Do you suffer from chronic hand pain? Millions let this cripple their daily activity and rob them of their independence. Fortunately, the most common causes can be treated. These include:

Arthritis

• The leading source of hand pain, arthritis causes deterioration of the cartilage that allows joints to move smoothly against each other.
• Painful and debilitating swelling begins to occur as a result.
• The most common occurrences of arthritis in the hand are the:
  • Base of the thumb
  • Fingers’ middle joints
  • Fingers’ end joints

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• One of the most common nerve disorders, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects up to 3% of the American population.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome casuses pain in the:
  • Palm and some fingers of the hand
  • Wrist
  • Forearm
• Often, pain caused by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is worst at night, and also causes weakness, tingling, and numbness.
• Symptoms are often most prominent in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, which can make it hard to grip objects.
• Discomfort is caused by swelling pressing against the median nerve. This nerve controls both sensation and muscle impulses in the thumb and fingers (excluding the pinkie finger).
• The Carpal Tunnel is a structure comprised of bones and connective tissues, located at the base of the hand, that the median nerve passes through.

De Quervain’s Tendinitis

• Causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. The pain may develop quadually or suddenly. It can travel the length of the thumb and up the forearm.
• Movements that can be painful include:
  • Making a fist
  • Grasping or holding objects
  • Turning the wrist
• Pain results from swelling of the wrist tendons at the base of the thumb, which is caused by irritation and inflammation.
• New mothers are at high risk because of the awkward position in which they hold their baby, as well as their fluctuating hormones.