Hand

What Causes Hand Pain?

Hand pain may come from the bones, joints, tendons, nerves or soft tissues that help your fingers function. The possible cause often depends on where the pain is, how it started and whether you also have symptoms such as swelling, stiffness, locking, numbness, tingling, weakness or trouble gripping.

Common causes may include:

• Arthritis in the hand or thumb
• Nerve pressure or nerve injury
• Trigger finger
• Tendon irritation or injury
• Hand fractures and fingertip injuries
• Cysts, lumps or soft tissue changes
• Infection or inflammation after a wound

How to Diagnose Hand Pain?

Diagnosing hand pain starts with understanding how the pain affects your fingers, thumb, palm and grip. Your doctor may ask when the pain started, where you feel it, what makes it better or worse and other symptoms.

A hand pain evaluation may include:

• Medical history: Your doctor may ask about recent falls, cuts, crush injuries, sports injuries, animal bites, repeated hand use, work activities, diabetes, arthritis or other health conditions that may affect the hands.
• Physical exam: Your hand may be checked for swelling, warmth, bruising, cuts, lumps, tenderness, finger position and visible changes in the joints or skin.
• Movement and strength checks: Your doctor may ask you to bend, straighten, pinch, grip or move each finger and thumb to see which motions cause pain or feel limited.
• Sensation checks: If you have numbness, tingling or burning, your doctor may check feeling in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and ring finger. These symptoms may help identify possible nerve pressure or nerve injury.
• Tests for locking or catching: If a finger clicks, catches or gets stuck, your doctor may check how the tendon moves. A tendon is the tissue that helps move a finger or thumb.
• Imaging tests: X-rays may help check for fractures, arthritis or joint alignment. Ultrasound, CT or MRI may be recommended if your doctor needs a closer look at tendons, ligaments, soft tissue, hidden fractures or certain lumps.
• Nerve testing when needed: If carpal tunnel syndrome or another nerve problem is suspected, nerve conduction studies or electromyography may be used. These tests check how well nerves and muscles are sending signals.
• Lab tests when needed: Blood tests may be considered when symptoms suggest an inflammatory condition, infection, gout, rheumatoid arthritis or another health issue that can affect the hands.

What Doctor To See for Hand Pain?

An orthopedic hand doctor is often an appropriate doctor to see for hand pain. These doctors evaluate problems involving the bones, joints, tendons, nerves and soft tissues of the hand.

Seeing an orthopedic hand doctor does not mean you need to undergo surgery. It means your hand can be checked by someone trained to understand hand movement, strength, feeling and function. Depending on the cause, care may also include therapy or support from another care provider.

How To Treat Hand Pain?

Hand pain treatment depends on what is causing the pain, which part of the hand is affected and how much symptoms interfere with gripping, pinching, writing or daily tasks.

Nonsurgical Hand Pain Treatment

When appropriate, nonsurgical care is often considered first to help reduce pain, support hand function and avoid more invasive treatment when symptoms can improve without surgery. Nonsurgical care may include:

• Rest and activity changes: Reducing movements that make symptoms worse, such as repeated gripping, pinching, typing, tool use or forceful hand movements
• Splints or braces: Supporting the fingers, thumb or hand to help reduce strain and allow irritated tissues to rest
• Medication: Using pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medicine when appropriate
• Heat or cold therapy: Helping manage stiffness, soreness or swelling, depending on the condition
• Physical or occupational therapy: Improving hand motion, strength, flexibility and safer ways to use the hand during daily activities
• Steroid injections: Helping reduce inflammation in certain conditions, such as trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome or thumb arthritis, when recommended

Surgical Hand Pain Treatment

Hand surgery may be considered when nonsurgical care does not help enough or when an injury needs repair. Depending on the diagnosis, surgical treatment options may include:

• Carpal tunnel release: Relieving pressure on the median nerve, which helps provide feeling and movement to parts of the hand
• Trigger finger release: Opening the tight area that keeps the tendon from gliding smoothly
• Tendon repair: Repairing a torn tendon, which is the tissue that helps move a finger or thumb
• Hand fracture surgery: Realigning and stabilizing broken bones in the fingers or palm when needed
• Arthritis-related surgery: Procedures such as joint reconstruction, joint replacement or joint fusion may be considered for painful arthritis that has not improved with nonsurgical care
• Surgery for cysts, wounds or soft tissue concerns: Removing a painful cyst, repairing deeper injuries or treating wounds that affect hand movement or healing

How to Prevent Hand Pain?

Not all hand pain can be prevented, especially when it comes from arthritis, trauma, nerve problems or certain health conditions. Still, small changes may help reduce strain on the fingers, thumb and palm during work, hobbies, sports and daily tasks.

Ways to help prevent hand pain may include:

• Take breaks during repeated hand use
• Use safer hand positioning
• Reduce forceful gripping when possible
• Stretch properly and strengthen safely
• Protect your hands from injury
• Pay attention to early symptoms

If hand pain keeps coming back or starts affecting how you grip, pinch, write, button clothing or use your hand, an orthopedic hand doctor can help identify the cause and discuss care options that fit your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hand Pain Treatment