Our hands have a complex and delicate structure. Each hand has 27 bones attached to tiny muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and cartilage, which together enable us to touch and grip as we please.
We use our hands every day for both work and play, but they are just as vulnerable as they are valuable. Let’s talk about some of the main reasons why you might feel hand pain and who you can talk to about treatment that works.
Common Causes of Hand Pain
Hand pain can occur due to various reasons, from underlying health conditions to repetitive-use injury to accidents. The first step to finding the appropriate treatment is finding out what could be causing your hand pain in the first place.
Some of the common causes of hand pain include the following:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes discomfort, numbness, and tingling in the hand due to compression of the median nerve in your wrist. The median nerve’s primary responsibility is to control motor function and sensation in the wrist and the fingers (except the pinkie).
The discomfort and numbness from carpal tunnel syndrome is mostly experienced in the middle finger, index finger, and thumb, making it difficult to grip objects. Because this is usually a repetitive-motion injury, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible in order to prevent it from developing into a potentially disabling condition.
Arthritis
Arthritis refers to a group of more than 100 conditions that can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. It is often first experienced in the hands and fingers.
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, also called wear-and-tear arthritis. This condition can be successfully treated by your orthopedist to help quell the pain and other symptoms, especially when it is caught in the early stages to help prevent it from progressing.
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful condition that affects the two tendons at the base of your thumb. The tendon sheaths protecting the tendons are inflamed, which results in swelling and thickening. This causes pain when you make a fist, twist your wrist, or try to grip something.
Trigger Finger
Also called stenosing tenosynovitis, trigger finger is characterized by the thumb or another finger locking into position or snapping into place when bending or straightening it. Trigger finger occurs when the tendon sheaths protecting the flexor tendons – which are responsible for controlling the movement of the fingers – become irritated and inflamed. The inflammation of the sheath prevents the smooth movement of the tendon, thus causing the locking sensation or stiffness.
Hand Pain Treatment in Maryland
The hand was built to be resilient and strong. But if you are experiencing chronic or intermittent hand pain, we are here to help you. Our experienced orthopedists at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder are committed to quality orthopedic care for upper-extremity problems. Our board-certified hand surgeons address a broad spectrum of conditions, from your fingertips to your shoulders.
If you have any questions about our practice or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our friendly staff today by calling (410) 296-6232 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you reach for the stars, pain-free!
