Wrist Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribeWhy does my wrist hurt?

Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.O. — Written by MaryAnn De Pietro, CRT — Updated on December 21, 2023

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
de Quervain's disease
Repetitive strain injury
Fibrocartilage complex injury
Wrist tendonitis
Wrist bursitis
Ganglion cyst
Wrist sprain
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment and prevention
Summary

A person’s wrist may hurt due to various reasons, such as a sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, or arthritis. Wrist pain may be aching, dull, or sharp, depending on the cause, and there may be numbness or other symptoms.

The wrist is not one joint. Instead, it comprises several small joints where the bones of the hand and forearm meet.

Pain may occur for many reasons, whether simple fatigue or an underlying issue. Impact injuries to the wrist and muscle strains are common causes, while squashing the nerves that pass through the wrist can also produce pain.

Here we will explore the common causes, symptoms, and treatment options for wrist pain.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

A person grasping their wrist with one hand and extending their fingers on the other — Valery P/Stocksy

Carpel tunnel syndrome is a condition that develops when a ligament thickens and puts pressure on a nerve. This pressure can cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the hand.

People with obesity, diabetes, or arthritis are at an increased risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Repetitive work that involves lifting, typing, or using equipment that vibrates the hand can also cause carpal tunnel syndrome.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis involves inflammation of the joints and causes the cartilage between the bones within joints to wear away.

The condition can affect a wide range of joints, including the wrist. Osteoarthritis of the wrist tends to occur most often in middle-aged or older people and those with a family history of the condition.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system breaks down healthy tissues.

The condition most commonly affects the wrists, hands, and knees. The breakdown of tissue can lead to painful warmth and swelling in affected areas, such as the wrists, and limit joint function.

Learn more about how rheumatoid arthritis affects the wrists here.

de Quervain’s disease

Doctors also refer to this condition as de Quervain’s tenosynovitis or tendinosis. In this condition, swelling of the tendons and tendon sheaths around the base of the thumb can lead to pain in the thumb, wrist, and hand.

The exact cause of de Quervain’s disease is unclear, but doctors often associate it with an injury to the area or overuse. Symptoms include a grating feeling inside the wrist, swelling, and weakness along the wrist, forearm, and thumb.

Repetitive strain injury

As the name suggests, repetitive strain injury occurs from repetitive tasks such as typing or knitting. Overworking the joint can cause it to swell, putting pressure on the surrounding nerves.

It can affect many joints in the body, including the wrist.

Triangular fibrocartilage complex injury

The triangular fibrocartilage complex is a structure in the wrist located towards a person’s pinky finger.

It acts as a cushion and support for the small bones. The cartilage can wear away over time or tear due to an impact injury.

Because of the location of the triangular fibrocartilage complex, a person will typically experience pain down the small finger side of the wrist should it sustain damage.

Wrist tendonitis

Wrist tendonitis typically occurs due to small tears to the tendons of the wrist. These tears result in localized inflammation, irritation, and pain.

The condition usually occurs due to sudden, sharp injuries to the tendons or wear due to repetitive movements.

Wrist bursitis

Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that help cushion joints. Inflammation of bursae is known as bursitis.

These can occur in many areas of the body, including the wrist. Symptoms include tenderness over the tendons of the wrist, redness in the region, and swelling.

Ganglion cyst

This cause of wrist pain is due to fluid-filled soft tissue cysts that most commonly develop on the wrist at the base of the back of the hand.

Ganglion cysts may compress nerves in the wrist, causing localized pain. However, people often experience little to no pain from these cysts.

Wrist sprain

Overstretching ligaments in the wrist can cause them to sprain. This damage to the muscles will typically result in pain and swelling.

There are several ligaments in the wrist that a person can sprain.

Learn more about wrist sprains here.

Symptoms of wrist pain

Wrist pain symptoms can vary depending on the cause. Some people may have pain that they describe as achy or dull, while others may have sharp pain. The location of the pain can also vary.

In addition to pain, other symptoms may develop. Symptoms of an injury, such as a wrist sprain, can include swelling and bruising.

Numbness, tingling, and hand weakness might also occur when pain is due to carpal tunnel syndrome.

Some people may develop the following symptoms:

Stiffness: A person may feel this through their wrist and potentially in their fingers.
Trouble gripping objects: Wrist pain may make grasping or holding on to objects difficult or uncomfortable.
A clicking sound when moving the wrist: This can be more severe after periods of rest.

Depending on the cause, symptoms may be mild to start and worsen as time goes on.

At first, pain may only occur during certain activities. In time, as the condition worsens, the pain might occur even at rest. Numbness can also progress to the point where a person cannot feel cold or heat and may drop things.

When to contact a doctor about wrist pain

It’s important to contact a doctor if:

wrist pain is interfering with everyday activities
numbness or tingling is becoming worse, and there is little or no feeling in the fingers or hand
simple hand movements are no longer possible
weakness makes holding things difficult

Complications of wrist pain can include weakness and a decreased ability to carry out activities such as gripping objects and using a keyboard.

How is wrist pain diagnosed?

After a physical exam and symptom review, a doctor may also diagnose wrist pain and the underlying condition using:

Medical imaging scans: A doctor may order imaging scans, including X-ray, CT, and MRI scans.
Arthroscopy: This procedure involves a small cut on the wrist. A surgeon will then insert a small instrument with a tiny camera attached through the cut. This will produce images that allow medical professionals to assess and diagnose what is causing wrist pain.
Nerve conduction studies: These measure how fast nerve impulses travel through the forearm, wrist, and hand regions.

Typically, doctors will only order invasive diagnosis techniques after rest and recovery from an injury have been unsuccessful.

Treatment and prevention of wrist pain

Treatment for wrist pain depends on the cause of the pain and its severity. Options include:

Home treatment: Often, simply resting the wrist as much as possible to allow it time to heal is effective. Doctors may also recommend pain-relieving medication and ice to reduce inflammation and pain.
Splints: In some cases, wearing a wrist splint can help. Splinting may prevent certain wrist movements that cause irritation. A splint might also reduce the squeezing of the nerve.
Exercises: Wrist exercises may help to manage wrist pain, depending on the type of pain. Certain exercises can stretch and lengthen muscles and tendons.
Additional treatment: Corticosteroid injections, which decrease inflammation and reduce pain, can be effective in treating wrist pain.
Surgery: The type of surgery a doctor may recommend will depend on the cause of the pain.

In some instances, doctors may recommend a person undertake physiotherapy as part of ongoing treatment.

Small lifestyle alterations may reduce a person’s chances of developing wrist pain. These include:

using proper posture when sitting at a workstation and keeping the wrists in a relaxed position
considering a wrist-friendly keyboard, if a person spends long hours at the keyboard
learning how to use hand tools properly, placing less stress on the hands and wrists
taking regular breaks from using a keyboard
using wrist guards to prevent injuries when participating in sports, such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and rollerblading

Summary

The wrist is a complex structure including multiple joints, ligaments, and nerves. Damage to any of these can lead to pain in the wrist.

Overuse, overexertion, impact injuries, and several health conditions can all cause damage in the wrist, and ultimately pain.

The severity, location, and treatment for these pains will vary depending on what is causing them. While damage to the wrist is not always avoidable, managing underlying health conditions such as arthritis, practicing proper form when gripping or lifting objects, and performing muscle strengthening exercises can reduce a person’s risk of a wrist injury.

Rheumatology
Bones / Orthopedics
Neurology / Neuroscience
Pain / Anesthetics

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Casadei, K., et al. (2021). Triangular fibrocartilage complex.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537055/
Ganglion cyst. (2021).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ganglion/
Genova, A., et al. (2020). Carpal tunnel syndrome: A review of literature.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7164699/
Jennings, C. D., et al. (2016). Arthritis of the wrist.http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00218
Repetative strain injury (RSI). (2018).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/repetitive-strain-injury-rsi/
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). (2020).https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html
Tendonitis. (2020).https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tendonitis/

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.O. — Written by MaryAnn De Pietro, CRT — Updated on December 21, 2023

Latest news

How might estrogen affect hypertension risk at menopause?
Routine mammograms may help predict heart disease, study suggests
Closing biological age gap could reduce stroke risk, support brain health
Daily multivitamin delays biological aging by up to 5 months, trial finds
Is everything we know about fat wrong? Experts debunk 4 myths

Related Coverage

What to know about wrist tendonitisMedically reviewed by Dr. Ana M. García Redondo
Wrist tendonitis is the inflammation of a tendon within the wrist. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of wrist tendonitis here.
READ MORE
What are the causes of forearm pain?Medically reviewed by Angela M. Bell, MD, FACP
There are various causes of forearm pain. These include injury, nerve entrapment, and arthritis. Learn more here.
READ MORE
What to know about MCP joint painMedically reviewed by Angelica Balingit, MD
What is the MCP joint and what are some possible causes of pain in the MCP joint? Read on to learn more.
READ MORE
Beighton score: The test and its results explainedMedically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT
The Beighton score is a measure of joint hypermobility. It involves a series of exercises for which a person gets points. Find out more.
READ MORE
Can cold weather cause joint pain?Medically reviewed by Stella Bard, MD
Some people experience new or worsening joint pain during cold weather. Learn why and how to relieve joint pain in low temperatures here.
READ MORE

Tag » Why Do My Wrists Hurt When I Wake Up

Wrist Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

de Quervain’s disease

Repetitive strain injury

Triangular fibrocartilage complex injury

Wrist tendonitis

Wrist bursitis

Ganglion cyst

Wrist sprain

Symptoms of wrist pain

When to contact a doctor about wrist pain

How is wrist pain diagnosed?

Treatment and prevention of wrist pain

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

Related Coverage

3 Ways To Lower Your Carpal Tunnel Pain At Night Naturally

Can Sleeping On Your Hands Cause Wrist Pain In The Long-term?

Part 4 Common Sleep Injuries: Wrist Injury - Properlivingco

Tendonitis Of Wrist: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment - Healthline

As Soon As I Woke Up, I Had A Terrible Pain In My Wrist. Is That Normal?

Wrist Pain - Symptoms And Causes - Mayo Clinic

Wrist Pain - Symptoms And Causes - Penn Medicine

Wrist Pain - NHS

What's Causing Your Hand And Wrist Pain? - Geisinger

Sleep Positioning And Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Athletico

Wrist Pain: Causes, Treatment & When To Call The Doctor

Hands Hurt In The Morning When I Wake Up - Border Therapy Services

How Sleep Positions Affect Your Hands

Common Causes For Sharp Pain In Wrists - Ivy Rehab

Contact