Wrist Pain Causes & Treatment

Your wrists are made up of a lot of different bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and it is common to experience pain in them. Wrist pain can often be caused by an injury, such as a fracture or sprain, which can result in instant pain. However, pain and swelling in the hands and wrists can also be the result of long term (chronic) problems too, which may develop over time.

If you’ve got a minor sprain, you may not require medical attention. Over-the-counter pain medication and rest may be all that is required.

However, if you’re struggling with wrist pain, or if you believe it’s being caused by an underlying condition, our doctors can help. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the causes of wrist pain in more detail.

The symptoms of wrist pain will depend on what’s causing it. It may be difficult to diagnose the cause of wrist pain because there are so many things that can cause pain in this area. Common symptoms to look out for include:

pain when moving your wrist
a dull, achy feeling
numbness
pins and needles
stiffness
a clicky joint
bruising, swelling, redness and warmth at the joint
it may be difficult to make a fist or to grip objects

Wrist pain can be a symptom of many things. Here we cover some of the causes of wrist pain:

An injury

Sprains and strains, or even a broken bone, can be the result of an accident. For example, when you fall you often put your hands out in front of you to break the fall, which can result in damage to the wrists.

Rheumatoid arthritis

With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system mistakenly attacks your body’s own tissue, in this case, both wrists are usually affected.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition and although it is uncommon for it to occur in the wrists, it can happen. It’s most common in older people, whose joints have been through a lot of wear and tear.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

This occurs when the median nerve is compressed or pinched. This can affect just one, or both of your wrists, and you’ll usually experience pain, tingling or numbness on your hand, near your thumb.

Tendinitis of wrist

Wrist tendinitis is a condition where the tendons of the wrist become irritated and inflamed, causing pain.

Ganglion

These are a type of cyst that can develop on your wrist joints.

Gout

Gout causes inflammation in your joints because your body struggles to process uric acid. This acid this can form crystals in the wrist joint, leading to a gritty feeling and pain.

Bursitis

When the fluid filled sacs that surround your joints become inflamed, it can cause discomfort and pain, as well as swelling and redness in the affected area.

Repetitive stress injury

Any action that requires repetitive movement of the wrist can cause a repetitive stress injury. This could cause joint inflammation or stress fractures. You are at particular risk of this if you continue the movement, without a break for hours on end.

Wrist Pain

What is wrist pain?

What are the symptoms of wrist pain?

What can wrist pain be a symptom of?