Our hands are complex structures of the body comprising 27 bones and several muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments, making them complex and delicate and vulnerable to injuries and several painful hand conditions.
Hand pain can be dull, sharp, intermittent, or chronic, and sometimes, swelling and stiffness can sap strength and dimmish your hand’s ability to carry out routine tasks.
Let’s talk about the three most common causes of hand pain and where you can go for effective hand pain management in Bismarck.
Arthritis
According to Harvard Health, arthritis – a group of conditions that leads to the swelling or inflammation of one or more joints – is one of the most common causes of hand pain.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis that affects the hand. Osteoarthritis is when the shock-absorbing cartilage between the bones in the finger joint and at the base of the thumb becomes damaged or worn.
The damaged or worn cartilage can result in symptoms like pain and inflammation of the hand joint, stiffness and limited range of motion of the joint, misalignment of the joints, and possible deformity of the joints.
Even though arthritis of the hands is more common in people above the age of 60, some people develop arthritis at an earlier age.
There are several treatments for arthritis, including splinting or bracing of the joint during times of overuse, medications, steroid injections, surgery, and physical therapy.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Our hands have many major nerves that allow them to feel different sensations. But when one of these nerves is injured or compressed, whether due to inflammation or injury, it causes a lot of pain in the affected hand and impairsthe ability of the hand to carry out routine tasks.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which one major nerve of the hand, called the median nerve, is compressed or squeezed as it passes through a narrowed carpal tunnel.
Typically the symptoms of carpal tunnel begin slowly but can reach varying degrees of severity with time, making it difficult or sometimes impossible for you to grasp small objects, feel the difference between hot and cold, and experience pain and stiffness, especially in the morning.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with non-surgical and surgical treatments.
Tendon Problems
Two major tendon problems often leading to hand pain are tendonitis and tenosynovitis. Tendonitis is the inflammation of the tendon (tough cord of tissue that connects bones to muscles), resulting in pain, swelling, and discomfort.
The wrist and fingers are most commonly affected by tendonitis.
On the other hand, Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the lining of the tendons sheath that encloses the tendon. Strain, overuse, injury, excessive exercise, or diseases such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis may lead to tenosynovitis.
Trigger finger is a tenosynovitis condition in which the tendon sheath becomes thickened and inflamed, thus preventing the affected finger/thumb from extending or flexing.
DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis is when the tendon sheath that encloses the tendons of the thumb becomes swollen.
Activity modification, splinting or bracing, icing, steroidal injections, and surgery are some of the common ways to relieve hand pain associated with tendonitis and tenosynovitis.
Hand Pain Treatment in Bismarck
If you have pain in your hand that is not getting better with at-homecare or is getting worse over time, visit us here at The Bone & Joint Center.
Our board-certified and highly trained orthopedic surgeons use non-surgical treatments such as medications, cortisone shots, physical therapy, bracing, and hand therapy to help you recover from injuries, strengthen your hands, and avoid injuries. Should you need surgical care, our orthopedic doctors can perform advanced surgical procedures that offer the best outcomes.
To know more about our services or make a one-on-one consultation with our doctors, call our office at (701) 946-7400 / (866) 900-8650 or use our convenient online request form.
