Hand Pain

Hand pain can have various causes, ranging from minor injuries to underlying medical conditions. Dr Arthur Turow treats a variety of hand conditions. Here are some common causes of hand pain:

• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs): Overuse of the hand and fingers, such as in activities like typing, writing, or playing a musical instrument, can lead to conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or trigger finger.
• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of arthritis can affect the joints in the fingers and thumb, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
• Injuries: Traumatic injuries, such as fractures, sprains, dislocations, or ligament tears, can result in hand pain. These injuries may occur due to falls, accidents, sports activities, or direct trauma to the hand.
• Nerve Compression: Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome occur when the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed, leading to pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and fingers.
• Ganglion Cysts: These fluid-filled cysts can develop near joints or tendons in the hand, causing localized pain and discomfort.
• Trigger Finger: A condition in which the tendons in the finger become inflamed, making it difficult to straighten or bend the finger without pain or clicking sensations.
• De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: This condition involves inflammation of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist, causing pain and difficulty with thumb and wrist movement.

Other less common causes of hand pain include infections, vascular conditions or referred pain from other areas (such as the neck or upper back).