About Hand & Wrist Pain

Our hands/wrists are used for almost everything in our daily lives. Hence, pain in these areas limits the activities we can participate in to a great extent. Without the proper use of our wrists or hands, we cannot easily handle any number of daily tasks, from typing to eating to picking anything up.

Changing How You Move

The first thing to do if you have elbow pain is to change, or possibly stop, any movements that might be causing your symptoms or making them worse. Flare-ups of some conditions, where the symptoms become suddenly worse, can be eased by avoiding bending the elbow into certain positions.

If you do any tasks for work that involve repetitive movements such as using a screwdriver or painting, its worth discussing this with an occupational therapist. These are healthcare professionals who can suggest how to change your movements and ways to support your elbow while its healing.

A GP can refer you to an occupational therapist, or you can see one privately.

If your workplace has an occupational health department, they should be able to help.

Key Points About Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

• Cubital tunnel syndrome is a problem with the ulnar nerve, which passes through the inside of the elbow. It causes pain that feels a lot like the pain you feel when you hit the “funny bone” in your elbow.
• Cubital tunnel syndrome may happen when a person frequently bends the elbows, leans on their elbow a lot, or has an injury to the area. Arthritis, bone spurs, and previous fractures or dislocations of the elbow can also cause it. In many cases, the cause is not known.
• The most common symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome are numbness, tingling, and pain in the hand or ring and little finger, especially when the elbow is bent.
• Cubital tunnel syndrome can be treated with rest and medicines to help with pain and inflammation. Exercises may help, too. In some cases, surgery may be done.

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What Are The Risks Of Leaving Wrist Injuries Untreated

Most minor-to-moderate wrist sprains will heal on their own, but it is wise to have them checked. When the injury is accompanied by continued swelling or pain when moving the wrist or your hand, this is time to have the injury looked at. Untreated carpal tunnel syndrome can lead to permanent damage to the median nerve in the wrist. This can lead to weakness and loss of function in the thumb and first three fingers of the hand. Left untreated, this damage and function loss can become permanent.

Can You Treat A Lump In The Wrist

A ganglion cyst is one of the most common causes of a slowly growing lump in the wrist. Ganglion cysts are benign and arise from the small wrist joint or tendon sheath. These ganglion cysts are diagnosed using musculoskeletal ultrasound. Reassurance is all that is required. However, on occasion, a sports doctor will need to drain the ganglion cyst using a needle, local anaesthetic, and MSK ultrasound. Generally, the use of musculoskeletal ultrasound to perform this procedure is essential. Images enable the doctor to drain the entire ganglion cyst and avoid harming structures, such as tendons or blood vessels.

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Let Us Help You With Our Gentle Non

When you come to see us, well listen to you, find the root cause of your upper limb pain and explain in simple terms how we can help.

During your first visit, well take a history of your symptoms, review any MRI scans and carry out a set of physical tests to find out how your pain affects you.

Well assess your body as a whole, looking at the movement of joint which is giving you pain as well as the surrounding joints i.e. shoulder, elbow and wrist. Well also look at your spine the neck in particular to see how your body moves as a whole.

We treat upper limb conditions non-invasively with a combination of hands-on massage, mobilisation, exercise-based rehabilitation and myofascial techniques.

Our aim is to relax muscles and ligaments and limber up joints, removing any inflammation or restriction and restoring them to their normal positions. We focus on the upper back and neck too, since this is where the blood and nerve supply to the upper limbs are controlled. When we free up movement and reduce tension, we can build more strength and range of motion in the joint until youre back fully functioning.

Well also offer you lifestyle advice on things like posture, breaks and bad habits at work, in the car and at play, to minimise any chance of your condition returning.

How Is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Treated

The most effective treatment for cubital tunnel syndrome is stopping the activity that is causing the problem. Treatment may include:

• Resting and stopping any activity that aggravates the condition, such as bending the elbow
• A splint or foam elbow brace worn at night
• Using an elbow pad
• Anti-inflammatory medicines
• Nerve gliding exercises

If these treatments don’t work, the healthcare provider may talk to you about surgery.

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Many Cases Of Upper Limb Pain Are Treatable

Generally, the road to recovery begins with an accurate diagnosis. Our knowledge and experience can help determine the source of your elbow, hand, and wrist pain. Moreover, we aim to streamline services so imaging can often be accomplished during the first visit. Finally, various treatment options are available to calm joint pain and promote recovery.

How Are Injuries Sustained In Professional Sports And Other Activities

In addition to arthrogryposis and tendonitis, some injuries sustained during sports activities may also cause pain and swelling.

These include:

• A sprained or broken bone.
• A sports injury which involves the wrist, elbow, or elbow and shoulder.
• A sports injury sustained while jumping, leaping, swinging, skiing, or skating.
• An amputation, sometimes known as a contusion, due to a sports injury.
• A sprained muscle due to an injury sustained during a contact sport.

An injury sustained in a noncontact sport that causes swelling at the site of the injury. If your sports injury causes pain in your arm, elbow, or elbow and shoulder, you are more likely to develop pain due to osteoarthritis or other arthritis.

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Other Common Hand And Wrist Conditions Include Thumb Arthritis Carpal Tunnel Trigger Finger And Wrist Tendonitis

The thumb joint is the most common site of arthritis in the wrist and is treated with hand therapy, a thumb splint, and ultrasound-guided cortisone injection into the thumb joint. At Sportdoctorlondon, we use ultrasound and ultrasound guidance to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of an injection. Other common injuries include trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome, treated with a cortisone injection. We also treat cases of wrist tendonitis such as De Quervains tenosynovitis, which is common in new mums or individuals who use their thumbs and wrists repetitively, such as gardeners or knitters. Wrist tendonitis is also common in active athletes such as tennis players, rowers, and gym participants. Finally, trigger finger is where the tendon of the finger or thumb gets caught in a small pulley causing pain and clicking. An ultrasound-guided trigger finger injection is usually effective. Overall, hand and wrist conditions are common in sporty people.

Arthritis Of The Elbow

The elbow can be affected by various types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It starts with the loss of cartilage, which is a thin protective layer that covers bones in a joint. In response the body can grow bony spurs within the joint and there can be an increase of fluid in the joint space. This can happen without you feeling any symptoms. But it can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint.

Osteoarthritis is not very common in the elbow unless youve injured it in the past, for example if youve previously broken a bone.

The following types of arthritis can also affect the elbow:

• rheumatoid arthritis an autoimmune condition that can cause pain and swelling in joints. Joints can be red, hot, stiff and tender to touch. Autoimmune conditions are caused when your immune system, which normally protects you from illness and infection, gets confused and mistakenly attacks the bodys healthy tissue.
• psoriatic arthritis an autoimmune condition associated with the skin condition psoriasis , that causes patches of red, raised skin with white or silvery flakes. It can cause pain and swelling in and around joints.
• gout a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in joints. Its caused by a build-up of crystals of the waste product urate in the joints. Affected joints can be very painful, and the skin can sometimes be red and shiny.

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Common Symptoms Of Elbow Hand And Wrist Pain

Some people are better at handling pain than others everyone deals with pain symptoms differently when it comes to upper extremity pain.

Short-term, acute pain in the elbow, wrist, or hand typically results from an injury, but long-term chronic pain may indicate illness or other underlying factors.

Feel free to contact our highly trained physical therapist at Total Health & Rehabilitation. You may consider your pain level to be between mild and severe, and it may also be intermittent, meaning it comes and goes at different points throughout the day. Regardless of your pain level, dont expect it to disappear on its own. In a majority of cases, the best possible outcome for your pain involves a medical professional getting involved and assessing the situation.

Other symptoms accompanying the pain may include numbness or tingling in the extremities, especially in the fingers, which can make it difficult for you to perform daily activities in a normal fashion, or create issues for you at work depending on the seriousness of your condition.

What Is Elbow Pain

Most elbow pain has a very simple cause and clears up within a few days. The pain usually comes from strained or inflamed soft tissues such as tendons. You can normally treat this pain yourself with over-the-counter painkillers and a few days’ rest, and you may not need to see your doctor.

Its important not to rest for too long as lack of movement causes your joint to stiffen and the muscles around your elbow to weaken, which increases the chance that you’ll have further symptoms. Simple exercises can help to reduce the risk of future problems. Long-term elbow pain can be caused by arthritis.

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When To See A Healthcare Provider

If your elbow pain is severe or does not go away, it’s important to see a healthcare provider. Other signs that you need medical care include:

• Inability to carry things or use your arm
• An injury that changes the shape of the joint
• Elbow pain at night or at rest
• Inability to straighten or bend the arm
• Swelling or bruising around the elbow
• Signs of infection, including fever, redness, and warmth

Why Our Elbows Wrists And Hands Are Important

When you think about it, we use our elbows, wrists and hands for many things during the day for just normal activities. We use our elbows, wrists and hands for driving, preparing food, dressing and much more. As a matter of fact, we rely on these upper extremities for daily living. If youre experiencing pain in your elbows, wrists or hands, your daily function can become very limited.

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When To Call Your Doctor

If you think youâve fractured or dislocated your elbow — it hurts and doesnât look right — go to the emergency room.

• Elbow pain that doesnât go away with rest and ice, or pain that doesnât go away even when youâre not using your arm
• Intense pain, swelling, and bruising around your elbow
• Pain, swelling, or redness that gets worse, especially if you have a fever, too
• Problems using your elbow, such as difficulty bending your arm

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Prevention Of Elbow Pain

• Always warm up and cool down thoroughly when playing sport.
• Make sure you use good technique and proper equipment when playing your chosen sports.
• Do strengthening exercises with hand weights your physiotherapist can prescribe the correct exercises for you.
• Avoid or modify work tasks that put excessive pressure on muscles of the forearm or that include the use of fingers, wrists and forearms in repetitive work involving forceful movement, awkward postures and lack of rest.

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Arthritis In Your Hand And Wrist

Arthritis is another possibility, as its common for types of arthritis to affect the fingers and hand. Two types of arthritis, in particular, are common culprits of this kind of joint pain: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is more common and caused by wear and tear on your joints, breaking down cartilage in your joints over time. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune condition in which an overactive immune system causes inflammation and, ultimately, cartilage degeneration in your joints.

How Can Physiotherapy Help With Elbow Wrist And Hand Pain

In many cases, physiotherapy treatments can even help you eliminate the need for harmful painkillers or invasive surgical procedures for nerve-damaging conditions like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Our advanced treatments at Ability Physiotherapy can help relieve your pain, restore your range of motion, and get you back to living your normal life. Whatever the cause of your elbow, wrist, or hand pain may be, physiotherapy can help you.

Our physiotherapists create a personalized treatment plan unique to the specific needs of your condition.

This may include any combination of specialized treatments, such as manual therapy, pain and inflammation reducing modalities, and specific therapeutic exercises to restore strength and pain free motion.

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What Wrist Injury Treatment Options Do You Offer

We see wrist injuries most commonly after the patient has fallen on an outstretched hand, whether during a sports event or something as innocent as slipping on an icy Indiana sidewalk. Casting is common, although surgery can be also required in more elaborate cases of trauma. Physical therapy may be needed.

A few specifics:

• Wrist bone fracture: Often from falling on an outstretched hand. Typically requires x-rays or CT scan. May require surgery. Casting is common.
• Wrist ligament tear: Often due to twisting or impact. Depending upon the degree of the tear, surgery could be necessary. Otherwise casting could be sufficient.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome: Early diagnosis can use nonsurgical methods, such as splinting the wrist and use of corticosteroids to calm inflammation. If treatment is delayed the problem could require surgery to remove pressure on the median nerve by cutting the ligament.

Anterior Interosseous Nerve Syndrome

Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome is another rare condition that involves compression of the named nerve. Pain occurs below the elbow crease and associated muscle weakness can lead to difficulty writing and grasping small objects between the thumb and index finger. Numbness and tingling are notably absent with this condition.

• Cubital tunnel syndrome involves compression of the ulnar nerve as it crosses near the bony bump on the inner aspect of the elbow, commonly called the funny bone.
• Frequently leaning on your elbows or keeping your elbows bent for prolonged periods can stretch and irritate the nerve causing elbow pain that often radiates down the inner forearm.

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Hand & Wrist Pain Conditions We Treat

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Tendonitis

Our hands and wrists are invaluable to our everyday function and routine activities. Are yours causing you issues? Active Spine & Joint Institute can help heal, treat, and eliminate the conditions that may be causing you pain. Our professionals specialize in treatments to help get you back to your daily activities, pain free.

How Is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosed

In addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, diagnostic tests for cubital tunnel syndrome may include:

• Nerve conduction test. This test measures how fast signals travel down a nerve to find a compression or constriction of the nerve.
• Electromyogram . This test checks nerve and muscle function and may be used to test the forearm muscles controlled by the ulnar nerve. If the muscles don’t work the way they should, it may be a sign that there is a problem with the ulnar nerve.
• X-ray. This is done to look at the bones of the elbow and see if you have arthritis or bone spurs in your elbow.

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Causes Of Wrist Injuries

Falls onto an outstretched hand account for the majority of wrist injuries. However, there is also a chance that certain inflammatory conditions, such as carpal tunnel, may result from the overuse of the hand using improper posture. For example, typing does not cause carpal tunnel, but typing using poor hand, wrist, and arm posture can cause this condition.

Causes Of Elbow Wrist And Hand Pain

There are a number of causes for wrist and hand pain, including carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel is a type of hand nerve entrapment. It occurs in the wrists where a nerve and tendons extend from the forearm to the hand. Carpal tunnel causes pressure on the median nerve. Its symptoms include:

• Pain, burning, and numbness in the hand

• Pain in the wrist, which can extend to the elbow

• Swollen hand
• Weakened grip and problems with lifting small items

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a narrowing of the tissue in the elbow, which is comprised of the ulnar nerve. This nerve runs from the shoulder to the wrist. Its symptoms include:

• Tingling and numbness in the ring and pinky fingers

• Weakness in the hands
• Pain in the hands and fingers

Elbow pain is often caused by overuse from sports and repetitive job tasks. Other common causes of elbow include are bursitis, dislocated elbow, golfers elbow, osteoarthritis, sprains, strains, arthritis, and tendinitis.

Knowing what is causing your pain is the first step in treating it. Our Diagnostic tools such as Ultrasound Imaging and EMG/NCS allows us to identify what the cause of the pain is and also its severity. This allows us to focus our treatment to your problem.

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