Hand Fractures
A sprained ankle can be a painful and frustrating setback, whether you’re an athlete, a busy parent, or someone who simply enjoys staying active. While rest is essential, there are,
What Causes Hand Pain?
May 10, 2025 6:00 am / Category: Rausch Physical Therapy
Hand pain can stem from various causes, from everyday overuse to chronic conditions like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Stiffness, swelling, or sharp discomfort can mean repetitive strain injuries, nerve compression, joint inflammation, or even poor ergonomics at work. Let’s explore the most frequent causes of hand pain and how to identify them. At Rausch PT, our sport-specific, licensed physical therapists combine their expertise in human mechanics with the clinic’s innovative rehab and performance technologies to help patients get healthy, stay healthy, and reach their goals. Come on in and meet with us!
What Causes Hand Pain?
Hand pain can happen for many reasons. An injury or disease of the muscles, nerves, or tendons in your hand can cause pain. Arthritis, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome are common causes of hand pain.
Hand pain can often be cured or the symptoms can be managed with treatment. Your doctor can suggest treatments depending on the cause.
De Quervain Tenosynovitis
This is also called de Quervain tendinosis. It causes pain and swelling in the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist.
Symptoms include:
- Pain and/or swelling close to the base of your thumb
- Trouble moving your wrist when you’re pinching or grabbing something
- A feeling like your thumb is “sticking” when moving it
Pain can also travel the length of your thumb and up your forearm.
If you have de Quervain tenosynovitis, it can be painful to:
- Make a fist
- Grasp or hold objects
- Turn your wrist
Repetitive activities and overuse are often the cause of de Quervain tenosynovitis. It can also be caused by:
- Arthritis
- Wrist or tendon injury that causes scar tissue to form
- A buildup of fluid, possibly due to hormonal changes in pregnancy
Pain relief treatments include:
- A splint to rest the thumb and wrist
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Cortisone shots
Surgery may be an option if symptoms remain severe after you have tried other treatments.
Skier’s Thumb
Skier’s thumb is an injury to a ligament (a thick band of tissue that connects bones) inside your thumb. Skiers sometimes get this injury when they fall with a ski pole in their hand. The fall tears or stretches the ligament. Any accident that pulls your thumb out farther than it’s meant to go can cause skier’s thumb.
The inside of your thumb will feel tender. It may also be:
- Bruised
- Red
- Swollen
If you have skier’s thumb, your thumb may bend to the side more easily than usual. It may be hard for you to hold things or turn knobs.
Ways to treat the pain include:
- Anti-inflammatory pills, gel, cream, or patch
- Ice
- Physical therapy
If your ligament is partially torn, you may need to wear a cast for 4 weeks to hold your thumb still. Then you wear a splint for 2 weeks. You can take the splint off to do exercises to increase movement in your injured thumb.
Surgery is the only way to treat a complete tear. After a surgeon fixes the torn ligament, you’ll wear a cast on the hand for 4 weeks. Then you’ll wear a splint for 2 weeks, and do exercises to regain movement in your hand.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This is one of the most common nerve disorders of the hand. It causes pain in the:
- Palm and some fingers of your hand
- Wrist
- Forearm
Often the pain is worse at night than during the day. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also cause:
- Weakness
- Tingling
- Numbness
You may especially feel it in your thumb, index finger, and middle finger. This can make it hard to grip objects.
The discomfort happens when swelling constricts the median nerve. The median nerve controls sensation and muscle impulses in your thumb and most of the fingers (except for your pinkie finger and the half of your ring finger that’s closest to your pinkie finger).
- Resting the hand and wrist
- Anti-inflammatory or analgesic painkillers
- Wrist splints
- Steroid shots
- Physical therapy
Your doctor may suggest surgery if your symptoms don’t get better with treatment.
Hand Fractures
A fracture, or a break in a bone, can cause a lot of hand pain. Besides pain, after a fracture you may have:
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Loss of movement
- Unstable joint
- Overlapping fingers
- Numbness in your fingers
If you have fractured a finger, for example, you may not be able to move it fully. Your injured finger might be slightly shorter than usual.
Arthritis
This is a common cause of hand pain. The tough tissue on the ends of your bones called cartilage that allows them to move smoothly against each other starts to break down. As this happens, the bones rub against each other and can cause swelling, irritation, and pain.
- Base of your thumb
- Middle joint of one or more fingers
- End joint, which is closest to your finger tip
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It can happen with aging or following an injury, such as a fracture or dislocation. When it affects your hand, it causes:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Stiffness
Bony nodules may also form at the middle or end joints of your fingers. Osteoarthritis can also cause deep, aching pain at the base of the thumb. The hand may also become weaker, making everyday activities difficult.
Treatment depends on how bad your pain and loss of function is. It might include:
- Anti-inflammatory or analgesic painkillers
- Splints for the fingers or wrist
- Heat and cold therapy
- Corticosteroids
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
If these treatments do not provide relief, your doctor might recommend surgery.
Trigger Finger
Doctors call this stenosing tenosynovitis. It causes your fingers or thumb to lock in a bent position. It can be painful, especially when you bend or straighten the affected finger or thumb.
The condition develops when the flexor tendons, which control the movements of your fingers and thumb, become irritated. This can make them thicken within the tendon sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons. Nodules may also form on the affected tendons. The sheath itself may thicken, too.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
- Diabetes
Trigger finger is more common in adults between ages 40 and 60.
Rest, sometimes while wearing a splint, may fix the problem. Over-the-counter pain medications can ease the pain. Corticosteroid injections (steroid shots) often can help relieve symptoms. Your doctor may recommend surgery if other treatments fail.
Ganglion Cysts
A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled lump in your hand. It grows from joints and tendons in your fingers and wrists. It’s the most common type of lump in the hand.
Doctors don’t know what causes ganglion cysts. You’re more likely to get them if you are:
- Assigned female at birth
- Between ages 15 and 40
- A gymnast and put a lot of stress on your wrists
If the cyst presses on a nerve, it can cause pain, tingling, and weakness.
You don’t have to treat a cyst if it doesn’t cause symptoms. Wearing a wrist brace or splint can shrink the cyst. Your doctor can drain the fluid out of the cyst if it hurts, but the cyst could grow back.
Surgery may be an option if these treatments don’t work. Your doctor can remove the cyst and the stalk it grows from.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy happens when nerves outside your brain or spinal cord are damaged. You might feel pain, weakness, and numbness in your hands and feet. Other areas of your body may also be affected, as well as body functions like digestion.
Causes of peripheral neuropathy include:
- Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
- Type 2 diabetes
- Infections such as Lyme disease, shingles, hepatitis, and HIV
- Low vitamin B levels
- Chemotherapy
- Heavy metals like lead or mercury
- A tumor or other growth that presses on a nerve
Treatment depends on the cause.
These medications can help:
- Pain relievers
- Antidepressant medicines
- Anti-seizure medicines
Other treatments include:
- Physical therapy
- Braces and special footwear
- Visiting a foot doctor (podiatrist)
- Surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve or reconnect nerves
Hand Pain and Numbness
These symptoms may come and go. Constant hand pain and numbness could be a sign of more serious nerve damage. It’s important to treat nerve injuries quickly. See a doctor if symptoms like pain, weakness, and tingling don’t go away.
Pins and Needles in Hands When Sleeping
If you wake up with a prickly sensation in your hands, your sleep position could be the cause. Some positions put pressure on nerves in your hand or wrist.
You’re more likely to have numbness and tingling in your hands if you sleep with your:
- Hands under your head or pillow
- Elbows bent more than 90 degrees
- Fists closed
Sleep on your back with your arms at your sides or on pillows to take pressure off the nerves in your hands. Or sleep on your side with your arms on a pillow.
Hand pain holding you back? We can help. Get Rausch PT expert insights into the causes and explore personalized treatment plans. Call our physical therapy center today at 949-276-5401. For more tips, you can also connect to our IG.
Reference: [https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/hand-pain-causes]
