We need our hands to perform various day-to-day activities and the wrist joints to perform their movements. Therefore, wrist pain or sprained wrist (ข้อมือเคล็ด which is the term in Thai) is a nuisance that, although very common, can bring several limitations to the individual. When this region is painful, the person can lose part of their movement and even strength, negatively impacting their work, leisure activities, or studies. After all, this problem is not old enough to manifest itself.
Different factors can trigger wrist pain — and in this article, we have listed the main ones. Interested? So, keep reading to find out the leading causes, how to treat this annoyance, and when is the best time to look for an orthopedist!
Causes Of Wrist Pain
As we said, this problem can arise from several factors, including recreational activities, work, and even hand dominance, right or left-handed. There are cases where the pain manifests itself suddenly due to some external factor, such as an effort. There are others, however, in which this symptom is constant and can intensify at times or show itself in evolution.
Here are the most common causes of wrist pain.
Trauma Local
When the wrist region suffers trauma, one of the first symptoms is wrist pain. It may be restricted to this region or radiate to the hand and arm, depending on the extent of the lesion and the structure involved. Fractures, dislocations, sprains, and sprains are some common examples. These conditions can be caused by accidents, some specific activity, or exercises that cause more impact.
Overexertion
Although they support efforts, the joints of the human body have a limit, which must be respected so that these structures are not compromised. When we go beyond this limit, there is an overload that triggers pain. Usually, this manifestation happens because the improper joint use results in an irritation – in this case, in the wrist. In addition to the painful sensation (both at rest when making movements with the hand), other symptoms are swelling and redness at the site.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
When we use a joint repeatedly, and for a long time, it triggers injuries due to effort. Such conditions are called RSI, including problems such as tendinitis, metacarpal tunnel syndrome, and tenosynovitis.
Although Repetitive Strain Injuries are very common in the work environment, it is not just because of them that pain manifests itself. People who practice sports and physical exercises or whose hobbies work the wrist joint are also susceptible to RSI in this region.
Illnesses and other problems
So far, we have discussed external factors that can cause some injury or local aggression and trigger wrist pain. However, there are also diseases and problems whose symptom is precisely this painful manifestation.
Some examples are arthritis, cysts, tendinopathies, neuropathies, osteoarthritis, and bone instability. In these cases, it is necessary to investigate the person’s health in detail: as the situation can be more comprehensive, it is not enough to treat only the place.
