Wrist

What Causes Wrist Pain?

Wrist pain may happen for many reasons because the wrist is made of several small joints that help the hand bend, twist, grip and carry weight. The cause can depend on where the pain is, how it started and which movements make it worse.

Common causes may include:

• Injuries from falls, sports or sudden twisting: These may include sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations or torn ligaments. A ligament is a strong band of tissue that connects bones and helps keep the wrist stable.
• Tendon irritation or injury: Tendons connect muscle to bone. Repeated wrist or thumb movement may irritate these tissues, including conditions such as de Quervain’s syndrome, wrist extensor tendon injury or wrist flexor tendon injury.
• Nerve pressure: Carpal tunnel syndrome happens when the median nerve, which helps provide feeling and movement to parts of the hand, becomes compressed at the wrist. This may cause wrist pain along with numbness, tingling or weakness.
• Arthritis or joint changes: Wrist joint pain may come from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis after an injury, gout or other inflammatory conditions.
• Cysts or less common wrist disorders: Ganglion cysts are noncancerous, fluid-filled lumps that can form near the wrist joint or tendons. Other conditions, such as Kienböck’s disease or scaphoid nonunion, may also cause ongoing wrist pain.

The location of the pain, your hand use, your activities and any history of injury can help orthopedic wrist doctors narrow down the possible cause.

How To Know If Wrist Pain is Serious?

Wrist pain is not always serious, especially after mild overuse or a minor sprain. Still, some symptoms should be checked sooner because they may point to a fracture, dislocation, torn ligament, nerve problem, infection or another issue that needs medical care.

Seek care promptly if your wrist pain comes with:

• Severe pain, significant swelling or bruising after a fall, sports injury or direct impact
• A wrist, hand or fingers that look misshapen, visibly out of place or cannot move normally
• Inability to move the wrist, hand or fingers at all
• Numbness, tingling, weakness or loss of feeling in the hand or fingers
• Redness, warmth, fever, rash or swelling after a recent illness
• Pain, swelling, redness or stiffness that does not improve after self-care

When To See a Doctor for Wrist Pain?

You may want to see a doctor for wrist pain when symptoms last, keep coming back or start affecting how you use your hand. Consider scheduling an evaluation if you have:

• Wrist pain that does not improve after self-care
• Swelling, redness or stiffness in one or both wrists
• Numbness, tingling or weakness in the wrist, hand or fingers
• Trouble gripping, lifting, typing, writing or doing usual activities
• Pain after a fall, sports injury, work injury or repeated wrist use
• Symptoms that may involve an injury, arthritis, tendon irritation, nerve pressure or another wrist condition

Orthopedic wrist doctors can evaluate wrist joint pain, check movement and strength and review where the pain is located. Depending on your symptoms, imaging or nerve testing may be recommended to help confirm the cause and guide the next steps.

How To Treat Wrist Pain?

Wrist pain treatment depends on the cause, the type of injury or condition and how much symptoms affect hand use. Many wrist problems start with nonsurgical care. Other cases may need more specialized treatment, especially if there is a fracture, torn ligament, nerve pressure or symptoms that continue despite conservative care.

Nonsurgical Wrist Pain Treatment

Treatment often starts with nonsurgical options, which may include:

• Rest and activity changes: Reducing movements that make pain worse, such as repeated typing, lifting, gripping, twisting or putting weight through the wrist
• Ice, elevation or compression: Helping manage swelling after a recent injury
• Medication: Using pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medicine when appropriate
• Splints, braces or casts: Keeping the wrist supported while an injury or irritated area heals
• Physical or occupational therapy: Improving motion, strength, flexibility and safer ways to use the wrist during daily tasks
• Injections: Helping reduce pain or inflammation in certain conditions when recommended as part of a broader treatment plan

Surgical Wrist Pain Treatment

Wrist pain surgery may be considered when nonsurgical care does not help enough or when the injury needs repair. Seeing orthopedic wrist surgeons does not mean surgery is automatic. It means your doctor can evaluate the cause of pain and discuss whether nonsurgical care or orthopedic wrist surgery may be appropriate.

Depending on the diagnosis, surgical treatment options may include:

• Wrist arthroscopy: Using a small camera and small instruments to look inside the wrist joint and treat certain problems
• Carpal tunnel release: Relieving pressure on the median nerve, which is the nerve commonly involved in carpal tunnel syndrome
• Tendon repair: Repairing a torn or damaged tendon, which is the tissue that connects muscle to bone
• Ligament repair or reconstruction: Repairing or rebuilding a torn ligament, which is a strong band of tissue that helps keep the wrist stable
• Wrist fracture surgery: Repairing a broken bone when broken wrist treatment or wrist fracture treatment requires better alignment or stability
• Surgery for arthritis or joint damage: Procedures such as wrist fusion, wrist replacement or removal of damaged wrist bones may be considered for painful arthritis that has not improved with nonsurgical care

How To Prevent Wrist Pain?

Not all wrist pain can be prevented, especially pain from falls, accidents or certain wrist injuries. Still, some habits may help reduce strain on the wrist during work, sports and everyday activities.

Ways to help prevent wrist pain may include:

• Use safer positioning during repeated tasks: Keep the wrist in a comfortable, neutral position when typing, using a mouse, working with tools or doing tasks that involve repeated hand movement.
• Take breaks and stretch: Rest your hands and wrists during long periods of typing, lifting, gripping or tool use. Gentle stretching may help reduce repeated strain.
• Build strength and flexibility: Physical or occupational therapy exercises may help improve wrist motion, strength and support after an injury or during recovery.
• Protect your wrists during sports: Wrist guards may help during activities where falls are more likely, such as skating, snowboarding, gymnastics or contact sports.
• Pay attention to early symptoms: Pain, swelling, stiffness, weakness, numbness or tingling are signs to slow down and avoid pushing through symptoms.

If wrist pain keeps coming back or starts affecting how you use your hand, orthopedic wrist doctors can help identify the cause and discuss care options based on your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Wrist Pain Treatment