Published on: November 7, 2024 | Updated on: January 18, 2025
The wrist forms a complex joint at the end of the forearm, connecting the two arm bones, called the radius and ulna, to the five bones of the fingers. Together, these eight carpal bones and three joints perform many functions, such as stabilization, flexion, and extension.
The eight carpal bones have a joint capsule around them that supports the wrist and lubricates the structures to reduce friction. The passage between the bones and ligaments is called a carpal tunnel, which has the median nerve.
Nerve compression, repetitive hand movements, dislocation of a joint, or a fracture can cause wrist pain, which affects our grip and movement.
Restricted movement and pain may make you wonder, why does my wrist hurt? Let’s find out the most common reasons for wrist pain and its treatment options.
What Is Wrist Pain?
Any type of pain or discomfort at the end of your forearm classifies as wrist pain. Performing many routine tasks causes joint pain or compresses the median nerve.
Wrist pain from wear and tear, overusing the joint through repetitive movements, or lifting objects with a poor grip also causes wrist pain.
A sudden trauma or accident can also cause wrist pain, or it may develop over time as a result of repetitive stress injury.
If you haven’t had an injury, a musculoskeletal disorder could be causing wrist pain. About 43% of the people experience a musculoskeletal disorder, with wrist pain accounting for 13% of the total population.
If wrist pain affects daily activities, you should look into the symptoms to recognize and manage the condition effectively.
Symptoms of Wrist Pain
Wrist pain presents numerous symptoms depending on the underlying cause. Here are some common symptoms of wrist pain.
- Sharp pain
- Dull aching pain
- Numbness around the joint
- Tingling sensation in the fingers
- Swelling of the wrist
- Inflammation and redness around the wrist
- Swollen fingers
- Warmth in the wrist joint
- Weakened grip
- Pain that radiates to the forearm
- Difficulty making a fist
Why Does My Wrist Hurt? Eight Common Causes
Why does my wrist hurt? You may ask yourself this question when the wrist pain restricts movement, affecting your daily activities. Let’s investigate some common causes, including underlying health issues, to determine the exact cause.
1. Wrist Sprain
A wrist sprain is an injury to the ligament. Wrist sprains make your wrist hurt when you put pressure on your joints and ligaments. Difficulty moving your fingers, a radiating pain, or a dull, aching pain in your wrist are the symptoms of a wrist sprain.
2. Wrist Strain
A strain is a common wrist injury to the muscles or tendons. Any trauma to the wrist muscles or tendons causes swelling, discoloration, muscle spasms, and pain. If you experience a dull, aching pain constantly, it could be because of a wrist strain.
3. Wrist Fractures
The wrist has eight bones. A trauma or injury to any of these bones can cause a fracture, which is a break in the bone.
Wrist fractures also occur with strains and sprains. Applying pressure on your wrist would cause sharp pain. Other symptoms include cracking or popping sound at the time of injury, swelling, numbness, or a tingling sensation in the wrist and fingers.
Medical imaging, such as an X-ray, could help diagnose a fracture through a radiograph.
4. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
The wrist joint supports motor skills, including movements such as grasping and twisting. Constant pain in the wrist may make you wonder, why does my wrist hurt?
If you haven’t experienced an injury and you have constant pain in the wrist, one leading cause could be repetitive strain injury (RSI). RSI results from repeatedly using the wrist.
For example, gamers, hairdressers, instrumentalists, or those who use powerful tools to work in production lines are at a higher risk of developing repetitive strain injuries.
Symptoms of RSI include a pulsating sensation in the wrist, tingling in the fingers, or numbness in the hand and arm. Loss of sensation and strength also accompany RSI.
5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
About 3-5% of adults in the US have carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common workplace injury that affects people who perform repetitive wrist movements.
For example, typing on a keyboard for hours or repetitive mouse clicks cause CTS. The median nerve runs through the passage between the wrist bones and ligaments. Median nerve compression causes tingling, numbness, and wrist pain.
6. Dislocation
Dislocation refers to when a bone pushes out of its usual position in the joint. The wrist, made up of eight small bones, can get dislocated—although the chances are very low.
If any wrist bones push out of their usual position, you will experience sharp, severe pain. Putting pressure on your wrist makes the pain worse.
To be sure about a dislocated wrist, look for symptoms such as bruising, swelling, redness around the wrist, sharp pain, and weakened hand strength before seeking medical attention.
7. Tendonitis
Tendons are connective tissues that attach the muscle to the bone. An inflammation of a tendon is called tendonitis. The most common type of wrist tendonitis is De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.
This affects the tendons near the thumb. Symptoms include wrist pain, swelling at the base of your fingers, stiffness of the wrist joint, and difficulty moving your wrist.
8. Arthritis
The two types of arthritis that cause wrist pain are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that damages the joint, while osteoarthritis refers to wear and tear of the cartilage.
Both conditions cause wrist pain. In osteoarthritis, the pain results from the wear and tear of the smooth cartilage at the end of the wrist bone. The friction and inflammation in the wrist cause pain.
How to Treat Wrist Pain?
While most types of wrist pain resolve on their own, a few tips might help. Minor wrist strains and sprains respond well to ice. You can apply a cold compress to the wrist to relieve inflammation and numbness.
If the wrist pain is from an injury or trauma, delayed diagnosis can make it worse and affect healing. You should consult a healthcare provider before the pain becomes worse. If you’re experiencing a reduced range of motion, consult a physiotherapist to prevent long-term disability.
Wrap Up
You can resolve minor wrist pain by taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as NSAIDs or steroid injections. These medications are good for reducing inflammation, easing discomfort, and relieving pain temporarily.
Your other treatment options include physiotherapy for the wrist movement as it strengthens the wrist muscles.
Some techniques, such as joint mobilization, also relieve pain. If the pain still leaves you questioning yourself, why does my wrist hurt? It is best to consult a doctor for a medical diagnosis.
Sources
Footnotes
- Presazzi A, Bortolotto C, Zacchino M, Madonia L, Draghi F. Carpal tunnel: Normal anatomy, anatomical variants and ultrasound technique. J Ultrasound. 2011 Mar;14(1):40-6.
- Chen N, Li G, Sun X, Zhang M, Zhang H, Ling R, Liu Y, Li G, Ren Z, Yin Y. Prevalence status and associated factors of wrist postural injury in the Chinese occupational population. Front Public Health. 2022 Nov 23;10
- Allbrook V. The side of my wrist hurts: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Aust J Gen Pract. 2019 Nov;48(11):805-7.
References
- Anatomy of the Hand and Wrist. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Wrist Sprain. StatPearls. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Repetitive Strain Injury. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Joint Dislocation. ScienceDirect. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Hand and wrist bones. Mayo Clinic. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Osteoarthritis of the Wrist. Boston Medical Center. Accessed 09/11/2024.
- Topical NSAIDs Offer Joint Pain Relief. Arthritis Foundation. Accessed 09/11/2024.
CELLAXYS does not offer Stem Cell Therapy as a cure for any medical condition. No statements or treatments presented by Cellaxys have been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This site contains no medical advice. All statements and opinions are provided for educational and informational purposes only.
Dr Pejman Bady
Author
Dr. Pejman Bady began his career over 20 years ago in Family/Emergency Medicine, working in fast-paced emergency departments in Nevada and Kansas. He has served the people of Las Vegas as a physician for over two decades. Throughout this time, he has been met with much acclaim and is now the head of Emergency Medical Services in Nye County, Nevada. More about the doctor on this page.
Dr Pouya Mohajer
Contributor
Pouya Mohajer, M.D. is the Director of Spine and Interventional Medicine for CELLAXYS: Age, Regenerative, and Interventional Medicine Centers. He has over 20 years of experience in pain management, perioperative medicine, and anesthesiology. Dr. Mohajer founded and is the Medical Director of Southern Nevada Pain Specialists and PRIMMED Clinics. He has dedicated his career to surgical innovation and scientific advancement. More about the doctor on this page.