healthlinkbc.ca finger pain

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury Topic Overview Your fingers, hands, or wrists may burn, sting, or hurt, or feel tired, sore, stiff, numb, tingly , hot, or cold. Maybe you can't move them as well as usual, or they are swollen. Perhaps your hands have turned a different colour, such as red, pale, or blue. A lump or bump might have appeared on your wrist, palm, or fingers. Home treatment is often all that is needed to relieve your symptoms. Finger, hand, or wrist problems may be caused by an injury. If you think an injury caused your problem, see the topic Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries. But there are many other causes of finger, hand, or wrist problems. Overuse problems • Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on a nerve (median nerve ) in the wrist. The symptoms include tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain of the fingers and hand. • Tendon pain is actually a symptom of tendinosis, a series of very small tears (microtears) in the tissue in or around thetendon . In addition to pain and tenderness, common symptoms of tendon injury include decreased strength and movement in the affected area. • De Quervain's disease can occur in the hand and wrist when tendons and the tendon covering (sheath) on the thumb side of the wrist swell and become inflamed. See a picture of de Quervain's disease . • Repetitive motion syndrome is a term used to describe symptoms such as pain, swelling, or tenderness that occur from repeating the same motion over and over. • Writer's cramps develop with repeated hand or finger motion, such as writing or typing. • Trigger finger or trigger thumb occurs when the flexor tendon and its sheath in a finger or thumb thicken or swell. Bone, muscle, or joint problems • Dupuytren's disease is an abnormal thickening of tissue beneath the skin in the palm of the hand or hands and occasionally the soles of the feet. The thickened skin and tendons (palmar fascia) may eventually limit movement or cause the fingers to bend so that they can't be straightened.See a picture of Dupuytren's contracture . • Ganglion cysts are small sacs (cysts) filled with clear, jellylike fluid that often appear as bumps on the hands and wrists but can also develop on feet, ankles, knees, or shoulders. See a picture of a ganglion . Problems from medical conditions • Tingling or pain in the fingers or hand (especially the left hand) may be signs of a heart attack . • Diabetes may change how the hands normally feel or sense touch. Decreased feeling in the hands is common because of decreased blood flow to the hands or damage to nerves of the hand . • Pregnancy may cause redness, itching, swelling, numbness, or tingling that often goes away after delivery. • Osteoarthritis is the progressive breakdown of the tissue that protects and cushions joints (cartilage). It may cause stiffness and pain with movement. • Rheumatoid arthritis may cause stiffness and pain with movement. Over time, deformity of the fingers may occur.See a picture of rheumatoid arthritis . • Lupus is a long-lasting autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks normal body tissues as though they were foreign substances. It may cause joint pain. • Gout is an inflammatory joint disease that causes acute pain and swelling. It is a form of arthritis that develops when uric acid crystals form in and around the joints, commonly affecting the big toe joint. • Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition in which some areas of the body, usually the fingers or toes, have an extreme response to cold temperature or emotional stress. During an attack of Raynaud's, the blood vessels in the affected areas tighten, severely limiting the flow of blood to the skin, causing numbness, tingling, swelling, pain, and pale colour. • Infection can cause pain, redness, and swelling that occur with red streaking, heat, fever, or the drainage of pus. An infection often causes tenderness to the touch or pain with movement at the site of the infection. Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor. Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury Home Treatment Home treatment may be all that is needed for a finger, hand, or wrist problem. • Remove all rings , bracelets, watches, or any other jewellery from your finger, wrist, or arm as soon as you notice swelling. It will be harder to remove the jewellery after swelling increases. • Use rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) for pain and swelling. • Treat hands sensitive to cold by avoiding and protecting your hands from the cold. • Avoid sleeping on your hands, which may decrease blood flow to your fingers. • Treat blisters on fingers or hands. • Stop, change, or take a break from your activities. Try a non-prescription medicine to help treat your pain: • Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): o Ibuprofen, such as Advil or Motrin o Naproxen, such as Aleve • ASA (also a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as Bayer or Bufferin Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine. Medicine you can buy without a prescription Be sure to follow these safety tips when you use a non-prescription medicine: • Carefully read and follow all directions on the medicine bottle and box. • Do not take more than the recommended dose. • Do not take a medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to it in the past. • If you have been told to avoid a medicine, call your doctor before you take it. • If you are or could be pregnant, do not take any medicine other than acetaminophen unless your doctor has told you to. • Do not give ASA to anyone younger than age 20 unless your doctor tells you to. Safety tips