Understanding The Various Causes Of Hand Pain

Hands are the most complex and also delicate structures made up of an intricate network of tissues, muscles, bones and nerve connections to facilitate the varied movements.

There are a number of causes of hand pain, the following range from mild to severe triggers which can result in temporary or chronic hand pain.

Injury
One of the common causes of hand pain can be an injury. Ranging from mild and severe to even traumatic injuries, they can affect the complex yet the delicate structure of your hand. Your hands are more exposed and vulnerable to sustaining injuries than any other body part for that matter. Fractures are very common causing severe hand pain, as there are 27 small bones which can be broken in a number of ways. Straining and spraining of muscles can also result in hand pain causing discomfort and limiting your gross motor skills.

Trigger finger
This is a complex condition, medically known as Stenosing Tenosynovitis. It forces either one of your fingers or thumb to get stuck in a bent position. This causes severe hand pain, caused due to swelling of the tendons that pass through the tendon sheath. The tendons and muscle flexing through the sheath control the movement of fingers which is affected when you suffer from trigger finger.

Exposure to extreme cold
A condition which is also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, the fingers, and toes when exposed to cold temperatures become numb. This might not sound so severe, however prolonged exposure and improper or inadequate treatment can aggravate the condition resulting in complications. This is one of the major causes of hand pain and can be identified with visible symptoms like fingers changing color, increased numbness and tingling sensation, developing sores or even gangrene caused due to overexposure or any infection.

Nerve damage
The brain is your control center which also monitors every single muscle and bone movement in the body through an intricate and delicate network of nerves running throughout. Nerves carry the impulses which control all your gross motor skills, thereby controlling movement and actions. Nerve damage can cause numbness, hand pain, and even weakness in your hands and feet. This condition is also known as peripheral neuropathy and can cause severe hand pain due to the peripheral nerves damaged due to a number of causes like infections, traumatic injuries, diabetes, and even problems in your metabolism.

Swelling of tendons
Commonly referred to as De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis, the tendons at the base of your thumb are affected. The swelling and inflammation of these two tendons put pressure on the nerves resulting in hand pain and numbness around the thumb. The thumbs play a vital role while grabbing or even doing normal hand movements to accomplish basic tasks, which is why the symptoms of swelling of tendons should not be overlooked and immediate medical attention is necessary.

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Perhaps one of the most alarming conditions which can lead to severe hand pain. The nerve impulses control motion, wherein the median nerve which runs through the carpal tunnel control finger and hand movements. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a result of this narrow passageway blocked forcing the lining to press on the median nerve, thus cutting of the nerve impulse ultimately affecting movement. Inflammation and swelling are the main culprits that cause the carpal tunnel to narrow forcing itself on the median nerve.

Arthritis
Inflammation is one of the major symptoms of arthritis, which can lead to severe hand pain and complications. Arthritis is a condition which affects your hands and feet, among other areas and it is one of the chronic autoimmune disorders affecting millions. Osteoarthritis, in particular, will lead to complications in the hands and feet as the joints, ligaments and tendons will go through a lot of wear and tear over the years. Severe hand pain is a result due to wear and tear of the articular cartilage which facilitates the smooth movement of the bones connecting to one another, thus providing the much-needed cushion.

Gout
It refers to a condition in which you can experience sudden attacks of pain in your joints. Gout is one of the major forms of arthritis and can cause severe pain commonly affecting your hands, wrists, knees or even your feet. Although the causes of gout or arthritis, in general, are unknown, there are a number of triggers that lead to severe hand pain caused by these autoimmune disorders. Several forms of arthritis result in hand pain which is why the condition should be diagnosed and treated promptly to avoid complications and even crippling deformities.

Lupus
Hand pain can also be caused due to lupus, which is another autoimmune disease. These diseases turn your immune system against your body and force the same to attack healthy cells, resulting in a number of health complications.

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