What to do for wrist pain?

By Ujala Cygnus

Reviewed by : Jalaz Jain

January 13, 2023

Wrist pain is a kind of pain or aches felt in the wrist joint. It is excruciating and interferes with daily life activities. Read on to know what to do for wrist pain and how to reduce it.

Here are a few causes of wrist pain:

Carpal tunnel syndrome: It is the sensation of pain, numbness, and stretched muscles felt in the palm, thumb, wrist or fingers. It affects the ability to hold things due to the weakening of muscles. The pain can get extended to the elbow.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition caused by compression of the median nerves in the wrist region in case of inflammation. The median nerve is often responsible for the movement of the other parts of the hand. The cause of inflammation can be:

Injury : Wrist pain with pain and swelling is often due to a severe wrist injury. With a broken bone, you may be unable to move your hand, wrist or finger. Cartilage issues are also a possibility. Other kinds of injuries can be sprain, strain, tendinitis and bursitis.

Arthritis : Arthritis is one of the common causes of wrist pain, swelling and stiff muscles. The different kinds of arthritis are:

Other causes : Other conditions like gout also cause wrist pain. It is due to excessive uric acid in the body. It gets accumulated in the joints as crystals instead of being eliminated from the body.

How to cure wrist pain

Different causes of wrist pain need a different approach. Here is an overview of how to get relief from wrist pain due to various reasons:

If the wrist pain is due to carpal tunnel syndrome, you may follow these techniques to reduce wrist pain:

Adjust your keyboard to a lower position, so your writing does not bend upward while typing.

Take regular breaks from the activities to reduce wrist pain. For instance, while typing, take breaks in between.

Visit a therapist who would help you manage wrist pain when bending and avoid a recurrence of the syndrome.

Use over-the-counter medicines like ibuprofen and naproxen to overcome wrist pain .

Many aid tools like typing pads, split keyboards, and wrist splints are available to reduce wrist pain.

The wrist splint can be worn only at night during sleep. It decreases the swelling and also reduces wrist pain when twisting. However, if the pain doesn’t improve, it must also be worn during the daytime.

Use hot or cold compress a few times in the day.

To get rid of wrist pain due to a recent injury, you can:

Keep the wrist in a rested position and elevate it above heart level if you feel increased wrist pain when twisting.

Use an ice pack on the swollen and tender region to get rid of wrist pain .

Do not directly apply it; instead, use it after wrapping it in a cloth. Use it every hour for 10 to 15 minutes on the day of injury.

Take the required over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to cure wrist pain. However, do not take more than the required dosage as it can cause other problems.

To cure wrist pain caused due to non-infectious arthritis, you may:

Include flexibility and stretching exercises every day. Do it after having guidance from a trained therapist. It helps to avoid wrist pain during pushups and other exercises.

Exercise or work out after a hot shower when the wrist muscles are warmed and relaxed.

Avoid exercise during inflammation of the wrist. It can worsen it further.

Take proper rests to treat wrist pain.

If you have temporary or persisting wrist pain, it would be best to follow these instructions and take proper rest. Moreover, you may not want to overdo your workouts, or it can be harmful to your muscles.

When to take medical help to fix wrist pain?

You may need urgent medical attention if:

Your wrists are bleeding

You are unable to move your hand, fingers and wrist

You have a high fever

You have rashes

Redness and swelling in the wrist after a long-term infection.

If you feel wrist pain when bending and other movements, take a rest for a while. You may also check in with your doctor for a consultation to understand the reason behind wrist pain when twisting, bending, etc. You should contact the doctor for an appointment in the following cases:

Wrist pain when twisting in both hands along with redness, swelling and stiffness.

Lack of sensation, tingling, or sudden lack of strength in the wrist muscles, hands or fingers along with pain.

A decline in the muscles mass in the wrist, hand or fingers

Persistence in the pain even after following methods to fix wrist pain at home for at least two weeks.

When you visit the doctor, they will do some physical examination to check the extent and condition of the wrist. Then, they would ask further questions about when the pain started, probable causes of pain, a similar situation in the past (if any), and any incident of recent infections. They would also want a detailed overview of what kind of work you are doing, your job and your activities.

They would ask for X-ray reports to check the actual problem. Furthermore, if there are chances of infection, gout or pseudogout, the fluid might be extracted from the joint for further diagnosis.

Anti-inflammatory drugs are generally prescribed to control the swelling of the joints and relieve pain. Injection with steroid drugs might also be administered. Surgery is an option in some cases.

Want tips on how to relieve wrist pain effectively? Book a consultation with the experts at Ujala Cygnus Hospital . Our doctors and fitness experts can also help you understand how you can avoid wrist pain during pushups. So book your appointment today!

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