Because we use our hands all day every day, they are prone to injuries like cuts, scratches, and scrapes. Such injuries, especially those that break the skin, put our hands at risk of hand infections because microorganisms can penetrate through these breaks.
Hand infections are a common cause of hand pain and stiffness. Most hand infections require medical attention in order to alleviate the pain and to prevent the infection from spreading and becoming severe.
Let’s talk about some of the most common types of hand infections that cause hand pain, and where you can go in North Dakota to get effective orthopedic treatment for your hand pain.
Causes of Hand Pain Due to Infection
The following types of infection and inflammation can cause pain in the hand:
Septic Arthritis
Septic arthritis is a severe and painful infection that affects the joints. Septic arthritis can affect the hands when germs penetrate through an injury, like a cut or an animal bite, or if an infection travels to your hand joints via the bloodstream.
Symptoms are redness, swelling, and fever. Intravenous antibiotics and surgery are usually the recommended treatments.
Infectious Tenosynovitis
This is inflammation of the tendon sheath caused by an infection. Infectious tenosynovitis mostly occurs in the hand when you get a small puncture or cut on your finger.
During this infection, the inflamed tendon may stiffen, rupture, or adhere to the sheath or bone, thereby causing limited movement. Hand pain, rigidity, and redness are symptoms of this hand infection.
Necrotizing Fasciitis
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but rapidly progressive bacterial infection of soft tissues. It is usually caused by the streptococcus bacterium entering the body through a cut in the skin, and it can destroy skin, muscle, and other soft tissues.
Necrotizing fasciitis is a true emergency condition and can be life-threatening. Surgery must be performed to remove the dead tissues and to prevent the infection from spreading through the body.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is an infection in the bones, and it can affect the bones of the hand. While infection to a bone can occur by traveling through the bloodstream, it can also begin in the bones themselves if they are exposed to microorganisms.
This infection can cause hand pain, fever, fatigue, swelling, warmth, and redness. Osteomyelitis was previously incurable, but today it can be cured through intervenous antibiotics and possibly surgery to remove the affected tissues.
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a skin infection that is caused by bacteria, usually stephalyococcus or streptococcus. Cellulitis occurs when bacteria enter your skin through a minor break in the skin or a wound, such as:
- Dermatitis
- Flaky skin
- Swollen skin
- Cracked skin
- Ulcerated skin
- Surgery site
Pain, warmth, rash, redness, tenderness, and fever are the telltale signs of cellulitis. When this infection affects the hand, it can cause hand pain and a rash on the hand.
Because any kind of infection can become serious and can get into the bloodstream and infect other organs, see a doctor right away for a diagnosis and swift treatment.
Hand Pain Treatment in North Dakota
If you have hand pain that is impairing your day-to-day activities, see the experienced hand doctors at The Bone & Joint Center to get an efficient diagnosis and effective treatment. Our board-certified and skilled orthopedic hand specialists are committed to providing you with personalized treatment to restore your hand strength and function once again.
To make an appointment with one of our hand doctors, call us today at(800) 424-2663 or fill out our convenient online form now. We look forward to serving you!
