Wrist pain - causes and therapy

Which helps with pain on the wrist?

Wrist pain is a symptom that causes significant harm to everyday life as the hands perform an essential function in most daily activities. The causes of pain in the wrist area are varied and often difficult to determine. The following are possible causes and approaches for the treatment of wrist pain.

contents

• Which helps with pain on the wrist?
• Wrist pain - a quick overview
• definition
• causes
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Loge de Guyon syndrome
• Tendonitis
• necrosis
• Systemic diseases
• Osteoarthritis of the thumb saddle joint (rhizarthrosis)
• Anatomy of the wrist
• therapies
• Naturopathic approaches

Wrist pain - a quick overview

Wrist pain can be diverse. This overview gives a first impression of the symptoms:

• symptomsPain in the area of ​​the wrist, which can radiate into the hand or arm as well as from the hand or arm into the wrist.
• Possible causes: Carpal tunnel syndrome, compression of the ulnar nerve (Loge de Guyon syndrome), arthritis of the thumb saddle joint (rhizarthrosis), tendonitis, mouse arm, necrosis of individual carpal bones, systemic diseases.
• therapies: Surgery, physiotherapy, acupuncture, manual procedures, osteopathy.
• Naturopathy: Homeopathy, Schüßler salts.

Especially bad posture when working on the computer are today often cause of pain in the wrist. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

definition

Wrist pain describes discomfort around the wrist. The pain can radiate from the wrist into the hand or the arm or vice versa by hand or arm in the wrist pull.

causes

In summary, it should be noted that in the diagnosis and treatment, the functionality of the wrist must be considered. For example, in the context of anamnesis you have to ask about previous illnesses as well as the activities of daily life. Then you will find an overview of the possible causes of wrist pain.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Probably the most well-known on the wrist disease is the carpal tunnel syndrome. The symptoms occurring on the inside of the thumb are due to compression in the carpal tunnel in the course of the median nerve, an anatomical structure formed of bones and ligaments of the wrist. Since it is the irritation of a nerve, typically pain and discomfort (for example, falling asleep hands) occur in its supply area and course. Later, it may cause atrophy of the thumb bale and thus loss of grip strength of the affected hand.

Loge de Guyon syndrome

Similar to the carpal tunnel syndrome on the inside of the thumb, compression of the ulnar nerve in the area of ​​the carpus (in the "Loge de Guyon") leads to pain and sensory disturbances on the little finger side. In the further course of this disease, also known as the Loge de Guyon syndrome, the atrophy of the hand and finger muscles occurs. Possible causes of the Loge-de-Guyon syndrome are long-lasting, everyday compressions (for example, the support on a rollator), a ganglion (a benign tumor formation in the joint capsule) in the area of ​​the carpal roots and fractures of the spine or the carpal bones.

The wrist, with its multitude of bones and tendons, is a complex and delicate joint. Thus, the possible causes of pain in this region are also manifold. (Image: TANABOON / fotolia.com)

Tendonitis

Since a variety of tendons pass between the arm and fingers via the wrist, a particularly high number of tendon sheaths can be found in the area of ​​the wrist. They reduce the friction created by the gliding of the tendon and protect it. Tenosynovitis (Tendovaginitis de Quervain) manifests itself in very marked, stinging or pulling pain, which can manifest in both the wrist and forearm. Tendinitis is often the result of overuse.

necrosis

In addition, it should be mentioned that a necrosis (death) of individual carpal bones can lead to wrist pain. Examples include Morbus Preiser and Lunatummalazie. If the lunar bone (Os Lunatum) dies, there is a disruption in the transmission of force, especially in the proximal wrist, since the lunar bone is in communication with both the spine and the ulna. The dissolution of the moonbone is accompanied by pain, loss of strength and restricted mobility.

Systemic diseases

Systemic diseases are also a possible cause. These are complaints that affect the entire organ system, such as the blood, the central nervous system or the entire musculature. Changes in bones, muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments as a result of such diseases can also be the cause of pain in the wrist area.

Osteoarthritis of the thumb saddle joint (rhizarthrosis)

Another cause of pain in the wrist can also be osteoarthritis of the thumb saddle, the so-called rhizarthrosis. The pain in the area of ​​the thumb are load-dependent. As a result of the reduced burden to avoid pain, it weakens both the thumb muscles and the ligaments and bones. A typical secondary disease in the course of the thumb saddle joint arthrosis is the sliding of the first metacarpal bone in the direction of the spoke.

The image shows the anatomy of the hand and wrist with arthritis of the thumb saddle joint. (Image: Alila Medical Media / fotolia.com)

Anatomy of the wrist

In order to ensure the great range of movement of the wrist and thus of the entire hand, a complex anatomical structure of both the bones and the surrounding soft tissue is necessary. Bones can divide the wrist into two joints: distal wrist and proximal wrist. The proximal wrist is formed by the bones of the forearm (ulna and radius) and three bones of the first row of carpal bones. The distal wrist divides the eight carpal bones into an upper and lower row. Due to the very unstable bony structure of the wrist, there is a high requirement for the surrounding ligaments, bursae, tendons, nerves and the hand muscles.

therapies

Often, for example, in a severe course of the carpal tunnel syndrome or the Ulnarisrinnensyndroms on surgery no way around. If the cause of the pain in the area of ​​the wrist is found and treated, physiotherapy can be used to counteract a recurrence of the symptoms. In addition, acupuncture can be used as part of the treatment of wrist pain. In addition, the manual procedures (for example, osteopathy) offer promising approaches for the treatment of pain causes.

The therapy of wrist pain varies with the underlying cause. These treatment approaches are often used. (Image: heilpraxis.de/Adiano/fotolia.com)

Naturopathic approaches

In addition, homeopathic remedies and Schuessler salts are used more frequently in natural healing in the course of therapy. (ps, vb; updated 18 June 2018)