Wrist Pain Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Wrist pain is actually not a disease, but a symptom of several diseases. In the wrist area, there are bones, connective tissue, and tendons. If one of these three things is disturbed, complaints of wrist pain can occur.
Symptom
In addition to pain in the wrist, disorders of the muscles, tendons or nerves in the wrist can cause symptoms of stiffness, difficulty holding objects with the hands, or a ‘clicking’ sound when moving the wrist.
Reason
There are many diseases that can cause complaints of wrist pain, but the most common are:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. Diseases that cause pressure on the nerves in the wrists are usually experienced by housewives, people who often type on computers, and motorcyclists.
- Osteoarthritis. A disease caused by aging that causes joint cartilage to wear down so that the bones rub together and cause pain. This disease usually affects the elderly, especially women.
- De Quarvain’s disease. This disease is characterized by inflammation of the tendons of the muscles.
- Sprains. in layman’s terms, referred to as a sprain.
Diagnosis
If there are complaints of wrist pain, there are several examinations that doctors can do, namely radiological examinations such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs depending on what disease is suspected.
If joint disorders are suspected as the cause of wrist pain, arthroscopic examination is sometimes necessary. An arthroscopic examination is an examination carried out by inserting a camera into the joint to see if there is inflammation in the joint.
Treatment
Treatment of wrist pain depends on the cause and severity of the disease. But generally, wrist pain can be treated at home by resting the wrist, compressing the painful area with cold water or ice, and taking painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
In some cases, wrist splints also need to be done. The goal is to temporarily rest the wrist. If the treatment does not improve the complaint, sometimes surgery is needed.
Prevention
To prevent wrist pain, there are several things you can do, namely:
- Use a comfortable chair and table while working so that your wrists are in a relaxed position.
- Don’t overuse your wrist, rest your wrist periodically.
- When playing sports, wear wrist guards.