Pain in your wrist and hand? These three issues could be responsible

Feeling pain in one part of your body can be difficult to deal with. People who are feeling pain in two or more body parts can have even more difficulty going about their daily routine. This is especially true if they’re feeling pain in their wrist and hand. 

It’s not that many people don’t develop pain in their wrist or their hands. They do. Sports participants are particularly susceptible to hand and wrist pain. One medical survey reveals that nearly 9% of all the sports injuries reported by respondents were hand or wrist injuries. It’s just that feeling pain in both areas at once is slightly less common. 

A physical therapist can help you understand why you’re feeling pain in both your hand and wrist. They can help you learn some issues that may be causing your pain as well.  

How can I have pain in both my wrist and hand?

People can develop pain in multiple areas of their body thanks to the nervous system. In this case, many of the same nerves connect the wrist and hand to the brain. That means that both of these areas could feel painful to you when one of them is injured. Pain that is felt in one area but originates in another place entirely is called referred pain. You can often determine the true problem area by determining which is tender to the touch. 

Three issues that can cause pain in both your wrist and hand

There are several hand or wrist problems that may be responsible for the discomfort you’re feeling. These problems include: 

1. Tendinitis — Tendons run through the wrist and into the hand and fingers. Overuse of these tendons can cause them to become inflamed and painful, which is called tendinitis. In some cases, tendinitis discomfort can be felt in the forearms, wrists and hands. This condition is one of the many issues that are common in golfers. 

2. Peripheral neuropathy — You read above that your nerves are the pathways for referred pain. But they can also be the source of your pain. Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the nerves outside of the brain or spinal cord are damaged. Often, this damage occurs as a result of chronic conditions such as diabetes. However, wrist or hand injuries could also damage nerves in these structures. Just like damage to a muscle or other soft tissue, damage to nerves causes pain signals to be sent to the brain. As a result, you feel pain.

3. Fractures — Another common source of aching in the wrist and hands is a fracture. Fractures to the wrist and hand are common, especially when people try to catch themselves when falling down. The pain of your fracture can radiate out into nearby structures via your nerves. As a result, it can be difficult to determine precisely where the pain is coming from without a physical examination by a physical therapist or doctor. An X-ray of the painful area may also be required.  

Find help addressing the pain in your wrist and hand at Back in Motion

People who have pain in their wrist and hand don’t have to deal with it on their own. Our team at Back in Motion Physical Therapy is keen to be your partner in treating your pain. We can do a free screening to pinpoint the underlying cause of your pain. Following your screening, our physical therapists can create a treatment plan that’s unique to your condition and recovery goals. 

Contact us today for more information about the steps we can take to address your pain or to schedule your initial appointment.