You can use your wrists for almost all tasks, such as typing on your gadgets, driving, and even cooking. That’s why pain in your wrist can interfere with doing even daily tasks. Let’s talk about how to know when it’s time to see a doctor for your wrist pain and how you can get an orthopedic evaluation and treatment.
What Are the Causes of Wrist Pain?
Wrist pain is most likely to be linked to the bones of the wrist. This can include pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis, tendinitis, and bursitis. It may also be linked to pain in the joints of the wrist.
It is also possible that there are problems with the tendons attached to the bones. Wrist pain can also be caused by the ligaments or tendons holding the wrist together and the muscles moving the wrist.
When you hurt your wrist, it often hurts to move the wrist in any way, especially to open and close the hand. It’s common to have wrist pain at night.
Other symptoms of wrist pain may include:
- Tenderness
- Stiffness
- Swelling in the wrist
- Numbness or tingling in the hand
- Skin changes such as rashes, redness, or a skin blister
What Should I Do if My Wrist Hurts?
Before you do anything else, it’s essential to rest your wrist. You can’t do yourself any good if the pain and injury worsen because you try to push through it.
It’s also essential to apply ice to the wrist to help prevent swelling and decrease pain. A bag of frozen vegetables works well. Over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, can also help reduce pain and inflammation.
For immediate relief, you can use a wrist brace to immobilize your wrist and help reduce pain.
If ice and over-the-counter medications aren’t helping and you have a doctor’s appointment scheduled, you can take along a note from your appointment to give to your doctor. Your doctor can then prescribe stronger medications that can help relieve the pain.
When Should You See a Doctor?
If your wrist pain is new and more severe than your usual aches and pains, you should see a doctor. If you have nagging wrist pain that worsens at night, you should also see a doctor. If you have extreme difficulty moving your wrist and hand, you should also see a doctor.
What Your Doctor Will Do
Your doctor will want to know how your wrist is bothering you and how long you have had the pain. You will also need to tell your doctor how intense the pain is, whether it is worse at rest or when moving, and any stiffness or swelling. Your doctor will also want to know if you have had any injuries and have taken any medications causing the pain.
You may also be asked to bend your arm at the elbow and wrist to see if the pain is more severe when you move your wrist, and you may be asked to clench and unclench your hand to see if that makes the pain worse. Your doctor will also want to know which activities, such as typing on a computer, playing tennis, or cooking, are most painful and how you usually function in your day-to-day life.
Conclusion
Wrist pain can be very irritating and painful. If you have wrist pain that is more severe than usual and is interfering with your ability to do your work or your regular routines, you should see a doctor. It is essential to know what is causing your pain and get the right treatments to live the life you want.
North Florida Hand and Wrist provides expertly-trained hand and wrist surgeons committed to providing patients with the absolute best care possible. We are a state-of-the-art surgical facility staffed by a team of dedicated practitioners whose primary goal is to ease any hand or wrist discomfort you may experience. If you’re looking for a wrist doctor in Jacksonville, FL, we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with us today and let us know how we can help!
