The Common Causes of Hand Pain

The Common Causes of Hand Pain

The human hands consist of 27 bones and is known to be a complex and delicate structure. The joints and muscles in the hand are responsible for your dexterous, precise, and strong movements but despite that, they are still prone to injury.

There are many types and causes of hand pain. It can originate in several parts of the complex skeletal structure which includes the following:

  • Bones
  • Nerves
  • Tendons
  • Joins
  • Connective tissues

Hand pain can be a result of:

  • Inflammation
  • Nerve damage
  • Sprains and fractures
  • Repetitive motion injuries
  • Several chronic health conditions

CONDITIONS THAT CAN CAUSE HAND PAIN IN VACAVILLE CA

Top Vacaville chiropractor describes the conditions that can cause hand pain can be remedied through certain treatments. Depending on what's causing your hand pain, you can get rid of it through exercises, medications, or lifestyle changes.

  1. Arthritis - Arthritis is the number one cause of hand pain. It can happen to any part of the body, but it is very common in the hands and wrist. There are different types of arthritis, but the common ones are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
    Osteoarthritis happens commonly in older adults. As years pass, the joints in the hands will be under a lot of wear and tear. Articular cartilage is known to be a slippery tissue where it covers the ends of the bones so that the joints can move smoothly. As it slowly decreases, you will start experiencing painful symptoms.
    Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that affects several parts of the body. It will make your joints become inflamed thus causing stiffness and pain. The pain could either stem from the hands or feet which will then affect the same joints on both sides of your body.

  2. De Quervin's Tenosynovitis - This painful condition affects the tendons surrounding your thumb. The 2 tendons around the base of your thumb will experience swelling thus causing some inflammation around the tendons. The inflamed area can inflict pressure on the nearby nerves which will make the base of your thumb experience pain and numbness.


  3. Gout - This complex form of arthritis can happen to anyone and it can be an extremely painful condition. If you've got gout, you are likely to experience some sudden attacks of pain on your joints. This condition happens mostly on the joint at the base of the big toe but can sometimes happen in the hands, wrists, knees, and feet. Having gout in the hands or wrists will make you experience intense attacks of burning, pain, tenderness, and redness. There are instances where the pain is so high that you will wake up from your sleep. It may even feel like your hand is on fire. Even your bed sheet's weight will intolerable because of the pain.


  4. Peripheral neuropathy - This is also another condition that can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in your hands and feet. When your peripheral nerves are damaged, then peripheral neuropathy on your hands will set in. There are several factors that can cause peripheral nerve damage including infections, diabetes, traumatic injuries, and metabolic problems. Peripheral neuropathy can damage one or many different nerves all over your body. Your hands and wrists come with different types of nerves including the sensory ones which allows you to feel things such as pain, touch, and temperature while the motor nerves handle your muscle movement. The location and type of neuropathic pain varies on the nerves that are affected or damaged.


  5. Traumatic injury - Hand injures are very common and can happen to anyone. The hand's structure is vulnerable and delicate which makes them open for any kind of danger. If you're into construction, sports, or have simply fallen, then hand injuries can easily happen. Each hand consists of 27 small bones and they can be broken in many ways. If you've incurred a fracture in your hand, then it will heal poorly. Having a poorly healed fracture will make some permanent changes to the hand's dexterity and structure. The muscles in your hands can also become strained or sprained. It is recommended to see the doctor right away to get an X-ray and ensure that you didn't fracture it. Occupational or physical therapy is important when it comes to treating any serious hand injury. The treatment available for your fracture or sprain will vary on the location and type of injury that you have incurred. Splinting is one of the most common treatment options but there are instances where surgery may be needed to prevent long-term damage.

For more information, call our team at Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine in Vacaville today!

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Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine

1490 Alamo Drive Suite B
Vacaville, CA 95687

(707) 474-5688