Wrist Pain and Prevention

Wrist Pain and Prevention

Have you ever sat down at your desk, started to type and felt a sharp pain shoot through your wrist? Does that pain persist, making it difficult to carry out the simplest of tasks? Wrist pain is a common complaint. It’s often caused by sprains or fractures from sudden injuries. But wrist pain can also result from long-term problems, such as repetitive stress, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Because so many factors can lead to wrist pain, diagnosing the exact cause can sometimes be difficult. But an accurate diagnosis is essential for proper treatment.

Symptoms And Causes Of Wrist Pain

The symptoms of wrist pain vary, depending on what the cause is. If you’re displaying any of the symptoms below, carpal tunnel syndrome may be the cause of the problem.

• Aching, tingling, burning or numbness is your wrist, hand, fingers and thumb
• Difficulty grasping or holding things
• Difficulty typing or using a mouse

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of wrist pain. Carpal tunnel is usually a result of doing repetitive movements such as typing, writing, painting and drawing, but it can also be brought on by conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, an underactive thyroid and obesity. Pregnancy, menopause and premenstrual syndrome have been linked to carpal tunnel as well.

Symptoms of such an injury include difficulty moving your wrist and/or hand, bruising and swelling of the area. These symptoms are also indicative of tendinitis or bursitis. Wrist injuries often occur when you fall forward onto your outstretched hand. This can cause sprains, strains and even fractures. A scaphoid fracture involves a bone on the thumb side of the wrist. This type of fracture may not show up on X-rays immediately following the injury.

Any activity that involves repetitive wrist motion — from hitting a tennis ball or bowing a cello to driving cross-country — can inflame the tissues around joints or cause stress fractures, especially when you perform the movement for hours on end without a break.

How To Care For Your Wrist

The type of treatment you receive will depend on the cause of pain. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary, but sometimes a little physical therapy and medication can go a long way. But if you prefer to try home remedies first, here’s what you can do to soothe your aching wrist:

Carpal tunnel

• Make sure that your keyboard is low enough that your wrists are not bending upward while you type.
• Over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, can relieve pain and swelling.
• You may only need to wear a wrist splint at night while you sleep. This helps reduce the swelling. If this does not help, you may need to wear the splint during the day as well.

Arthritis

• Do flexibility and strengthening exercises every day. Work with a physical therapist to learn the best and safest exercises for your wrist.
• Take frequent breaks from movement so your wrist can rest.

An injury

• Rest your wrist. Keep it elevated.
• Put ice or cold packs over the area to reduce any swelling.
• Keep the wrist elevated and keep it rested so it can heal.
• Wear a splint for several days. Wrist splints can be purchased at many drugstores and medical supply stores.

How To Prevent Wrist Pain

In order to do anything, you must use your hands. But if your wrists are in pain, it can be a struggle to get your work done. So if you want to avoid wrist pain, follow these tips:

• Adjust your keyboard so that you do not have to bend your wrist upward while typing.
• Take frequent breaks from activities that require wrist movement.
• Wear a foam or gel wrist band while typing to provide comfort and support to your wrist.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

source by ourfreshlife.com