The wrist is the joint at the base of the hand that is located at the lower end of the forearm. The wrist joint is the joint connecting the forearm and the hand. Pain in wrist joint is a very common complaint because in our everyday activities, we always use our hands, thus increasing the risk for it to be injured, as well as the functional sections in it such as the wrist.
Causes of Pain in Wrist Joint
- Arthritis is a medical condition usually affecting the joints resulting to swelling and sharp pain in wrist joint.
- Sprain. This is the swelling of the ligament, which is caused by overstretching often with rupture but without dislocation.
- Tendonitis is due to inflammation of the tendon sheath that may be caused by bacterial infection, rheumatic diseases, and overuse of the forearm muscles.
- A fracture is a break or crack in the bone, which has various types depending on the severity. The common symptoms of wrist fractures are severe wrist pain, tenderness, swelling, and sometimes a degree of deformity.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical condition caused by the dysfunction of the nerves in the wrist, particularly the median nerve.In this disorder, the median nerve is compressed or pinched off as it passes the wrist joint resulting to sharp wrist pain.
Treatment for Pain in Wrist Joint
- Rest. It is essential that the first thing to do when experiencing sharp pain in wrist joint is to rest the affected area especially if it was caused by an injury. This aids in decreasing wrist pain and swelling.
- Cold and hot compress. During the first 24 hours of the injury or initial occurrence of sharp wrist pain, it is advisable to apply ice or cold compress. After which, you can already apply hot compress. Both mechanisms rehabilitate the swelling of the wrist and minimize the pain as well.
- Immobilization is done particularly in fractures and is mostly done by applying casts. Immobilization of the wrist decreases the risk of further damage to adjacent bones, ligaments, muscles, or joints.
- Wrist support/braces serve as a gentle support to the wrist during movements. They aid in performing simple activities and prevent further damage or recurrence.
- Anti- inflammatory drugs. These are usually non-steroidal pain medications prescribed by physicians to lessen the swelling thus decreasing the pain in wrist joint.