Hand & Finger Pain?

What could be causing your hand and/or finger pain?

This is an article for informational purposes only.

To diagnose the underlying cause of finger pain, your doctor or licensed physician will ask you several questions relating to your symptoms. Treating your hand and finger pain begins with identifying the cause of your pain - even if it is not arthritis - and this is a task that an occupational therapist can help with.

It is important to consult your doctor if you have persistent pain or other unusual symptoms related to your fingers or hands. Complications associated with finger pain can vary depending on the underlying disease or disorder, and some conditions can be severe. Treatment may be necessary if the fingers start to bend unexpectedly or if you cannot use your hand.

Hand pain can be caused by diseases or injuries affecting the structure of the hand, including bone, muscles, joints, tendons, blood vessels and connective tissue. This condition is characterized by pain in the elbow, wrist, palm or side of the forearm. It is a painful compression of the nerves in the wrist that impairs a person's ability to use the wrist and hand.

Most of the time, our body movements do not cause any problems, so it is not surprising that symptoms can appear due to wear and tear of everyday and overuse. Finger, hand and wrist problems can be caused by injuries, natural processes and aging. If you think an injury is the cause of your problems, look at the issue of fingers, hands and wrist injuries.

Below are common disorders that may be the cause of your hand and/or finger pain:

Ulnar Nerve Entrapment

The ulnar nerve runs from the shoulder to the wrist and controls the movement of the ring and fingers. When the protective sheath that surrounds the nerves in the hand, arm, and elbow tightens and compresses the nerve itself, causes numbness and tingling in the ring finger and little finger.

Cubital tunnel syndrome

Cubital tunnel syndrome is a type of pinching of the hand nerve which occurs when the cubital tunnel swells and puts pressure on the Ulnar nerve causing hand pain and numbness in hand and fingers. [Sources: 0]

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that occurs when excessive pressure is put on the median nerve that runs along the carpal tunnel of your wrist. The carpal tunnels comprise eight wrist bones and nine tendons as well as the median vein. Swelling and inflammation in the Carpral tunnel can put pressure on the median nerves and cause pain and tingling, known as carpal tunnel syndrome. [Sources: 1]

The Carpal Tunnel is a narrow passage at the base of the hand that houses ligaments and tendons. If it is too tight, the nerve is jammed, causing pain, tingling, numbness and swelling in the hand and fingers. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome begin early and reach varying degrees of severity. [Sources: 4, 8]

Symptoms include tingling, numbness, weakness and pain in the fingers and hands. Tendon pain is a symptom of tendonitis, a series of small tears or microtubes in the tendon tissue. In addition to pain and tenderness, the frequent symptoms of a tendon injury also include reduced strength and movement in the affected area. [Sources: 2]

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the erosion of the smooth cartilage padding at one end where the bones meet at the joint. This eventually leads to friction between the two bones, causing inflammation and pain. [Sources: 9]

The bones of your hand are padded by cartilage and lubricated by a fluid called synovium, which allows you to move your hand and fingers. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage wears out and does not cushion the bones.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that attacks joints throughout the body and affects the joints and surrounding tendons in the wrist and fingers. It is a possible autoimmune cause of the deterioration of cartilage in the hand. Hand osteoarthritis, such as basal joint arthrosis, can cause hand pain, finger pain, joint swelling and joint deformities. [Sources: 5, 9]

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of hand pain and affects millions of people every year. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis and is a degenerative disease that affects the small joints of the fingers at the base of the thumb. It is one of the most common forms of arthritis in the hand and can lead to normal hand use, but can also develop after injury. [Sources: 5, 8]

Many of the problems that cause this type of pain are not arthritis. Some people who feel pain in their hands or fingers think they have arthritis. In fact, a medical study found that only 17% of people over a month actually had arthritis pain in their hand. [Sources: 7]

Diabetic Neuropathy

Nerve damage caused by diabetes (also called diabetic neuropathy) can also lead to bone and joint problems, which can be responsible for your hand pain. [Sources: 8]

Gout

Gout, a complex form of arthritis, is a painful condition that affects everyone. It affects the joints at the base of the big toe, but can also occur on the feet, knees, hands and wrists. If you have gout in your hands or wrists, you could experience intense bouts of pain, burning, redness and tenderness. [Sources: 4]

Arthrosis

Arthrosis is a degenerative condition that affects the wrists and wrists at the end of the fingers and at the base of the thumb. It causes pain and stiffness that can make it difficult to use your hand or wrist. It can also cause bony knots to form on the hand or fingers. [Sources: 6]

Dupuytren Contracture

Dupuytren is due to a Tren contraction, which causes the fingers to bend in the palm of the hand. It causes the tissue of the palm to thicken and pull the fingers into the palm of the hand. It may not be painful, but it can make it difficult to stretch your fingers and use your hand. [Sources: 6]

Trigger finger

This condition causes pain in the tendons between the thumb and wrist. When you try to stretch your hand with a fist, the fingers catch resistance in a bent position and jump out of the rest of the movement in a straight position, and you may have a trigger finger. The symptoms of trigger fingers usually begin after an injury, and can follow a period of heavy hand use. [Sources: 9]

Sources:

[0]: https://www.medstarunionmemorial.org/our-services/the-curtis-national-hand-center/conditions-hand-pain/

[1]: https://www.lmh.org/news/2018-news/eight-signs-you-could-have-carpal-tunnel-syndrome/

[2]: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=handp

[3]: https://www.medicinenet.com/hand_pain/symptoms.htm

[4]: https://www.healthline.com/health/hand-pain

[5]: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/hand-pain-and-problems

[6]: https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/hand-and-wrist-pain/

[7]: https://armorpt.com/what-causes-hand-and-finger-pain-thats-not-arthritis/

[8]: https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/why-do-my-hands-hurt-arthritis-and-other-culprits

[9]: https://www.arlingtonortho.com/the-most-common-forms-of-hand-pain/

[10]: https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/bones-joints-and-muscles/finger-pain