Causes

Causes for a painful palm can be tendosynovitis, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome, since the median nerve within the carpal tunnel supplies the palm of the hand sensitively. Also rheumatic illnesses, like rheumatoid arthritis, can cause for example by an inflammation of the joint in the thumb saddle joint complaints in the ball of the thumb and/or hand ball. In addition, arthrosis of the thumb saddle joint, known as rhizarthrosis, can be considered as a cause.

Cartilage wear and tear causes pain, especially during gripping movements. Torn muscle fibers or nerve damage due to trauma or similar can also cause pain in the ball of the thumb. In the following we have compiled the most important causes in more detail for you.

Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendon sheath, which is usually caused by misuse or overuse and leads to irritation of the long finger tendons. These run in tendon sheaths, which allow the tendons to slide on the hand bones. If the same movement is always performed over a longer period of time, so that the tendons and their tendon sheaths are overloaded, an inflammatory reaction can occur.

Depending on which tendon sheaths are affected, the inflammation manifests itself in differently localized pain. The tendon sheath of the thumb tendon is most frequently affected. In most people, this is connected to the tendon sheath of the little finger, so that the inflammation can quickly spread to this tendon sheath.

Affected patients experience stabbing pain that radiates from the wrist to the thumb and little finger. Pain also occurs in the ball of the thumb, since the tendon sheath of the thumb runs along there and can be painful over its entire course. Pressure can often increase the pain.

Tendinitis can also be caused by bacteria. This can happen after injuries to the hand, when bacteria reach the tendon sheath through the wound. Since the thumb and little finger tendon sheaths are connected in a V-shape in many people, bacterial inflammation along these tendon sheaths can also spread to the other tendon sheath.

This form of bacterial tendosynovitis is also called V-plegmon.Movements that can typically lead to tendonitis are long writing, typing on computer keyboards (cramping of the hands) and throwing sports. Therapy: For most tendosynovitis, it is sufficient to immobilize the joint with a Velcro bandage or plaster splint so that the tendon sheaths can calm down again. If the symptoms persist for a longer period of time, taking anti-inflammatory painkillers or injecting cortisone into the inflamed area can be helpful.

Sometimes it may be necessary to surgically split the glued tendon sheaths with a small operation. Just as with tendosynovitis, an injury to the muscles or nerves can also result from incorrect or excessive strain on the hand. Strong force applied to the ball of the thumb as part of a sports injury or accident can also cause damage to muscles and nerves.

Torn muscle fibers can be very painful. Often, the rupture of muscle fibers is manifested by reduced strength in the affected muscle, severe pain and swelling, and often bruising in the tissue. The area should be cooled and immobilized immediately.

The thumb saddle joint is the thumb joint that is closest to the carpus and connects the thumb and carpus movably. The joint has a large range of motion and is very important for daily grasping. However, because it is subject to a lot of stress, it is also susceptible to wear and development of arthrosis.

Arthrosis of the thumb saddle joint is also called rhizarthrosis. Typically, load-dependent pain in the ball of the thumb initially occurs, which increases over time. At some point, the affected person’s ability to grasp the thumb is limited, and pain occurs especially when trying to spread the thumb.

Even at rest without load, pain occurs as the wear and tear progresses. Therapy: Rhizarthrosis is initially treated by targeted heat and/or cold therapy and the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs. Alternatively, a cortisone injection can be administered directly into the affected joint.

If the symptoms are very severe and resistant to therapy, surgical therapy may be indicated. In this case, for example, parts of the joint can be removed or the entire joint can be stiffened, which leads to a certain loss of function, but also to lasting freedom from pain. Rheumatic changes in the finger and wrist joints can also cause pain in the ball of the thumb.

The affected joints are often swollen and overheated, and the muscles of the ball of the thumb and little finger may be noticeably reduced. Since this reduces the padding of the ball of the thumb, stress in this region can quickly cause pain. In addition, the inflammation of the joints also affects the surrounding tissue and can result in pressure pain and reduced mobility in the thumb region.

In addition, rheumatoid arthritis can also lead to inflammation of the tendon sheaths, which can also cause pain in the thumb ball area. Therapy: The therapy depends mainly on the severity and the characteristics of the rheumatic disease. Among other things, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, cortisone injections, but also non-drug therapy forms are used.

The balanced diet of the patients plays a major role, as well as specific movement exercises to keep the affected joints mobile. The carpal tunnel is a tunnel-like structure on the wrist through which various structures are guided from the forearm to the hand. Particularly when the wrists are subjected to long-term stress, this carpal tunnel can become narrower, thus squeezing the structures located in it, such as the flexor tendons of the hand and the median nerve.

This causes pain at the ball of the hand, which can extend to the fingertips due to the involvement of the median nerve. It is not uncommon for a prolonged carpal tunnel syndrome to cause additional numbness in the fingers. Initially, the disease can be treated by immobilising and protecting the wrists. In the course of the disease, however, an operation is often necessary to split the constricting ligament so that the structures in the carpal tunnel have more room again.