What causes hand and wrist pain?
Some of the hand and wrist conditions that Dr. Bostick at Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine sees most often include:
Trigger finger
Trigger finger occurs when one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position and most frequently affects people who repeatedly perform gripping actions. The cause is a narrowing of the tendon sheath in the affected finger.
As well as the stiffness, trigger finger can be painful, and without treatment, you may end up being unable to straighten your finger properly.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in your wrist and the thumb side of your hand. The cause is pressure or impingement of the median nerve in your wrist, which often affects people who perform repetitive movements with their hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome may also develop if you have bone spurs, rheumatoid arthritis, or an injury.
De Quervain's tendinitis or tenosynovitis
De Quervain's tenosynovitis is tendon inflammation in your wrist and thumb that makes it painful to bend your wrist, extend it, or create a fist with your thumb inside. The condition makes it difficult to write, grip, or do activities like knitting.
Other causes of hand and wrist pain include arthritis, ganglion cysts, and mallet finger.
How is hand and wrist pain diagnosed?
To diagnose the cause of your hand and wrist pain, Dr. Bostick carries out a physical examination and discusses your symptoms with you. He also checks your medical history. The next step is diagnostic imaging, which could consist of onsite X-rays or an ultrasound scan.
Conditions that involve nerve damage like carpal tunnel syndrome might require nerve conduction velocity testing and an electromyogram to check your nerve function.
If the cause of your hand and wrist pain isn't clear after these investigations, Dr. Bostick may need to perform an exploratory arthroscopy. This is a minimally invasive procedure in which he inserts a tiny camera into your wrist to examine the structures in detail.
How is hand and wrist pain treated?
Mild hand and wrist pain from conditions like trigger finger often respond well to rest, physical therapy, and avoiding any repetitive movements. More serious hand and wrist pain might require anti-inflammatory medication or steroid injections. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to promote healthy tissue growth could also help.
When hand and wrist pain doesn't improve using these methods, Dr. Bostick might suggest surgery. One of the most common procedures he performs is carpal tunnel release, which involves cutting the enlarged ligaments compressing the median nerve.
Dr. Bostick can perform endoscopic carpal tunnel release using two tiny incisions rather than a large open wound. This method results in less post-operative pain, and you can return to work more quickly. Dr. Bostick is also an expert in the use of arthroscopic techniques to perform minimally invasive fracture, tendon, and ligament repairs and reconstruction.
Get the expert help you need for hand and wrist pain by calling Metairie Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, or book an appointment online today.
