Inflammation in the wrist

Introduction

There are several structures on the wrist, such as tendons, tendon sheaths and bursae, which can all be the starting point of inflammation. When one speaks of an inflammation of the wrist, one can therefore mean an inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis), an inflammation of the tendon sheath (tendovaginitis) or an inflammation of the bursae (bursitis).

Symptoms

The symptoms of a wrist inflammation are the classic signs, as they also occur with other inflammations. Depending on the cause of the wrist inflammation, more specific symptoms may also occur. For example, tendosynovitis can occasionally crunch during exercise, and rheumatoid arthritis, for example, is associated with increased pain at night and in the morning.

In addition, a morning stiffness of the wrist is often reported. In the case of inflammation of the wrist, which is caused by the bursae, fever, fatigue and swelling of the lymph nodes can also occur.

  • The wrist is swollen and often very painful.
  • In addition, a reddening is often visible and a clear overheating can be felt.
  • Due to pain and swelling, mobility is usually also very limited.

Swelling of the wrist is a very common symptom that can have many causes.

For example, someone who has fallen on their wrist may subsequently have a traumatic swelling on their wrist. This can be caused by a slight bruise, but structural injuries can also cause swelling. There are also superficial swellings that are caused by external influences, such as a sting.

The wrist can also swell when it is inflamed. The cause is often not immediately apparent (as in the case of trauma or a sting). Often the swelling develops slowly, and motion-dependent pain develops.

Just like swelling, wrist pain can have various causes. First of all, a traumatic event such as a fall that is caught with the hand causes pain. This pain sets in suddenly and is usually short-lived.

In contrast, the pain of an inflammation of the wrist is characterized by a slow onset. Especially when overstrain is the cause of the inflammation, the pain is initially only slight and becomes noticeable under strain. With increasing inflammation, however, the pain also becomes stronger. In addition, complaints such as swelling, redness and overheating of the wrist can occur.