An estimated 20 percent of Americans has at least one joint with symptoms of arthritis. These symptoms fall on a spectrum, and the cases of severe arthritis seriously affect quality of life. In fact, arthritis, caused by a variety of things, is the leading cause of disability in our country.
A tunnel-like structure exists in the wrist, called the carpal tunnel. The wrist, or carpal, bones form this tunnel. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which affects hundreds of thousands of Americans, is caused by a compression of the median nerve in the tunnel. Repetitive tasks, along with many other things, can cause this problem.
The ulnar, one of three main nerves in the arm, travels from under your collarbone along the inside of your upper arm, and through a tunnel of tissue (cubital tunnel) in the elbow. It is at this point that you can feel the nerve, often called the “funny bone.” When the ulnar nerve becomes compressed, this is called cubital tunnel syndrome.
The radius, the larger of the two bones in the forearm, is the most commonly broken bone in the arm. The end of the bone nearest the wrist is called the distal end. Distal radius fractures are when the area of the radius near the wrist breaks.
More common in men than women, Dupuytren’s contracture is when the tough tissue underneath the skin of the palm and fingers thickens abnormally. This can cause the fingers to curl. The cause of the problem is unknown, but treatments are available.
Tendons are tissues that connect muscles to bone. When muscles contract, tendons pull on bones. This is what causes some parts of the body to move. The muscles that move the fingers and thumb (the flexor muscles) are located in the forearm, above the wrist. Most often the flexor tendons are damaged by a cut. Additionally, athletic injuries are also commonly contribute to flexor tendon injuries.
An improperly treated or untreated fractured finger can cause serious problems. The small bones of the hand align precisely and intricately to allow us to handle small objects with dexterity, and a finger fracture can throw the entire hand out of alignment. Furthermore, you’ll probably be dealing with stiffness and pain unless the issue is resolved.
Ganglion cysts, found at different places on the wrist, arise from the capsule of a joint or the sheath of a tendon. A ganglion cyst that grows on the top of the wrist is called a dorsal ganglion. Others are found on the underside of the wrist between the thumb and your pulse point, at the end joint of a finger, or at the base of a finger.
Fractures of the hand can occur in either the small bones of the fingers (phalanges) or the long bones (metacarpals). They can result from a twisting injury, a fall, a crush injury, or direct contact in sports. Signs and symptoms of a broken bone in the hand include: swelling, tenderness, deformity, inability to move the finger, shortened finger, finger crosses over its neighbor when making a partial fist, or depressed knuckle.
Nerve injuries can widely influence the normal functioning of a body. An injured nerve may stop sending signals to the brain, causing malfunction of muscles and loss of feeling. Pressure, stretching or cutting can all damage nerves, which are fragile.
A broken thumb is a serious problem. It affects the ability to grasp items. A broken thumb can increase the risk of arthritis later in life. Although a break can occur in any of these bones, the most serious breaks happen near the joints. This is particularly true when the fracture occurs at the base of the thumb near the wrist.
A trigger finger, more common in women than men, occurs when the motion of the tendon that opens and closes the finger is limited, causing the finger to lock or catch as the finger is extended. The cause is not always known, and it occurs most frequently in people who are between the ages of 40 and 60 years of age. Trigger fingers are more common in people with certain medical problems, such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
The scaphoid is one of the small bones in the wrist. It is the wrist bone that is most likely to break. The scaphoid is located on the thumb side of the wrist, in the area where the wrist bends. Fractures of the scaphoid occur in people of all ages, including children. The injury often happens during sports activities or a motor vehicle accident. Men aged 20 to 30 years are most likely to experience this injury.
Joint replacement surgery in the wrist is less common, but can be an option if you have painful arthritis that does not respond to other treatments. A good candidate for the surgery will generally have severe arthritis, and won’t need to use the wrist heavily every day. The primary reasons for wrist replacement surgery are to relieve pain and to maintain function in the wrist and hand.