What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
- Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve as it travels through the wrist within the tunnel formed by the carpal bones (make up floor of tunnel) and a ligament arching over the top.
What are some of the typical causes of a carpal tunnel syndrome?
- The most common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is "unknown".
- It can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis or other systemic diseases that affect the nerves.
- It can also be caused by repetitive use of the wrist and hand, especially in work.
What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?
- Numbness, tingling, and burning sensations in the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
- Pain in the wrist and hand, weakness in grip strength.
What are some initial treatments?
- Rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, wrist splints, changes to workstation, and simple wrist exercises are all worth trying initially.
What is DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis?
- Tenosynovitis is an inflammation or irritation of the sheath that surrounds the tendons that attach muscles to bone. These sheaths allow tendons to move freely and smoothly when muscles are contracting.
- DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis in an inflammation or irritation of the sheath surrounding the tendons that move the thumb.
What are some of the typical causes of DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis?
- DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis is caused by repetitive use of the hand. It can also develop after trauma or an acute injury.
What are the symptoms of DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis?
- Pain at the base of the thumb with movement, use of the thumb, making a fist, or at rest.
What are some initial treatments?
- Wrist and thumb splint, ice, anti-inflammatories, rest.
What is a finger fracture?
- A finger fracture is a break in any of the bones of the fingers.
What are some of the typical causes of a finger fracture?
- Finger fractures are typically caused by traumatic impacts to the fingers.
What are the symptoms of a finger fracture?
- Pain and swelling in and around the area of the fracture.
- The fingers not lining up like they normally do.
What are some initial treatments?
- Finger fractures should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. X-rays will determine the appropriate type of treatment.
- Ice, anti-inflammatories, and buddy taping the fingers are things that maybe done prior to seeing a healthcare professional.
What is a finger sprain?
- A finger sprain is an injury to one or several of the small ligaments that connect and stabilize the bones of the finger.
What are some of the typical causes of a finger sprain?
- Finger sprains are typically caused by impact the fingers causing them to bend and overstretch the connecting ligaments.
What are the symptoms of a finger sprain?
- Pain and swelling at the joints of the fingers. Decreased grip strength. Inability to move the fingers in their normal motion.
What are some initial treatments?
- Rest, ice, finger splints or buddy taping, anti-inflammatories.
What is a flexor tendon injury?
- The flexor tendons are the tendons on the palm side of the fingers that facilitate the bending of the fingers and making a fist.
- A flexor tendon injury is a strain or tear of these tendons.
What are some of the typical causes of a flexor tendon injury?
- This injury is typically caused by a forceful grabbing of an object while there is resistance in the opposite direction (grabbing an opponent’s jersey, rock climbing, etc)
- This injury can also occur when the finger is cut by a sharp object.
What are the symptoms of a flexor tendon injury?
- Pain & swelling at the site of injury, inability to bend the finger, bruising, a lump/bump on the finger where the tendon coils.
What are some initial treatments?
- Ice, splinting, anti-inflammatories. These injuries require a healthcare professional evaluation as they may need surgical treatment.
What is trigger finger?
- Trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, is a thickening of the sheath that surrounds the tendons of the fingers.
- This thickening causes a snapping or triggering when attempting to bend or straighten the fingers.
What are some of the typical causes of trigger finger?
- Repetitive and forceful use of the hands can cause trigger finger.
- Systemic inflammatory conditions can cause trigger finger.
- Many times, there is no identifiable cause of trigger finger.
What are the symptoms of trigger finger?
- Pain and swelling in the thumb of affected finger, snapping, popping, or triggering with use, feeling a nodule, and the sensation of catching are all potential symptoms.
What are some initial treatments?
- Ice and anti-inflammatories are some initial treatments.
- A health care professional may provide an anti-inflammatory injection to treat this condition.
What is a wrist sprain?
- A wrist sprain is a stretching or tearing of one or more of the ligaments that connect the bones of the wrist.
What are some of the typical causes of a wrist sprain?
- A wrist sprain is typically caused by forceful impact to the wrist, whether by falling on the wrist or impact on the wrist by another object.
What are the symptoms of a wrist sprain?
- Pain, swelling, tenderness at the wrist, decreased range of motion of the wrist.
What are some initial treatments?
- Rest, ice, anti-inflammatories, wrist splints/braces.