Hand, Wrist and Forearm Pain
Suffering pain in the hand, wrist or forearm can be quite debilitating. Often there is a loss of strength associated with the pain which makes performing everyday tasks quite difficult.
Even something as simple as buttoning a shirt can be an effort. Apart from a lack of strength, you may also experience swelling.
There are three common causes of hand, wrist and forearm pain that can be treated by your chiropractor.
Common causes of Hand, Wrist and Forearm Pain
De Quervain’s Disease
People who perform repetitive work using their hands are more prone to De Quervain’s disease. Whether it’s painting, typing, sewing or a sporting activity, the repetitive nature of the activity will cause injury to your hands.
You may experience pain around the base of the thumb which can also travel to the side of the wrist and up the forearm. You may experience some form of swelling in the wrist close to the thumb. The pain will tend to intensify when the wrist is rotated.
To reduce the pain, it is advised to undergo some form of physical therapy and modify the repetitive activity that has caused the initial pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This condition can be an unfortunate side effect from some occupations. Any job that involves repetitive flexing of the wrist, handheld machinery or gripping can dramatically increase your chance of carpal tunnel syndrome.
The carpal tunnel is a particular area in your wrist where tendons pass through. These tendons help you flex your hand, however when the area becomes injured, the size of the carpal tunnel space decreases which puts pressure on the median nerve.
Treatment will help to relieve the pressure on the nerve. Resting your hands from the cause of the aggravation is also important.
Pronator Syndrome
Whilst this is still a common condition, pronator syndrome has quite a particular cause. It relates specifically to the muscles that are used to turn the wrist in an anticlockwise direction as well as the muscles that help flex the wrist. When the muscles become tight, they push up against the median nerve.
If you experience pain or heaviness in the forearm and pain into the palm of the hand, this is a sign of pronator syndrome.