When your wrist looks swollen after an injury, the healing process may take longer than you expect. Swelling can persist for days or weeks, which can worry some, especially when it interferes with your daily activities and causes ongoing discomfort.
While there are effective ways to support healing at home, working with a physical therapist often provides the most comprehensive treatment approach for lasting recovery.
Possible causes of swollen wrist symptoms
In most cases, swelling is the result of an injury, even when you don’t remember something specific happening to your wrist. However, other underlying issues may also be at play.
The following symptoms are common experiences of swelling in and around the wrist that may help you better understand what could be going on.
One wrist swollen
When only one wrist appears or feels swollen, injury or damage to the area is the most likely cause. Common injuries that lead to single wrist swelling include:
- Sprains and strains: Overextending or twisting your wrist can damage ligaments and tendons, causing localized swelling. These injuries often due to playing sports or falling on the wrist.
- Fractures: Even small fractures in the wrist bones can cause significant swelling. The scaphoid bone, located near your thumb, is particularly vulnerable to stress fractures.
- Tendinitis: Repetitive motions can inflame the tendons in your wrist, leading to swelling and pain. This condition commonly affects people who use a keyboard at their desk every day or play racquet sports.
- Ganglion cysts: These fluid-filled lumps can develop on the wrist joint, causing visible swelling and sometimes discomfort. They’re generally harmless but may require treatment if they interfere with function.
Both wrists swollen
When both wrists are swollen, it can be due to an injury to both wrists but may also indicate a systemic condition. These may include:
- Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects both wrists simultaneously, causing inflammation, swelling, and stiffness. Osteoarthritis can also impact both wrists, particularly in older adults, although may only affect the more frequently used wrist.
- Fluid retention: Conditions that cause general fluid retention (edema), such as heart problems, kidney disease, or hormonal changes, can lead to swelling in both wrists.
- Inflammatory conditions: Autoimmune disorders like lupus or psoriatic arthritis can cause bilateral wrist swelling along with other symptoms throughout the body.
- Medication side effects: Some medications, including certain blood pressure drugs and anti-inflammatory medications, can cause swelling in multiple joints.
Wrist swelling but no pain
A swollen wrist without pain might seem less concerning than if it was hurting, but it still warrants attention if it’s been swollen for days or weeks with no other symptoms. Possible causes include:
- Early-stage inflammatory conditions: Some autoimmune or inflammatory conditions begin with swelling before pain develops. Monitoring these symptoms can help with early intervention.
- Circulation issues: Poor circulation can cause swelling without immediate pain. This may be related to how your wrists are positioned during the day, clothing or gloves that are too tight, or underlying vascular problems.
- Allergic reactions: Contact with allergens or irritants can cause swelling without significant pain, particularly if the reaction is mild.
- Lymphatic issues: Problems with lymphatic drainage can cause painless swelling in the wrists and hands.
Treating wrist injuries, swelling, and other symptoms
Whether you’ve got a good idea about what caused your pain and/or swelling or are waiting to see if your symptoms improve before making an appointment, there are things you can do to help your wrist heal.
RICE
For at-home treatment of wrist injuries and swelling, there’s no better place to start than with the RICE method. RICE stands for:
- Rest: Avoid activities that worsen your symptoms. This doesn’t mean completely immobilizing your wrist for days on end, but rather limiting movements that cause pain or increase swelling.
- Ice: Apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes at a time, several times daily during the first 48-72 hours after injury. Use a thin cloth between the ice and your skin to prevent frostbite.
- Compression: Gentle compression with an elastic bandage can help control swelling. Wrap from your fingers toward your elbow, and don’t make it so tight that it cuts off circulation.
- Elevation: Keep your wrist elevated above heart level whenever possible. This helps reduce swelling by encouraging fluid to drain away from the injured area.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy offers advanced treatments for when pain interferes with your job or normal activities. A skilled physical therapist can help you heal more effectively than a “wait and see” approach.
A few of the benefits of seeing a physical therapist, even for something minor like a wrist injury, include:
- Comprehensive assessment: Our Physical Therapists can evaluate not just your wrist, but also your arm, shoulder, and neck to identify contributing factors to your symptoms.
- Effective healing: Proven techniques can improve joint mobility, reduce muscle tension, and promote healing.
- Therapeutic exercise: Customized exercise programs help you build strength, flexibility, and coordination to treat and prevent wrist problems.
- Injury prevention: Physical therapists can teach injury prevention methods to those at risk for future wrist injuries, including athletes, office workers, and manual laborers.
Wrist pain treatment in Blaine and Ferndale
If your wrist has been hurting or swollen for several days, or has recently gotten worse, don’t wait: our Physical Therapists are here to help. Start a conversation with our team by calling one of our clinics or requesting an appointment online to learn how we can help you heal quickly and get back to your life with less pain.