Common Hand Pain Causes & How To Find Relief
You depend on your hands for almost every task. In addition, your hands are composed of countless bones, ligaments, joints, nerves, and muscles. So they’re likely to experience pain at some point in time. There are a variety of physical conditions and hand-related injuries that can lead to hand pain. If you’re facing pain in your hands, unsure of its cause and are looking for treatment options, keep reading.
Causes of Hand Pain
The most common causes of hand pain include the following:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The space in your wrist that keeps your tendons and median nerve together is known as your carpal tunnel. When your carpal tunnel becomes compressed, you may develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms often begin gradually and include numbness and tingling in the fingers and weakness in the hand.
Fractures
A break or crack in one of the bones in your hand indicates a hand fracture. While there are a number of reasons fractures may occur, they are often the result of falling on the hand, the hand getting bent or twisted, and hitting a hard object. If you play sports or exercise often, you may be at a higher risk for a hand fracture.
Trigger Finger
Trigger finger arises when your finger locks in a bent position. While some cases are mild, others are more severe and can lead to symptoms like stiffness, a popping sensation every time you move your finger, and the inability to straighten your finger. Any finger including the thumb may experience a trigger finger.
Arthritis
Arthritis can occur in your knees, ankles, and even your hands. If you have rheumatoid arthritis in your hands, you may experience pain and inflammation. These symptoms may worsen any time you perform repetitive tasks with your hand. They can also make it a challenge to type on a computer, grip utensils, or complete other basic tasks.
Ganglion Cysts
Non-cancerous lumps that develop under your hands or wrists are known as ganglion cysts. Fortunately, most ganglion cysts are painless. However, if they press on a nerve, they have the potential to cause feelings of pain, tingling, and numbness.
Hand Pain Treatments
Fortunately, most hand pain treatments are non-invasive. If you’re living with hand pain, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and physical therapy may help. Platelet rich plasma (PRP), ligament reconstruction, and carpal tunnel release may also help. Surgery is only recommended in rare cases if conservative measures deem to be effective.