You will not care much if there is mild pain in the wrist. You will wait for it to disappear. Sometimes, it vanishes on its own. But it can be impossible to ignore persistent, acute, or chronic pain. Several things can trigger it, such as fractures, sprains, arthritis, etc. Many cases notice an improvement when they rest. However, others have to seek medical intervention for chronic pain. The pain in this area can be sharp, as if someone has pricked it with a needle or pin. You can face a wrist movement challenge when you flex, circle, or move it up and down. Generally, overuse of this body part leads to this condition. For example, think of an activity like typing. There can be other factors too.
Causes of the painful wrist
The direct causes of wrist pain can be a sprain, fracture, arthritis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Let’s now understand how these different things potentially affect your wrist. If you visit a chiropractor Portland, they will diagnose your wrist and the underlying condition to determine the treatment.
Sprain
The solid connective tissues, like ligaments, regulate your joint movement. But sprain can injure them. When this happens, the surrounding ligaments may fail to support the wrist joint, which ensures the stability of the hand position and motions. Due to a sprain, your joints can become swollen, discolored, bruised, and painful. You can also experience tingling or burning sensations.
Fracture
Patients with weak bones or facing health problems like osteoporosis can be prone to a wrist fracture. A scaphoid fracture is a common wrist injury that occurs when the thumb’s scaphoid bone is affected. A person falling on the ground with an outstretched hand can typically find himself injured in this area. Fractures can result in pain, tenderness, and swelling near the thumb base. You can feel intense pain when trying to grab or pinch something.
Wrist tendonitis
Tendons can be of several types, such as flexors and extensors. These strong tissue bands cover your wrist, connecting the forearm muscles with finger bones and hand. Flexor tendons dot your palm area, helping your fingers to grab and hold objects. The other kind of tendons exists on the upper hand, aiding your fingers to open up and release things. Inflammation in one or more tendons can lead to this condition, causing symptoms like morning stiffness, dull pain, warm sensation, popping sound during wrist movement, etc. Repetitive use of the wrist can be responsible for the disorder. It can affect anyone, from athletes to ordinary people. So, someone involved in constant typing work is as vulnerable to this as the other playing tennis or golf.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Again, the main reason for this condition is wrist abuse caused by repetitive motions. The tissue can develop scars and inflammation due to pinching. Generally, this pain grows intense at night, accompanying a tingling sensation in the index finger, middle finger, thumb, and palms. Health experts say it’s a workplace injury.
Arthritis
Gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis can also cause wrist pain, but these are lesser-known causes. Gout occurs due to a kind of formation of joint fluid called uric acid. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints with deterioration and damage. Osteoarthritis is common with injuries and aging.
Home remedies for wrist pain
You can soothe your wrist pain with some self-care methods. If there is inflammation, you can stop using the affected joint to avoid the risks of stiffness. Doing this can help your recovery. Some apply ice packs at a gap of three to four hours for the initial two days. Please ensure you only apply it for about 20 minutes, as it can damage the tissue. You can also use an electric bandage, wrapping the base of the fingers and the area right under the elbow. The wrap should overlap when you bring it to the same point. Wear it, so you don’t feel stiff in your fingers. For events of fractures or carpal tunnel injuries, you may need to use splints, braces, or a cast.
In most cases, wrist injuries or pain can be preventable. You must protect yourself from them if you play snowboarding, street hockey, rollerblading, etc. Wear wrist guards to reduce pressure on the wrist. Some workplace requirements expose you to carpal tunnel syndrome. You can prevent this by using ergonomic mouse pads, wrist rests, etc. Doing hand and arm stretching from time to time can also help. Also, it’s necessary to break away from typing at regular intervals to give your wrist some relief.
Still, nothing is foolproof, albeit your injury risks can decrease. And even if something happens, you can opt for non-invasive treatments to avoid the side effects of traditional therapies and medications. Chiropractors specialize in anything related to muscles and nerves. You can approach them for consultation. As you feel better, your confidence in this therapy will also rise. Already many people are benefiting from it.