - a couple of weeks.

If a diagnosis such as tenosynovitis is made, you can make an ointment from chamomile and baby cream. The components are taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly. The finished medicine is applied to the affected areas in the evening, shortly before bedtime, and fixed with a bandage.

If the pain has developed against the background of an inflammatory process, take 220 ml of boiling water for 10 g of crushed dried St. John's wort, mix everything in a thermos and let it brew for at least half an hour. The product is intended to be consumed half a glass three times daily for two weeks.

If pain is observed when stretching, you can make a medicine with a mixture of lemon and garlic juices. The products are taken in equal proportions, sterile gauze is soaked in the finished composition and a bandage is fixed on the sore area of ​​the arm. It is necessary to hold the gauze until it warms up to skin temperature.

If detected benign neoplasm, you can try a home remedy on a raw egg. The product is mixed with half a glass of wine vinegar, a thin cloth is soaked in the medicine and applied to the affected area for a couple of hours.

Brush human hand is a very complex and delicate instrument. It is quite often exposed to various injuries, damage, infections and other pathologies. One of the symptoms of many pathological conditions is pain in the hands. It can serve both as a direct indicator of hand diseases and as a symptom of disorders of other organs and systems in the body.

We list the main diseases that are characterized by the occurrence of this symptom. In most cases, they become the cause of pain in the hand:

• rheumatoid arthritis;
• gout;
• osteoarthritis;
• joint inflammation (arthritis);
• tunnel (carpal) syndrome;
• inflammation of ligaments and tendons (peritendinitis);
• injuries;
• lesions of the cervical spine;
• coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common and severe autoimmune diseases. The reason for it is that the immune system the patient begins to perceive the cells of his own body as foreign and attacks them, which causes inflammation, disruption of the functions of an organ or system, and leads to the development of pathology. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs mainly in middle age - between 25 and 55 years, but children are also susceptible to this disease, especially during puberty. The onset of the disease in children is often acute. In this case, not only the joints of the limbs are involved in the chronic inflammatory process, but also the joints of the cervical spine. This disease is much more common in women, but representatives of the stronger sex are also susceptible to it.

In most cases, the course of rheumatoid arthritis is chronic. The inflammatory process usually begins in the joints of the toes and hands, and begins to spread throughout the extremities, involving the ankle, knee, elbow, hip and shoulder joints. Quite often, the pathological process affects the wrist area, causing pain in the joints of the hands.

A characteristic feature of rheumatoid arthritis is the symmetry of joint damage - inflammation develops in the same joints on both arms and legs. There is swelling and redness in the affected areas skin. Inflamed joints have limited mobility and acquire a characteristic spindle-shaped shape. The pain can be either constant or intermittent. Acute pain is usually not typical for this disease, and the pain is usually of moderate intensity. Patients report stiffness for several hours after waking up and feel the need to “get loose.” In addition, the pain of rheumatoid arthritis is also slightly reduced after exercise.

In rheumatoid arthritis, not only the joints themselves are affected, but also the adjacent cartilage tissue, as well as bone structures. A continuous and prolonged inflammatory process causes the slow destruction of surrounding tissues.

In addition to the pain syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis in the hand is also dangerous due to the rapid development of disorders and difficulties in flexing and extending the fingers. In addition, there are hand deformations that are difficult to correct. If timely measures are not taken, dislocations and subluxations often develop in the affected joints. In severe cases of the disease, the hands may even deviate to the ulnar side.

Such finger deformations are due to two main reasons:

1. Destruction of the ligaments and joint capsules deprives the joints of stability, but the tendons continue to exert traction, which leads to the development of deformity - the fingers begin to deviate to the ulnar side, extension is limited and subluxations appear.
2. Tendons involved in rheumatoid process, are destroyed, replaced by scar tissue and, in those areas where they are subject to friction and pressure, to the greatest extent, are torn. One of the symptoms that precedes such “spontaneous” tendon ruptures is pain on the back of the wrist joint.

Diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on the collection of characteristic patient complaints, X-ray examination data and laboratory tests, during which the presence of the so-called rheumatoid factor is determined in the patient’s blood. If you suspect the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, you should contact a rheumatologist as soon as possible. This disease is completely incurable, but with the help of anti-inflammatory therapy or even surgery, progressive changes in the joints can be stopped in time.

Gout

The cause of gout is the accumulation in the joints of substances that are formed in the process of nitrogen metabolism, in particular, uric acid and its derivatives, the so-called urates. The source of these substances in our diet is meat products, which is why gout is also often called a disease of meat-eaters. Mostly men are affected; in addition, the likelihood of this pathology increases with age.

Joints are most often affected by gout. lower limbs: toes, feet, ankles and knees. A characteristic symptom of this pathology is an acute onset with unbearable pain in the big toe. Swelling and pronounced redness develop in this area. Subsequently, the pathological process spreads to other joints, and can also spread to the upper limbs, affecting, in particular, the wrist area, causing pain in the joints of the hands. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, with gout there is no symmetry of the lesions on the right and left extremities.

In the acute period of gout, the patient experiences excruciating severe pain in the affected joints, which are usually characterized as burning, pressing, bursting and throbbing. The pain is most intense at night and decreases by morning. When the disease progresses to chronic stage Around the involved joints, so-called tophi are formed - characteristic gouty bumps. Exacerbations of gout occur from two to six times a year, and their duration is up to several days.

Factors that provoke the onset of an attack are usually:

• drinking alcoholic beverages;
• large portions of meat or fatty dishes;
• abuse of coffee, strong tea or cocoa;
• bath procedures.

The diagnosis of gout is made based on the patient’s complaints, as well as the results of chemical and microscopic examinations of the joint fluid. Crystals of uric acid are found in it.

To relieve pain during acute attack For gout, analgesics are used, and anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, indomethacin) are used to relieve inflammation. In the future, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the diet, which involves restricting meat products, fish and alcohol. In addition, at the discretion of the nephrologist, it is periodically indicated to undergo courses of therapy with drugs that reduce the level of uric acid in the blood.

Osteoarthritis

Pain in the hand joint can be caused by arthrosis, a disease that is based on premature aging and wear and tear of the cartilage that covers the articulations of the bones that form the joint. The affected cartilage begins to thin, crack, dehydrate and lose its shock-absorbing properties. A manifestation of this is pain syndrome. Over time, osteophytes begin to appear on the articular surface—spike-like bone growths that change the configuration of the joint, cause its deformation, and injure the surrounding tissue structures, causing increased pain. Almost always this pathology is the lot of older people, although there are also family, hereditary forms osteoarthritis, in which the onset of the disease is noted in adolescence or even childhood.

Pain due to osteoarthritis is more often observed in the knees and/or hip joints. However this pathology often affects the upper extremities. With osteoarthritis of the hand joints, pain syndrome is observed in the small joints of the hands, the metacarpal-carpal joint of the thumb, in the elbow and shoulder joints. Often, the impetus for the development of osteoarthritis of the wrist joint is ununited fractures of the bones of the hand.

Classic symptoms of osteoarthritis in the wrist joint are:

• pain during physical exertion;
• painful sensitivity when pressing in the area of ​​the wrist joint;
• limitation of mobility in the joint.

Pain in osteoarthritis is dull in nature and increases during the day, especially during physical activity. The intensity of pain is significantly reduced in the morning, as well as after a long rest. Characteristic crunching and clicking sounds are periodically observed in the joints. As the disease progresses, the pain syndrome becomes more pronounced; the pain does not disappear after rest, and may also appear at night. The course of the disease is wave-like: sometimes the exacerbation lasts for several months, and sometimes the attack stops after just a few days.

In the diagnosis of osteoarthritis vital role plays an X-ray examination. X-rays determine the presence of bone growths, narrowing of the joint space, flattening and deformation of the cartilaginous surfaces of the joints, as well as destruction of the bone tissue itself. Treatment of osteoarthritis begins with relieving inflammation and pain using steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Products that increase the protective properties of cartilage are also used. But the main place in therapy of this disease occupies physical therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures and sanatorium treatment.

Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of a joint. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which is caused by autoimmune inflammation, regular arthritis is caused by pathological process there is an infectious lesion. Infectious agents can penetrate directly into the joint, or enter it through the bloodstream from other areas of the body.

There are two forms of arthritis:

1. Acute, which is characterized by severe pain, swelling, redness of the skin in the joint area and increased temperature;
2. Chronic, occurring slowly, not pronounced and reminding of itself with painful sensations only sometimes.

This lack of obviousness of symptoms is one of the main dangers of chronic arthritis. Without paying attention to the disease for a long time, the patient risks causing the affected joint to become completely deformed or even destroyed.

Arthritis of the wrist joint is characterized by constant pain in the hand. The presence of pain does not depend on whether there was physical activity or not. In addition, morning stiffness syndrome in the affected joint after a night's sleep is common.

Diagnosis of arthritis is based, first of all, on laboratory studies of synovial fluid - the internal contents of the joint capsule - and determining the presence of infectious agents in it. In the treatment of this disease, in addition to anti-inflammatory and painkillers, antibiotics are widely used to eliminate the main cause of the pathology.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

In some cases, hand pain occurs as a result of compression of the nerve conductors in the anatomically narrow spaces of the wrist between the muscle tendons and the bone along the path of the nerve. This pathology is called tunnel or carpal (carpal) syndrome. In general cases, it manifests itself as dull, diffuse pain at night in the hand, mainly in the right hand. Often, pain in the right hand tends to spread up the arm, sometimes even reaching the back of the head. This disorder often occurs against the background of serious endocrine and hormonal changes in the body, for example, during pregnancy, menopause, diabetes, etc.

Carpal tunnel syndrome manifests itself in pinching, pinching and swelling of the nerve, which is responsible for the sensitivity of the middle, index and thumb, as well as the palm. This disease begins with tingling, numbness, burning and pain in these areas. These sensations usually occur at night or in the morning. Gradually, the pathological sensations turn into a strong decrease in the sensitivity of the fingers and palm. Carpal tunnel syndrome is often observed in menopausal women, and the right limb is most often affected. Pain in the right hand causes such patients to wake up several hours after going to bed. Massaging and shaking the hand brings relief at first. In the morning, there is a feeling of swelling of the hand, and there are also difficulties for several hours with fine movements of the fingers.

In addition, carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by working conditions. Previously, this pathology was common among typists, but in the modern world it affects people who work at a computer for a long time. Constant static load on the same muscle group, as well as uncomfortable hand position while working with a keyboard or mouse, leads to pinched nerves.

To prevent the development of this pathology, it is necessary to take preventive measures. For example, it would be useful to use special mouse pads that have bolsters to support your wrist. They help make the hand more comfortable and take most of the load off it. Also, to prevent the development of carpal tunnel syndrome, if you need to work at a computer for a long time, you need to take frequent breaks, as well as stretch and shake your hands.

Inflammation of ligaments and tendons (peritendinitis)

Peritendinitis mainly affects the tendons responsible for extension of the hand and the ligament of the wrist joint. The leading symptom of peritendinitis is quite intense It's a dull pain in the hand near the wrist. Sometimes swelling can be observed along the tendon. Diagnosis of peritendinitis is based on examination and examination of the patient. A characteristic symptom is the appearance of pain when pressing with a finger in the affected area. In addition, with active movements in the hand, you can detect a slight creaking (crepitus) by touch, and sometimes you can detect it by ear. Treatment consists of taking anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as limiting motor activity in the affected hand.

Hand injuries

We can roughly distinguish three types of hand injuries:

• bone injuries;
• injuries of tendons and joint-ligamentous apparatus;
• muscle tissue injuries.

Bone injuries most often involve fractures - the lunate and scaphoid bones of the wrist are most susceptible to this.

These acute conditions and injuries are the result of falls on the hand or direct blows to the wrist. After hand injuries associated with fractures, complications such as dystrophy with diffuse swelling of the wrist joint, smoothing of the contours of the joint and very intense pain can develop.

Depending on the severity and nature of the injury, symptoms of a fracture can range from swelling and minor discomfort to excruciating pain and obvious deformity of the hand. Often, wrist fractures do not show significant symptoms and are therefore misdiagnosed as sprains. This is their danger: improperly treated or undiagnosed fractures of the carpal bones can have serious consequences, for example, loss of mobility in the joint. Therefore, it should be remembered that signs of a fracture of the hand bones are not always obvious. In some cases, the injury occurs after a blow and remains unnoticed, appearing only during severe physical exertion, and the accompanying painful sensations are taken as a sign of a simple bruise.

Injuries to the tendons and articular-ligamentous apparatus of the hand are manifested by subluxations, dislocations, sprains and ligament ruptures. All these pathological conditions in the vast majority of cases are accompanied by pain of varying intensity.

Subluxations and dislocations are evidence of injuries and failure of the articular-ligamentous apparatus of the hand. As a result of sudden physical influences or weakening of the joint capsule due to inflammation or degenerative changes, the normal spatial configuration of the joint is disrupted. Simply put, articular surfaces bones are in the wrong position in relation to each other.

Such conditions cause stretching and sometimes rupture of the joint capsule, and are quite easy to diagnose. The presence of a dislocation in many cases is determined visually, and the diagnosis can be unambiguously confirmed, as in the case of a bone fracture, using an X-ray examination.

When the articular apparatus is weakened, which is caused by dystrophic changes tissues of the joint capsule, subluxations and dislocations can become “habitual”. They can occur repeatedly during the day, and the patient himself sets them in place. You should not think that this brings relief. Over time, such habitual dislocations increasingly weaken the entire joint, and sooner or later it may completely lose its function.

A sprain is a pathological (more than possible) stretching of ligaments and tendons. The final and most pronounced stage of sprain is rupture of the ligament, i.e. loss of its physical integrity. Most often, sprains in this area affect either the ligaments that hold the lower ends of the forearm, ulna, and radius bones together, or the ligaments that connect the wrist bones (carpals).

Symptoms of a tendon strain:

• severe pain in the wrist;
• swelling;
• limited range of motion in the hand;
• instability of one or more joints.

Injuries to muscle tissue are manifested mainly by bruises or, in severe cases, open wounds and crushing of soft tissues of the hand. In the case of open wounds, questions about diagnosing the cause of pain in the hand do not arise. A soft tissue bruise is characterized by the absence of damage to the skin, but hematomas (hemorrhages) of various sizes and locations occur. With such traumatic lesions, it is always necessary to perform an x-ray of the hand to ensure that there is no bone fracture. In addition, pain in the hand can occur when there is too much muscle tension, which is caused by excessive physical activity, uncomfortable position of the limb, or prolonged work.

It must be remembered that in most cases, hand injury combines several types of lesions. For example, bone fractures are almost always accompanied by soft tissue bruises, and often sprains or ruptures of tendons. Therefore, both the diagnosis and treatment of hand injuries must be approached comprehensively. Of great importance is the careful collection of patient complaints and a detailed clarification of the causes and circumstances of the injury. The volume and location of hand injuries are clarified using radiography. Treatment consists of artificially limiting the movements of the injured hand, and in case of fractures or ligament ruptures, surgical intervention is indicated to restore the anatomical integrity of the injured structures.

Lesions of the cervical spine

If no local reasons For pain in the hand due to joint damage or injury, you need to pay attention to the cervical spine. In some cases, it is pathologies in this area that can manifest themselves as pain in the hand:

• protrusion intervertebral disc;
• intervertebral hernia;
• osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
• radiculitis of the cervical spine.

Pain in the hand with these pathologies is associated with the fact that compression or inflammation nerve pathways at the exit from the spinal cord leads to transmission disturbances and “perversions” of nerve impulses going to the hand. The pain can radiate throughout the arm, into the wrist joint, or into individual fingers. A syndrome of pain spreading from the elbow to the hand is characteristic. In some cases, this carries diagnostic information and makes it possible to determine which vertebrae caused the development of pain.

Diagnosis of lesions of the cervical spine is largely based on the collection of characteristic complaints of the patient, as well as on the results of radiography and magnetic resonance and computed tomography of the spinal column. These examinations make it possible to accurately determine the localization of the pathological process, its volume and prevalence.

Treatment of such pathologies is always a difficult task and takes a long period of time. On early stages these diseases are more or less susceptible to conservative therapy. Wherein great importance acquire methods of manual manipulation (with the exception of herniated discs!), physiotherapeutic procedures, the use of physical therapy and sanatorium-resort treatment. At later stages of the development of these pathologies, in most cases, to alleviate the patient’s condition, it is necessary to resort to surgical interventions on the spine.

Coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction

In some cases, pain in the hands can be a sign of cardiac pathology, especially if the pain is localized in the left hand and radiates to the upper limbs. This symptom is a characteristic sign of exacerbation coronary disease heart, or even myocardial infarction. In addition, pain in the hand may be accompanied by the following manifestations:

• pressing pain behind the sternum, in the upper limb, under the left shoulder blade;
• difficulty breathing, shortness of breath;
• pale skin;
• the appearance of cold sweat;
• nausea;
• inexplicable fear and anxiety.

If you feel pain in your left hand in combination with the symptoms listed above, then you need to call an emergency doctor.

Diagnosis of coronary heart disease is based primarily on an electrocardiographic study, careful collection of complaints and examination of the patient. Treatment for this disease is long-term and includes the use of large quantity drugs used to improve blood supply to the heart muscle.

Localized pain

In addition to the listed general pathological conditions that can cause pain in the entire hand, mention should be made of diseases that lead to pain in only one or several fingers of the hand:

• Pain and sensory disturbances in ring finger and little finger are most often observed with lesions of the ulnar nerve in the elbow area. This is characterized by weakness when spreading the fingers and atrophy of the interosseous muscles.
• Pain in the thumb, middle and especially the index finger is often observed with lesions of the median nerve of the forearm. In addition, the same localization of pain is observed with radiculitis of the cervical spine.
• After damage to various branches of the nerves of the upper extremities (for example, due to trauma), benign tumors of the nervous tissue can form on the fingers. They have localized soreness, which in some cases can spread up the arm.
• Damage to the sensory dorsal digital nerve can be caused by pressure applied to the thumb area by an instrument (such as scissors) when long work. Such injuries are accompanied by burning pain in the indicated area.
• Point pain in the terminal phalanx of just one finger, most often in the area of ​​its nail bed, may be due to the occurrence of a benign skin tumor, very rich in nerve fibers. In some cases, this tumor appears under the skin of the finger or under the nail in the form of a bluish spot. With this disease, local pain occurs first only with pressure, and then spontaneously with the usual lowering of the arm down.
• Sometimes localized pain in the interphalangeal joints or individual fingers also appears rheumatic diseases. This is observed in primary chronic polyarthritis or arthrosis of the extreme interphalangeal joints. A characteristic symptom in such cases, painful swelling of the joints appears - Heberden's nodes.

Diagnostics

In addition to a thorough interview and collection of patient complaints, his attentive clinical examination, manual muscle testing (determining pain when flexing the wrist), it is also necessary to use additional methods instrumental diagnostics. First of all, this is radiography. Ultrasound research methods and magnetic resonance imaging are also used.

Treatment of hand pain

Wrist pain can become a significant problem, especially if the symptom prevents the patient from doing normal work. It is clear that if pain is associated with hand injuries (fractures, soft tissue bruises, sprains or ruptures of ligaments), then with adequate and timely treatment this pain is most often temporary. As the functions of the injured organ are restored and tissues heal, the pain syndrome goes away.

But at the same time, we must not forget about the functional development of the hand during the rehabilitation period. Neglecting these measures and letting the recovery process take its course can be fraught with troubles in the future. With a decrease in functional activity in the small joints of the hand and fingers, contractures may develop - painful restrictions in movement. In addition, fused tendons and ligaments can form pathological constrictions, which can also significantly impair the working quality of the hand. Over time, you may find that your hand is no longer as effective as before. In some cases, for example if work activity the patient was related to fine motor skills of the fingers, this can pose a serious problem.

Home and folk methods for treating hand pain include compresses with rosemary and nettle infusions. Applications are made from a mixture of these herbs. It is necessary to brew the mixture, apply warm herbal pulp to your hand and cover it with plastic. On top you need to wrap your hand with something warm, for example, a scarf or handkerchief. However, you need to understand that if traditional methods do not bring quick relief, you should seek professional medical help.

Pain in the hand: when is it necessary to see a doctor urgently?

• painful sensations in the arm that last more than two days;
• sensitivity of fingers and palms decreases;
• pain intensifies with physical activity on the hand;
• deformation of the hand or joints becomes visually noticeable;
• there are restrictions or disturbances in movement in the joints of the hand;
• swelling begins on the affected limb.

Pain in the hand is not separate disease, but only a symptom that may be an indicator of the presence of many various pathologies described above. Therefore, drug treatment of pain itself usually involves taking painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, in the vast majority of cases, such therapy is temporary - it brings relief to the patient for a certain period of time, but does not eliminate immediate cause occurrence of pain. This means that sooner or later the pain will return.

Complete treatment for pain in the hands, which brings a lasting and lasting positive effect, must be based on identifying and eliminating the main cause of pain. Often, to carry out such therapy it is necessary to involve a variety of medical specialists in order to draw up a comprehensive treatment regimen. After all, pain in the hand can often be a consequence of diseases of other systems and organs of the body, for example, the nervous or cardiovascular.

If you experience pain in your hands, you should consult the following specialists:

• neurologist;
• traumatologist;
• rheumatologist.

Prevention of pain in the hands includes:

• maintaining a balanced diet;
• taking care of your hands when performing any traumatic work;
• alternating periods of work and rest with massage and relaxation of the hands while working at the computer.

Remember that timely consultation with doctors regarding hand pain and early treatment of the underlying disease can prevent the development of many complications, and therefore keep your hands healthy and strong for many years.

Source http://rheumatology.org.ua/blog/articles/1525

Any manifestations of discomfort in the wrist are a consequence of the impact of negative factors on it, which affects the performance of this multi-structural part of the hand. The pain sensations formed in it can vary in nature and be a consequence of a certain pathology, accompanied by specific symptoms.

Causes of wrist pain, symptoms

Sprain. Injury to the wrist joint occurs as a result of landing on the upper limb or lifting heavy objects. Sprains vary in severity:

• 1st degree. Characterized by irritation of nerve structures, minor sprain of ligaments.
• 2nd. Has a partial rupture of the ligament fibers.
• 3rd. Complete rupture of the ligamentous fibrils is observed.

• severe local pain;
• complete/partial motor limitation of the joint;
• swelling of the wrist;
• hematoma formations, skin redness;
• soreness when palpated;
• instability of the joint in case of ligament rupture.

1. Traumatic. Includes the following dislocations:

• Palmar. Formed as a result of landing on a bent hand.
• Rear(happens more often). Formed when landing on an extended hand.

Dislocations also differ according to time groups:

• fresh (damage received maximum 3 days ago);
• stale (4-21 days have passed since the injury);
• old (dislocation observed for more than 3 weeks).

• Scaphoid. Most often, a fracture of this structure occurs in young people as a result of landing on an outstretched arm or receiving a blow. The duration of recovery is up to 6 years due to impaired arterial blood supply.

  Types of scaphoid fractures:

  Stable/unstable;
  - oblique;
  - vertical;
  - horizontal.

  Associated symptoms:

  Painful sensations;
  - inability to form a clenched fist;
  - swelling in the radial fossa;
  - motor restrictions.

• Distal forearm. It is susceptible to intra-articular and extra-articular fractures:

  Radius (when landing, the limb is extended);
  - Smith (bent limb);
  - Collis (extended arm).

• Lunate. Damaged when falling on the upper limb, when the hand is directed towards the elbow. There is pain when palpating and various movements of the injured arm.
• Other carpal bones. The 3-sided, pisiform, and other bone structures of the wrist rarely break. But when they are damaged, localized pain is observed.

Synovitis. Inflammation of the fluid capsule of the tendon (synovium) due to accumulation of effusion inside the wrist joint. Triggered by injuries and infections. There are unilateral (more often) and bilateral (less often) joint damage. The course of the disease can be chronic (hidden), acute.

Symptoms:

• gradually increasing swelling;
• palpation pain;
• increased discomfort with exertion or movement;
• immobility as the disease progresses.

1. System:

• renal pathologies;
• impaired metabolism;
• endocrine abnormalities.

• tumors;
• dislocations;
• tendon inflammation;
• swelling;
• increased physical activity;
• fractures.

• itching;
• pain in the wrist, phalanges (at rest too);
• muscle weakness;
• sensitivity failure;
• localized swelling.

Pregnant women are more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome than others.

• The pain that develops due to injury lasts up to 2 weeks.
• Onset of remission, duration of several months.
• Vivid signs of illness.
• Osteoarthritis with severe pain.

Tendonitis is a common cause of wrist pain (video)

Diseases accompanied by pain in the wrist, the nature of the pain

Pain in right wrist

The vast majority of people are right-handed. For them, the leading hand is the right hand, which is subjected to greater physical activity than the left upper limb. Most often, complaints of discomfort come from owners of the following professions: golfers, loaders, writers, baseball players, tennis players, painters, mechanics and machinists.

Unpleasant sensations that form in this area indicate the presence of the following problems:

• inflammation of the wrist joint, tendon sheaths;
• neuropathy of the elbow, radius;
• tendon and ligament sprains;
• carpal tunnel syndrome;
• various wrist injuries.

It is formed as a result of damage to the nervous, bone and other carpal structures. May indicate the following pathologies:

• Carpal syndrome. Prolonged use of the hand under tension provokes carpal tunnel syndrome. The flexor retinaculum is damaged, after which the median nerve is compressed. Painful sensations form in the wrist, phalanges and appear with immobility as the disease progresses.
• Sprain. Formed when unbearable loads are placed on the wrist joint, sudden movements, manual movement of heavy objects.
• Arthritis. Indicates the “ignition” of a focus of inflammation in the area of ​​the wrist joint under the influence of one of the reasons:

  Autoimmune factor;
  - traumatic;
  - infectious.

  Tolerable pain and minor swelling intensify in the absence of therapy.

• Dislocation of the wrist joint. Involves displacement between the carpal structures and the radius due to landing on the hand of the upper limb.
• Fracture of bone structures. Violation of bone integrity is the result of injury, some pathology. Painful sensations are formed when mechanical damage wrists, forearms.
• Tendinitis/tenosynovitis.

Mechanical damage and inflammation of these areas can contribute to damage to nerve fibers and trunks, which is characterized by pain in the wrist. Among common problems, forming discomfort, the following are distinguished:

• Forearm injuries, elbow injuries. Receipt various damages can cause vascular, nervous, tendon problems, reflected by physical discomfort.
• Epicondylitis. Inflammation of the supracondylar tendons and periosteum is reflected in the form of elbow pain, gradually spreading to the hand and forearm. Difficulties arise with rotational movements of the forearms, weakness of the arms, and inability to use the hand for its intended purpose (see also -).
• Elbow tumors. At the initial stage, the neoplasms do not bother, but then elbow discomfort occurs, spreading to the wrist and forearm.
• Elbow bursitis. The inflammatory process occurring in the joint capsule is first marked by elbow swelling and local pain, after which it spreads to the carpal region and forearm. Pain is present with any movement of the upper limb.

Pain in these areas occurs due to the following diseases:

1. Tunnel neuropathies. Symptoms are expressed as:

• pain;
• numbness of the hand, wrist;
• difficulties in flexion and extension;
• inability to make amplitude movements with the thumb.

3. Stenosing ligamentitis. Inflammation of the carpal ligaments is also called Noth's disease, trigger finger syndrome. The course of the disease is accompanied by stenosis of the fibrous canal, which causes compression of the thumb tendon. Painful sensations are observed with local pressure, flexion/extension (a characteristic click occurs).

4. Arthritis. Multi-articular inflammation originates in the thumb, moving to the hand. Accompanied by swelling and severe pain.

5. De Quervain's disease. Affects the fibrous sheaths of the thumb: short extensor tendons, abductor muscles. When palpated, swelling is noted and painful sensations arise, covering both the thumb and the wrist and forearm areas.

Diagnostics

• Analysis of complaints, collection of anamnesis. Determination of the exact characteristics of pain, their localization and distribution, identifying connections with injury and physical overload. Collecting information about the time and conditions of the problem, its development, as well as bad habits, injuries received and pathologies suffered.
• Physical examination. It involves identifying edema, local temperature changes, deformations, hematomas, bone fragments and their displacement, inflammation through the following manipulations:

  Inspection of the damaged area;
  - assessment of mobility;
  - tapping, palpating.

• Blood tests. For full picture general and biochemical blood parameters are analyzed to identify infections, inflammations and forms of arthritis.
• Ultrasound. Detection of fluid in the joint cavity, ligament/tendon sprains, pathological changes (synovitis, arthritis, tendonitis).
• X-ray examination. Allows you to identify the following problems:

  Fracture, dislocation;
  - inflammation;
  - carpal syndrome;
  - synovitis.

• Arthroscopy. It consists of examining the joint using a video camera and various instruments through skin openings with the possibility of instantly eliminating the detected pathology.
• Electrodiagnostic studies. The electrical activity of nerve and muscle fibers and the speed of impulse conduction are determined by electroneurography and electromyography.
• CT scan. Detection of acute and chronic tissue damage.
• MRI. Highly informative method Bone and tissue examination allows us to identify the following pathologies:

  Damage to ligaments, tendons, nerve fibers;
  - necrosis of bone tissue;
  - arthritis;
  - fractures;
  - inflammation of tendon sheaths.

  Contraindications for MRI:

  Presence of a pacemaker, metal implants;
  - fear of closed spaces;
  - pregnancy.

• Scintigraphy. The absorption of the radiopharmaceutical into tissues, its subsequent accumulation and visualization using a gamma camera helps to determine the following abnormalities:

  Avascular necrosis of bones;
  - arthritis;
  - fractures;
  - synovitis.

• Synovial fluid examination. Through puncture and articular arthroscopy, material is obtained to study diseases, monitor their progression, and evaluate the effectiveness of therapy.

Treatment

• Providing peace. Avoid any stress to avoid tendon rupture.
• Cold application. Use cold compresses often to reduce pain and swelling.
• Application of a splint or plaster splint. These devices with a bandage effect will help reduce the mobility of the affected joint.

• "Piroxicam" ( daily dose up to 10 mg).
• "Hydrocortisone" (injections around the tendon).
• Ibuprofen (no more than 2400 mg per day).
• "Motrin."
• "Indomethacin" (3 times a day, 50 mg).
• Methylprednisolone (together with Lidocaine 1%).

1. Ultrasound therapy:

• increases the permeability of the skin surface, allowing the use of ointments, gels and other local products;
• eliminates the inflammatory process;
• improves lymph flow;
• increases tissue regeneration.

3. Electrophoresis.

4. Laser therapy:

• stimulates metabolic processes;
• enhances restorative capabilities;
• removes salt deposits;
• improves oxygen nutrition;
• has an analgesic effect.

6. Shockwave therapy. It is an alternative to surgical intervention for advanced diseases with subsequent complete or partial disappearance of pain. It involves up to 6 sessions lasting up to 20 minutes, after which time restrictions are imposed on playing sports and performing monotonous loads on the wrist.

Physiotherapy. A decrease in the severity of the disease should be a reason to begin special exercises to stretch and strengthen the muscles adjacent to the wrist. A few simple exercises to do at home:

• Make a fist with your hand.
• Using your fingers, try to squeeze the plasticine.
• Connect the palms of your hands and alternately tilt to the right and left without sudden movements.
• Make smooth throws of a tennis ball against a wall several times a day.
• Bend your arm at the wrist and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
• Roll 2 whole walnuts on the palm of your hand for 5 minutes. Repeat several times.

The cause of pain in the wrist. Who has this problem, what are its characteristic symptoms? How to relieve pain through exercise.

• increase lymph flow and blood flow;
• eliminate pain;
• improve nutrition and oxygen saturation of tissues.

• rubbing is carried out in a spiral, semicircle, using the thumbs;
• transverse warm-up of the problem area and along it;
• stroking with thumbs;
• rubbing + stroking using the pads of 4 fingers.

• Ginger + sarsaparilla. Grind the plant roots and mix. Dilute 1 tsp. mixture in a glass of boiling water. Drink twice a day (instead of tea) for joint/tendon pathologies with an inflammatory component.
• Curcumin. Use daily as a seasoning, but within the normal range of 0.5 g. Removes pain and reduces inflammation.
• Bird cherry. Add 3 tbsp to a glass of boiling water. l. fresh berries or 1 tbsp. l. dried. Prepare the decoction in a water bath. Take several times daily. Tannins and anthocyanins contained in bird cherry juice have a general strengthening, anti-inflammatory effect.
• Walnut. To prepare the tincture, use the partitions rather than the core. Infuse 0.5 liters of vodka for up to 3 weeks. Take in small portions three times a day for a month.
• Water-salt solution. Per glass warm water add 1 tsp. salt, stir thoroughly. Take a napkin, soak it in the solution, wring it out lightly and put it in the freezer for 2 minutes, after wrapping it in a bag. Remove the napkin, apply it to the problem area, and bandage it. Remove after complete drying.
• Shepherd's Purse. 1 tsp. pour boiling water over dried herbs and leave for 2 hours. Then use the technique from the point above.

It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate for wrist pain.

Prevention

• Do exercises to strengthen your wrist muscles.
• If the slightest discomfort occurs, you should stop physical activity or change it.
• Grasp objects not only with your fingers, but with your entire hand to avoid injury.
• Use special gloves with hand support and vibration-absorbing pads when working with related tools.