If your hand or wrist have been hurting you for a while, then the best thing is to find a chiropractor for your wrist pain before it gets too late. Serious things can happen when you ignore pain and just try to “battle through” it, or simply mask it with basic everyday painkillers. You might be surprised to learn some of the things that might be causing your hand or wrist pain. Let’s take a look at some of the most common ones below.

Cause 1: A Traumatic Injury

A common cause of pain is a previous traumatic injury such as tears to the ligament, fractures, tendon injuries and more. All of these are common in the hands and wrists since it can happen in so many different ways. Whereas breaking a leg or arm takes some considerable force, the hand and wrist is somewhat more delicate. Those who have had previous injuries treated by injections, splinting, surgery and other means may experience ongoing pain in their hands after.

Cause 2: Carpal Tunnel

Carpal tunnel is a well-known issue but not everyone is aware of exactly what causes it. The pain of carpal tunnel is rooted in the gradual compression of the median nerve that runs from your forearm into your hand via the carpal tunnel. In the short term, one can get numb feelings, as well as tingling, itching, pins and needles and so on. More severe cases include loss of muscle mass, a loss of grip strength, and ongoing weakness in the hands. These problems can be treated with surgery or steroid injections, but a gifted chiropractor could also help.

Cause 3: Arthritis

Of course, we couldn’t have a list like this and not include arthritis. There are millions of Australians suffering from various kinds of arthritis, and it’s a problem that tends to affect women a lot more than men. As the leading cause of pain in various parts of the body, but very commonly in the fingers, thumb and wrists, arthritis is frequently treated with medication and physical therapy.

Sufferers of arthritis are acutely aware of the difference between the main 2 types of arthritis, namely osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The former is an acquired condition that’s also known as “wear and tear arthritis.” The latter is a chronic disease causing inflammation in the joints and hands.

Cause 4: Tendinitis

This disorder is invariably caused by an inflamed tendon resulting from repetitive hand/wrist motions, mechanical compression, or irregularities in one’s anatomy. It’s characterised by clicking or snapping sounds, as well as pain, swelling in the fingers or around the wrist joint, and a feeling of grinding as the tendons move around. It’s typically treated with splints, steroid injections, and in more extreme cases with surgery, but there are also alternatives that more and more people are exploring.

Cause 5: Ulnar Tunnel Syndrome

Most have already heard of carpal tunnel syndrome, but what about ulnar tunnel syndrome? This occurs when the ulnar nerve gets constricted around your wrist. The ulnar nerve runs from your neck down to your hand and is responsible for giving feeling to your ring and little finger, as well as offering motor input to your hand’s smaller muscles. Those suffering from ulnar tunnel syndrome may experience a drop in grip strength, and/or numbness around their ring finger or little finger. Anti-inflammatory medications are usually enough to deal with minor cases, but more serious occasions might require more and ongoing treatment options.

Hand and wrist pain often starts small and minor and that’s why it’s ignored. Don’t let these small tingles and pains turn into serious life-changing conditions.

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