Hand pain is a relatively nonspecific term that only indicates the location of the event. Nothing is said about the cause of the pain. One can assign hand pain to a wide variety of causes using various diagnostic procedures and then must treat it accordingly.
What is hand pain?
With the term hand pain one summarizes different disease processes, wear symptoms and injuries in the hand area. With the term hand pain, one summarizes various disease processes, signs of wear and injuries in the hand area. These in turn can be attributed to various causes. Accidents, acute inflammations, acute or chronic overload reactions and degenerative processes can cause hand pain. Hand pain usually affects the entire hand. However, usually only parts of it are affected, for example the hand or finger joints. However, this can lead to the whole hand being affected. As a result, there may be impairments in grasping or writing.
Causes
The causes of hand pain can be very diverse. Degenerative processes are just as likely to trigger hand pain as injuries, irritations, overuse consequences or inflammations. Joints and hand bones can be affected by hand pain, as can individual muscles, ligaments, nerves, veins and tendons. Hand injuries, age-related joint wear and tear or incorrect hand strain are the most common causes of hand pain. Certain sports and occupations put a lot of stress on the hands. Stress-related hand pain caused by computer work is distinguished from hand pain caused by inflammation, rheumatism and degenerative hand pain. Circulatory problems, injuries and healed fractures, nerve contusions or age-related joint problems can lead to significant hand pain. Hand pain can radiate into the arm or, conversely, shoot from the arm into the hand. Tumors, dislocations, thromboses and strains, arthritis and arthrosis, osteoporosis, rheumatism and tendonitis, gout and so-called bottleneck syndromes such as Guyon’s tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome, ganglions or connective tissue hardening are known as further causes of hand pain. In view of this diversity, the diagnosis of hand pain must be particularly versatile and careful.
Diseases with this symptom
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatism
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lunate malacia
- Thrombosis
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Sports injuries
- Circulatory disorders
- Tendonitis
- Gout
- Scaphoid fracture
Course
The course of the disease in hand pain is quite different due to the variety of causes. Most often, symptoms such as stiffness and impaired movement are first noticed. Sometimes, however, there is also undefinable hand pain of unclear cause. This can be concentrated on the whole hand, the palms or only the joints. Whether one always goes straight to the doctor for hand pain varies. Mostly, one will try to get relief by massaging the painful areas. If this does not help, one will consult an orthopedist or family doctor because of the longer lasting hand pain. If the hand pain occurs as a result of an operated or conventionally treated fracture, medical follow-up treatment in a clinic is possible. Physiotherapy is usually prescribed for further rehabilitation. In cases of rheumatism, arthritis, osteoporosis or osteoarthritis, hand pain may also require exercise and pain therapies. The disease process for hand pain can get progressively worse or occur in episodes. Acute and localized hand pain, such as from nail bed inflammation, disappears after healing. Acute processes and hand pain, however, may well progress to chronic hand pain under certain circumstances.
Complications
Hand pain can cause various complications, especially when it occurs chronically. First, the discomfort limits the mobility of the hand, leading to muscle atrophy, numbness, and a decrease in motor skills of the affected hand, among other symptoms. Hand pain that is triggered as a result of an injury or fracture can lead to permanent deformity and nerve disorders.In extreme cases, the affected joint stiffens, further limiting the mobility of the hand. In less severe cases, hand pain can lead to a slight fear of movement. Pain therapy is often the only solution here. Chronic hand pain can also lead to various accompanying symptoms such as depression, anxiety and sleep disorders, which in turn bring complications. In addition, the treatment itself can trigger complications. During surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, there may be temporary movement disorders of the entire hand, accompanied by decalcification of the hand bones (dystrophy) and sometimes severe swelling. Further, infection of the wound may occur, which can lead to permanent hand dysfunction. The side effects of the drugs range from a gastric ulcer, usually triggered by the painkiller NSAID, to respiratory depression caused by opioids. In addition, fatigue and temporary numbness in the affected hand may occur. Because of the variety of possible complications, early treatment of the pain is advised.
When should you see a doctor?
Hand pain is bothersome because it affects an area of our body that we use constantly. Our hands are in non-stop use and are expected to function as usual. Thus, the nature and extent of the pain determine how quickly sufferers go to the doctor. Pain in the hand can last a short time, but be severe. Other patients complain of a persistent latent pain. Someone who plays a lot of sports often knows his body quite well and knows that the pain may have come from the last tennis match. He will first wait to see if it goes away on its own. If in doubt, he visits his doctor and talks to him about possible causes. Not everyone has such a good body feeling. Thus, in cases of persistent neuralgia, it is quite difficult for many patients to get to the bottom of the cause of the pain. A visit to the doctor is therefore advisable. This also applies to chronic complaints such as gout or rheumatism. The family doctor is often the first point of contact. Depending on the situation, he or she will refer patients to specialists such as neurologists, hand surgeons and orthopedists. As a general rule, no one should sit out permanent pain; it’s better to see a doctor about it.
Treatment and therapy
Treatment of hand pain depends on the cause identified in each case. In the case of acute hand pain – for example, due to short-term overloading, irritation or relieving posture – one can expect it to disappear after sufficient immobilization and ointment treatment. If necessary, an ointment dressing is applied. Chronic hand pain requires treatment. Hand pain can be treated with either an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, a cast, ointments, and/or cortisone preparations. Some types of hand pain can only be repaired surgically. This applies, for example, to certain bone fractures or painful bottleneck syndromes. In the case of joint damage, relief can be achieved with the help of arthroscopy. For hand complaints, additional therapies such as physiotherapy, heat or cold treatment, massage, water or bath therapy, ultrasound treatment or electrotherapy can be used. Orthopedic devices can also help relieve hand pain.
Outlook and prognosis
The prognosis for hand pain is relatively dependent on the pain itself and the general condition of the affected person. Thus, no universal statement can be made about the course of hand pain. In most cases, however, hand pain is a result of overuse of the hands due to a particular activity. The hand pain occurs only temporarily and disappears again after a short time. The hand must be rested and not subjected to physical exertion. If the hand is used despite hand pain, inflammation and other problems in the hand can occur, which can have more serious consequences. If the hand pain occurs due to a chronic disease, it must be treated by a doctor in any case. In this case, cramps and movement disorders of the hand may occur if the hand pain is not treated properly. Treatment is usually either through surgery, massage or special therapy. Treatment with medication does not usually take place.If the hand pain is only temporary, painkillers can be used to numb the pain. However, these should not be taken for a long period of time, as they severely damage the stomach.
Prevention
As a preventive measure against hand pain, one should avoid any one-sided strain if possible. Playing guitar or working on the computer for hours on end will inevitably lead to hand pain without breaks and occasional stretching. It is different with degenerative and inflammatory hand pain. Here, it is usually not possible to take preventive action. In part, these diseases are namely inherited.
This is what you can do yourself
Hand pain occurs in most people only relatively short-term and does not need to be treated by a doctor. However, if hand pain occurs over a very long period of time and results in very severe pain, a doctor definitely needs to be consulted. In this case, it may be a sprain, a fracture, or a serious medical condition. Most hand pain is caused by overuse of the hand. In most cases, this comes from playing sports or doing a job. In any case, the hand must be rested so that the muscles can relax. If the hand is not given rest, the pain usually becomes more severe. If necessary, the patient can also take painkillers. However, these should not be taken for a long period of time because they are harmful to the stomach. Patients can also apply ointments and creams to the hand. These cool the affected area while relieving the pain. It is also advisable to stop using the hand for certain tasks and to take it easy if the pain is more severe.
