Associated syndromes

The accompanying symptoms of pain in the palm of the hand depend primarily on the cause of the complaints. In the event of a fall or other traumatic event, fractures of the carpal or forearm bones can also occur. Sprains and contusions are also possible.

In addition, injuries to the muscles and tendons of the wrist can also occur. Bleeding and bruising may also occur, and swelling may also be present.In the case of inflammatory diseases or signs of wear and tear, both hands are usually affected, sometimes other joints can also hurt and swell. Deafness is a symptom that can occur due to two different mechanisms.

One possibility is a lack of blood circulation in the hand, which means that the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the tissue is no longer guaranteed. This can lead to feelings of numbness similar to a leg that has fallen asleep. Especially in connection with pain at the ball of the hand, numbness often occurs due to nerve damage.

Information about touch, pressure, temperature, etc. can no longer be transmitted from the nerves to the brain, making it impossible to perceive them. In connection with palm pain, swelling is not a rare accompanying symptom.

It is often an indication of an inflammatory process in which redness and swelling as well as overheating and limited mobility of the hand also occur. The swelling is caused by the many defense cells that the body needs to fight the inflammation. These cells usually also draw a lot of water from the vessels into the tissue, causing additional fluid retention.

Swelling can also be caused by trauma to the hand. In this case, tissue fluid can also be the cause of the swelling, and bleeding from a vascular injury can also cause the hand to swell. This is usually accompanied by a bruise.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of pain in the palm of the hand is very varied, as there are many possible causes of the pain. In order to exclude some of the possibilities, the doctor in charge should attach great importance to the anamnesis, i.e. the questioning of the person affected. For example, a traumatic cause can be confirmed or excluded.

In most cases, the diagnosis is followed by X-ray imaging. If damage to muscles, tendons or joints cannot be excluded, an MRI is usually also necessary. Especially inflammatory changes that cause pain in the palm of the hand can also be detected in the blood in the laboratory. There one can also find indications of a rheumatological disease.