Hand Pain

Are You Experiencing Hand Pain as a Result of a Sudden Injury or Repetitive Movement?

The orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine experts at Westchester Sport and Spine are here to help you with your hand pain no matter how mild or severe. With 40 years of combined experience diagnosing hand pain and treating hand injuries, the fellowship trained orthopedic specialists at Westchester Sport and Spine provide you with the highest level of care for surgical and non-surgical hand procedures.

About Your Hand

Your hands are one of the most delicate and complex structures of your body, comprising of bones, muscles, joints, tendons, blood vessels and connective tissues that seamlessly interact to allow you to point, clutch, grab and twist.

The major bones of the hands include the phalanges (small bones of the finger) and metacarpal bones (long bones of the hand) with ligaments holding the bones together at each joint. The carpal bones are the eight bones at the base of the hand making up the wrist.

Connective tissue and muscles provide your hand with structure and support its movement. Given the complexity and heavy usage, your hands are easy to injure and susceptible to chronic pain from overuse.

Common Causes of Hand Pain

The three main causes of hand pain are an injury, a medical condition or chronic overuse.

The most common reason for hand pain is overuse. Your hands are used all day, every day and as you age, arthritis or osteoarthritis can begin to develop, resulting in chronic pain.

The bones, ligaments, and tendons of your hand are also susceptible to injury from a forceful blow or fall, resulting in extreme pain, swelling and bruising. Hand fractures and ligament tears happen frequently to individuals who partake in physical recreational activities.

To be certain of the reason for your hand pain, contact the orthopedic doctors and sports medicine experts at Westchester Sport and Spine for a specific diagnosis of your hand pain.

Commonly Treated Hand Conditions

Hand pain can happen for many reasons. However, the most common stem from conditions that are ongoing. The hand is one of the most complex structures of the body. This organization of tendons, ligaments, nerves, bones, and skin allows it to perform a variety of complicated movements and activities. Read on to learn about the most commonly experienced types of hand pain.

  • Arthritis: this common condition causes degeneration of the joints, making the fingers stiff, deformed, and painful.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: this is the most common nerve disorder of the hand. This condition causes pain in the palm and some or all fingers, the wrist, and the forearm.
  • De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis: this condition causes pain on the radial side of the wrist and can travel along the length of the thumb and forearm. This can make it difficult to manipulate objects, make a fist, or turn your wrist.
  • Dislocated Finger: this injury occurs when one or more bones in the finger become dislocated from their normal position. After a dislocation, you may experience pain and inability to perform flexion the affected finger.
  • Finger Fracture: a fracture, or a break, in the bone can cause a great deal of pain. After a fracture, you may experience stiffness, swelling, or loss of movement.
  • Finger Sprain: this injury occurs when the ligaments connecting the bones of the finger are damaged. This causes pain and inflammation to the affected finger and it the surrounding area.
  • Ganglion Cyst: a ganglion cyst is a tumor or swelling on top of a joint of the hand or wrist covering a tendon. It typically presents as a sack of liquid. Depending on the size, it may feel firm or spongey.
  • Hand Fracture: a break of one or more bones in the hand. This includes the phalanges and the long bones found in the palm.
  • Hand Sprain: a hand sprain involves injury to a ligament in the hand connecting the bones and joints, usually by stretching or tearing.
  • Osteoarthritis: the most common form of arthritis, occurring when the protective cartilage on the bones wears down.
  • Tendinitis: inflammation of a tendon, which is commonly seen in the wrist or fingers, causing discomfort, pain, and swelling.
  • Trigger Finger: a condition in which a finger gets stuck in flexion (bent) position. It may snap straight after a period of time. It is also known as “stenosing tenosynovitis.”
  • Trigger Thumb: this condition occurs when the thumb is stuck in a flexion (bent) position, like Trigger Finger. It may or may not snap back into a straight position. It is also known as “stenosing tenosynovitis.”

Hand Pain Treatment Options

The majority of hand conditions and injuries are effectively treated with medication, splinting, bracing, injections or physical therapy. Hand surgery is often not necessary to treat even the most painful hand conditions.

If surgery is needed, the orthopedic doctors and sports medicine specialists at Westchester Sport and Spine are experts in the latest minimally invasive procedures.

The main treatment options for your hand pain include:

  • Avoiding activities that make your symptoms worse
  • Using ice packs
  • Painkillers
  • Anti-inflammatories
  • Physiotherapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Surgery (in some cases)

Call Us Immediately

If your hand pain is caused by an injury and is accompanied by any of the symptoms below, please call us immediately and have someone drive you to our clinic.

  • Your hand appears deformed
  • Difficulty squeezing or extending your fingers
  • Extreme bruising
  • Intense pain or a tingling feeling
  • Sudden swelling