Wrist Pain

Wrist pain might be due to an acute injury like a sprain or fracture or a long-term condition such as carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have severe or persistent wrist pain, visit Karl Siebuhr, MD, and Jonathan Kletter, PA-C, at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida. They provide a fast, accurate diagnosis and comprehensive care, including minimally invasive surgery if required. Call the office to schedule a consultation or book online today for expert relief from wrist pain.

What causes wrist pain?

Common causes of wrist pain include:

Sprains

A sprain is a ligament injury. The connective tissue may stretch, partially tear, or detach entirely from the bone.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome develops when there’s pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. The carpal tunnel is a ring of bones in the wrist where swollen ligaments may compress the nerve, causing pain, numbness, pins-and-needles sensations, and weakness in the wrist and thumb side of your hand.

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is wrist and thumb tendon inflammation. It makes bending your wrist, extending it, and creating a fist with your thumb inside acutely painful. People with De Quervain’s tenosynovitis struggle to grip and write.

Arthritis

Arthritis has many forms, but common ones in the wrist are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These disorders damage the cartilage and joint linings that protect your bones, creating chronic inflammation and pain and making your wrist increasingly weak, stiff, and misshapen.

Fractures

Distal radius fractures are common wrist injuries affecting the radius bone in your lower arm. A Colles fracture results from a direct impact on the palm, usually caused by putting your hands out to break a fall. Smith fractures are less common, typically resulting from an impact to the back of your wrist.

How is wrist pain diagnosed?

To diagnose wrist pain, your Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida provider conducts a physical exam and asks about your symptoms. You might need diagnostic imaging procedures, such as on-site X-rays, so your provider can see the tissues and bones in the joint.

If your provider suspects you have a condition involving nerve damage, like carpal tunnel syndrome, they might complete nerve conduction velocity testing and an electromyogram (EMG) to assess your nerve function.

Sometimes, the cause of wrist pain still isn’t clear, or diagnostic imaging doesn’t provide enough information. If so, your provider performs arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure where they insert a tiny camera to examine your wrist structures in detail.

How is wrist pain treated?

Mild-to-moderate wrist pain usually responds well to rest, splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, and physical therapy. Severe or persistent wrist pain might require a steroid injection to reduce inflammation and/or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to encourage natural tissue repair.

If wrist pain doesn’t improve or you have an injury that can’t heal properly, you might need surgery. Fracture repair and carpal tunnel release are common wrist pain surgeries.

Call Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida to receive prompt, effective treatment for wrist pain.