How to Treat These 3 Common Hand Pain Problems
Our hands undeniably play a key role in everyday life. The constant movement of our hands makes us prone to muscle and joint issues that develop with age. Each hand consists of 27 bones, more than 120 ligaments, 48 nerves, 29 joints, and 17 muscles, not including the muscles of the forearm. The complex arrangement of these various joints, nerves, bones, muscles, and ligaments offer a range of function and mobility but they also make us prone to injury and physical pain. Giving your hands treatment and professional care can help alleviate the pain while ensuring the issue doesn’t get worse.
If you’re experiencing these common hand pain issues, you should consider consulting a specialist:
Issue #1: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The best way to describe these symptoms is a feeling of numbness, weakness, or tingling in your hand. Common treatments for Carpal Tunnel include:
- Icing your wrists for 10 to 15 minutes every day.
- Taking breaks and stretching.
- Over-the-counter braces – we can get you set up!
- For severe pain, you can consult with one of our doctors who may recommend medication, treatment, or surgery.
Issue #2: Arthritis of the Hand
Symptoms of arthritis in the hands include weakness of muscles and the inability to move joints. It is often easy to spot hands with arthritis as the knuckles will appear swollen and popped extremely upward or down with a lack of movement. Women are more likely to develop issues related to osteoarthritis and there is no cure for the condition. However, without properly treating the pain, it can become severe and affect your inability to live a comfortable life. Here’s what you should do if you’re experiencing the effects of arthritis in the hands:
- Consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
- Use hot and cold therapy to ease the pain. This involves icing the swelling or placing the hands in warm
water. - Request information on capsaicin creams, which offer temporary relief to the joints.
- Learn about medical treatments including cortisone injections or steroid shots.
Issue #3: Trigger Finger
If one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position, you may be experiencing what is known as ‘trigger finger’ or stenosing tenosynovitis. The cause is usually related the inflammation of the tendons in the fingers. In severe cases, your finger will be locked in the bent position. Additionally, repeated gripping, diabetes, and if you suffer from carpal tunnel, you may be prone to trigger finger. Usually, finger stiffness occurs in the morning hours and can affect more than one finger at a time. Depending on the severity, there are few treatments to help your condition:
- In worse cases, you may need professional surgery. This involves placing a small incision near the base of your
finger and cutting open the constricted section of the tendon sheath. - Practicing daily exercises recommended by a specialist.
- You may need to wear a splint on the affected finger at night.
- Avoid repetitive gripping when possible and always wear protective gloves if your job requires dealing with
hand-held machinery.
Treat Your Hands Today
As hand surgery specialists we stress the importance of professionally treating your hands. Even if you don’t require surgery, we can help you explore rehabilitation services. Contact us today to learn more about our services.