Where Does It Hurt?

Hand & Wrist Physical Therapy

Summary

Hand & Wrist Pain

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressively painful hand and arm condition caused by a pinched nerve in your wrist. Bound by bones and ligaments, the carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway — about as big around as your thumb — located on the palm side of your wrist. This tunnel protects a main nerve to your hand and nine tendons that bend your fingers. Compression of the nerve produces the numbness, pain and, eventually, hand weakness that characterize carpal tunnel syndrome. CTS can be caused by sports like racquetball or handball, daily activities like sewing, typing, writing, driving, painting, etc. It is common in people who perform repetitive motions of the hand and wrist. It is most common in women aged 30-50.

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger is a condition in which one of your fingers or your thumb gets stuck in a bent position and then straightens with a snap — like a trigger being pulled and released. If trigger finger is severe, your finger may become locked in a bent position.

hand and wrist physical therapy helping a patient

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms:

Pain in the hand and wrist
Tingling and numbness
Weakness
Typically, patients will wake at night with a burning or aching pain with numbness and tingling and will shake their hands to obtain relief and restore sensation.

Trigger Finger Symptoms:

Soreness at the base of the afflicted finger or thumb
Painful clicking or snapping when attempting to flex or extend
Catching worsens after inactivity. In a more severe case, the finger may lock in either the extended or flexed position and must be gently straightened with the opposite hand