Hand Pain Causes and Hand Pain Information
There are many conditions that can cause hand pain and finger pain. One of the hand pain causes is carpal tunnel syndrome. Other hand pain causes are rheumatoid arthritis, bone fracture, osteoarthritis, peripheral neuropathy, Raynaud's phenomenon, and sprains and strains.
Hand Pain Symptoms
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are hand pain, finger pain, burning sensation in the fingers, hands that are stiff or cramped, especially in the morning, the inability to make a fist, and numbness or tingling in the hand. The condition is a result of pressure on the median nerve caused by scarring, or inflammation. The median nerve is found in the wrist joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis is another one of the hand pain causes. The onset may be gradual or sudden, and not only causes hand pain and finger pain, but redness, warmth and tenderness, morning stiffness, and a low grade fever.
A bone fracture in the hand or finger may be complete or incomplete, but it causes pain and swelling at night, and sometimes bleeding and bruising if it's an open fracture.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, and another one of the hand pain causes. The symptoms are stiffness and hand pain which worsen during cold or damp weather. There's also finger pain and swelling of the finger joints. A cracking sound might be heard when the joints move.
The hand pain of peripheral neuropathy is caused by an abnormality in the nerves. The condition causes shooting pains in the hands and fingers that are worse at night, and are exacerbated by temperature or touch. In addition to finger pain, the fingers may also become ulcerated. Peripheral neuropathy is a complication of shingles, diabetes, poor reaction to drugs, and other disorders.
Raynaud's Phenomenon is a disorder of the circulatory system that's caused by an underlying disease. It affects the small arteries to the hands and causes hand pain, numbness and tingling. The fingers turn pale when exposed to cold because of lack of blood flow, and can develop ulcers.
Hand Pain Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be repaired through surgery. An incision is made in the wrist, and the carpal ligament is cut. This releases the compressed nerve and cures the syndrome.
Though there's no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, it can be eased by splints or gloves worn at night. The hand pain and finger pain can be relieved with hot soaks or compresses, pain relieving drugs, and cortisone injections into the site of the pain.
A bone fracture will have to be immobilized with a cast or splint until it heals itself. If the fracture is very severe, it might require surgery and the insertion of rods or screws. Physical therapy might also be needed later on, depending on the severity of the fracture.
Osteoarthritis, another of the hand pain causes, can be relieved by applying heat to the painful area for twenty minutes, two or three times a day. Massaging the muscles around the joints can also be helpful. The doctor might prescribe pain relieving drugs, or inject cortisone into the painful area.
Raynaud's Phenomenon isn't a disease itself, but a complication of a disease. If the underlying disease is cured, the Raynaud's Phenomenon will be cured as well. In the meantime, the doctor may prescribe drugs that dilate the small arteries in the hand to help blood circulation, and sedatives.
A strain is a stretched muscle, and a sprain is a stretched and torn ligament. Both usually heal within one to two weeks if they're given the proper care. In the meantime, they should either be soothed with ice or heat, and the hand should be elevated to allow fluid to drain. A cast or splint might be needed in a very badly sprained hand or finger.
