WHY DOES YOUR HAND HURT
Osteoarthritis
- It happens when you injure or wear out the smooth substance called cartilage that covers
the ends of your bones at the joint. - It gets swollen, painful, stiff & hard to move.
- The most common places for hand osteoarthritis are your finger joints & the area where
your thumb & wrist meet. - Rest, splints, anti-inflammatory drugs & special hand exercises can ease symptoms.
- In severe cases, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
- This disease affects the cells that are supposed to lubricate your joints.
- This 'synovial tissue' becomes swollen & wears down the cartilage & bone.
- Inflammation might also spread to the tendons that link bone to muscle.
- Your doctor can help you manage pain & stiffness with medications, steroid injections & in
rare cases, surgery.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- The median nerve, blood vessels & tendons go through a passageway in your wrist called
the carpal tunnel. - If swelling inside the tunnel pushes on the nerve, you may have pain, numbness, tingling &
a weakened grip. - A doctor or physical therapist could help improve your symptoms with splints, steroid
injections, or help you change the way you use your hands.
Peripheral Neuropathy
- Over time, high blood sugar can damage the nerves that send pain signals to your brain,
as well as the tiny blood vessels that nourish them. - You may have pain, tingling, burning & numbness in your hands & they could become
sensitive to even light touch.
- Your doctor can help you manage your symptoms with drugs, changes in diet & exercise.
- He may also treat the diabetes or other condition that may be causing the problem.
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
- You may notice an inflamed & painful thumb & wrist, especially when you grasp or twist something.
- It happens when a tunnel called the first extensor compartment narrows or the tendons
inside thicken. - Repeated or new hand motions could cause it.
- So can hormone changes.
- Your doctor might treat it with splints & anti-inflammatories & in some cases, surgery.
Tendinitis
- Tendons, the ropey cords that tie the small muscles of your hand to the bone, slowly wear
down & get inflamed. - Your palm or fingers may hurt & the pain could move up your arm.
- You can treat it with ice, heating pads, splints, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) & special exercises from your doctor or physical therapist.
Ganglion Cyst
- It's a lump filled with liquid, most often on the top or bottom of your wrist, or at the base of
your finger. - It might change in size & even disappear.
- You could use anti-inflammatories to lessen pain & splints to stop certain motions.
- In more serious cases, your doctor may suggest draining it with a needle or in some cases, surgery.
Fracture
- It's when you break or crack one or more bones in the hand, often when you fall or drop something on it.
- It may hurt & swell & you could find it hard to move.
- You might even notice a change in shape.
- Your doctor can usually fix it with some type of cast or splint, but for more serious fractures,
you may need surgery.
Sprain
- Your ligaments, the tissue that connects your bones, can tear, often when you use an outstretched hand to break a fall.
- It typically affects the thumb joint or the middle knuckles on your fingers.
- Talk to your doctor if you have trouble using your hand, or the pain is serious or continues
for more than a few days. - Otherwise, use rice & rest, ice, compression (bandage) & elevation (raise it up)to lessen
pain & swelling.
Strain
- This is when you tear a muscle or tendon, often the tendons that connect the forearm
muscle to your finger bones.
- It can happen suddenly in a fall or slowly over time, especially if you use your hands a lot at work by lifting, typing, or building stuff.
- Use rice in the short term & see your doctor if the pain is serious or doesn't go away.
Trigger Finger
- Sometimes a tendon that helps move one of your fingers can grow a kind of knot or its
smooth lining can swell. - This might make it hard to use without pain or give you a feeling that something is catching.
- A finger could even get stuck in a bent position.
- Splints & anti-inflammatory drugs sometimes help, but surgery may be needed to correct
the problem.
Dupuytren's Contracture
- The tissue just beneath the skin thickens more than it should in the palm of your hand &
into your fingers. - You might notice small bumps, holes & lines in that area.
- It can cause your fingers to bend in towards your palm.
- It's usually not painful, but your doctor could suggest injections or surgery in serious cases.
Gout
- A waste product called uric acid collects & forms crystals, often in the big toe, but also sometimes in the hand & wrist.
- It causes intense pain & swelling.
- Your doctor can help you treat an attack with rest & medication.
- Changes in diet & exercise, along with medicine, might lessen future attacks & other
problems linked to gout.
Raynaud's Phenomenon
- Blood vessels in the hands overreact to cold temperatures or stress.
- During an attack, they narrow & limit blood supply.
- This can make your fingers & toes cold & numb.
- They could even turn white or blue.
- As blood returns, they may start to tingle & hurt.
- Certain drugs can help symptoms & prevent tissue damage.
- In rare cases, your doctor may suggest surgery.
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Copyright © 2012 -2018 KosherWoman.com
All rights reserved