Ask a Hand Specialist What Could Hand Pain Indicate, and Should I Be Worried?

15 Jul Ask a Hand Specialist What Could Hand Pain Indicate, and Should I Be Worried?

Hand and wrist pain are complaints orthopedic specialists in Butte and Gunnison, CO, hear frequently. What could your hand pain indicate? Is there reason to be concerned? Let’s look at these questions in more detail.

What Can Cause Hand Pain?

Hand pain, including swelling and/or numbness and tingling, can indicate various musculoskeletal conditions. One of the most frequent is a fracture of the small bones in the hand or wrist or a sprain or tear of the soft connective tissues, which hold the hand together and guide its highly complex movements.

Another common cause of hand pain is arthritis–either osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis) or an autoimmune condition called rheumatoid arthritis.  Arthritis can be very painful, causing stiffness, swelling, loss of function, and even deformity of the hands. It also affects more women than men and generally occurs in the 40-plus age group.

Finally, repetitive and stressful motions can cause hand pain. You may have a nerve impingement disorder called carpal tunnel syndrome, in which the median nerve in hand and wrist are painfully compressed into the tunnel in the carpal bone.

Besides pain, CTS causes persistent burning, numbness, and tingling in the affected upper extremity. This condition stems from repetitive motions, such as keyboarding and hammering or may be related to pregnancy or metabolic disorders, such as diabetes.

Interestingly, diabetes affects the hands and feet with impaired circulation and painful nerve damage. Diabetic neuropathy is a chronic health condition related to high glucose levels.

Should I Be Concerned About Hand Pain?

Your hand specialist is an expert on diseases, injuries, and chronic conditions of the upper extremities. He maintains that many of his patients complain of hand pain and that it should be evaluated and treated if it persists.

If you have sustained a fall, compression injury, or other trauma to the hand, please seek medical evaluation as soon as possible. Even minor hand pain could indicate a serious condition.

Additionally, if you have been dealing with hand pain due to arthritis or other chronic condition, consult your hand specialist, particularly if your pain is worsening and impacting your activities of daily living.

Also, redness and swelling could indicate an infection in hand, and numbness and tingling are never normal. Seek medical assessment for those symptoms as well.

Should I Contact a Hand Specialist Near Me?

If you believe something is wrong and your pain simply won’t subside, see Dr. Rhett Griggs, your hand specialist in Gunnison and Crested Butte, CO. Together with a fellow orthopedic specialist Dr. Blake Clifton, he provides state-of-the-art expertise for conditions and injuries of the shoulder, hip, hand, wrist, knee and more.

Whether a sports injury, chronic disease, or something else is causing your hand pain, the experts at gO Orthopedics can help you feel better and maintain optimal musculoskeletal function.

Don’t delay any longer. Please call our office team today to arrange a personalized consultation. In Gunnison, CO, phone (970) 641-8899, or in Crested Butte, reach out to (970) 349-5103.