Wrist pain can happen for a variety of reasons, from accidents to sudden injuries. It can also be due to a chronic condition. Regardless of the cause, it’s best to take care of your wrists.
9 causes of wrist pain that you should never ignore
1. Wrist Sprain
A sprain is a ligament injury. Ligaments are tough connective tissues that control joint movement. The ligaments around the wrist joint help stabilize your hand position. They also allow you to make controlled motions.
A sprain happens when wrist ligaments are stretched past their limits. A common cause is falling onto your hand.
Wrist sprain symptoms include:
- Pain with movement
- Swelling around the joint
- Bruising or discoloration
- Burning or tingling sensations
2. Wrist Tendonitis
Tendons are strong bands of tissue that cross over the wrist. They connect the muscles in the forearms to the hand and finger bones.
Flexor tendons on the palm side of your hand allow your fingers to grasp and grip objects. Extensor tendons on the top side of your hand help your fingers straighten and release objects.
Wrist tendonitis occurs when one or more of these tendons become inflamed. It causes: Dull, aching pain, Weakness, Sometimes, mild swelling or warmth.
The most common causes of wrist pain due to tendonitis include:
- Repetitive wrist motions (typing, working with machinery).
- Sports that place repetitive stress on the wrist (e.g., golf and tennis).
3. Wrist Strain
A wrist strain occurs when a muscle or tendon in the wrist is overused or stretched too far during an activity or injury. You may also hear wrist strain referred to as a pulled muscle.
Symptoms of this kind of injury include: Pain, Swelling, Difficulty moving the affected area, A bruise or discoloration.
4. Wrist Tenosynovitis
Tenosynovitis is similar to tendonitis in that it involves damage and inflammation, but it affects the tendon sheath (the fluid-filled covering around your tendons).
Symptoms of tenosynovitis, which are similar to those of tendonitis:
- Pain and difficulty moving the joint
- Swelling in the affected area
- Redness along the length of the tendon
5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome comes from overuse of the wrist, especially from repetitive motions such as typing, playing sports, or repetitive types of manual labor. This can lead to inflammation and scar tissue, which causes nerve compression (pinching) of the nerve that runs through the wrist joint.
This condition causes pain that tends to be worse at night, plus numbness and tingling in the: Palms, Thumb, Index finger, Middle finger.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common workplace injury.
6. Wrist Fracture
A wrist fracture is a common injury. It’s more likely in people with weak bones, such as from osteoporosis.
A common type of wrist fracture is a scaphoid fracture. Your scaphoid bone is on the thumb side of your wrist. It’s often broken when you fall and catch yourself on an outstretched hand.
A scaphoid fracture causes swelling, pain, and tenderness below the base of the thumb. The pain may get worse when you try to pinch or grasp something.
7. Arthritis
A few different types of arthritis may affect the wrist.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): An autoimmune disease that causes joint damage and deterioration.
- Osteoarthritis: Less common (wear and tear) arthritis associated with age or injury.
- Gout: Sharp crystals form in the joint fluid.
8. Bursitis
Bursitis occurs when fluid-filled sacs in the wrist called bursae become inflamed.
Symptoms of bursitis include: A dull, achy pain in the wrist; Swelling; Pain with motion or when pressing on the area; Warmth or redness.
9. Infection
An injury to the wrist that causes a break in the skin (such as an animal bite) could become infected with bacteria, leading to an infection such as septic arthritis or septic tenosynovitis.
This could cause symptoms such as: Swelling, Severe pain, Discoloration, Abscess, Fever, General feeling of being unwell.
This type of infection can progress and may cause permanent disability or even become life-threatening.
If you suspect an infection, see a healthcare provider right away.
Self-Care Strategies
Self-care strategies may soothe your wrist pain. They’re especially useful for sprains or tendonitis:
- Rest: Stop using the joint to let the inflammation go down. Don’t rest for longer than 48 hours, though. This can lead to stiffness and slow your recovery.
- Ice: Apply an ice pack for 20 minutes every three to four hours for the first two days. Don’t use for longer than 20 minutes or tissue damage may result.
- Compression: Wrap your wrist with an elastic bandage. Start at the base of the fingers and go up to just below the elbow. Overlap the wrap by half of its width every time around. Make it snug without cutting off circulation. If your fingers tingle, loosen the bandage.
- Immobilization: Support braces or splints may help with an injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, or wrist arthritis. A fracture may require a cast. Ulnar neuropathy may require immobilizing the elbow.
