How to Help Your Aching Hands?

Hands can pick up heavy objects and do precise microsurgery. Due of the hand's 27 bones, numerous muscles, tendons, ligaments, and hundreds of nerve endings, which must fit into a small space, problems occur.

For women, picking up toys, cooking, and typing on the phone may damage your hands and arms. It's hard to pinpoint your hand's pain.

The time of day and how you're sitting or standing may affect your symptoms. Discomfort may spread over the arm or hand. Age, lifestyle, and family history raise the risk of hand or arm problems. Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in pregnant women due to fluid pressure on wrist nerves.

Keep reading to learn more about the causes of hand and arm pain and the most effective treatments for it.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Chronic Triggering Syndrome (CTS) is brought on by the progressive buildup of inflammation in the carpal tunnel, a narrow channel of bones and ligaments at the base of the hand, produced by repetitive tasks like texting and office work.

The swelling causes the nerves in the CT to get compressed, which causes pain and numbness in the fingers.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is more common in those with smaller carpal tunnels.

Symptoms − tingling or numbness in the hands and/or wrists.

Treatment − Pain medicines like aspirin or ibuprofen, cold packs, and wrist splints may all help ease symptoms of numbness and weakness.

Rub the joint between the forearm and the wrist.

Check with your doctor if your symptoms continue for further investigation into possible underlying reasons like arthritis.

Tennis Elbow

Injuries like this one may happen to anybody, regardless of whether they play tennis or not.

It's caused by a tear in the tendon that connects the muscle to the bone on the outside aspect of the upper arm.

Muscle strain may occur through overuse and repeated actions, such as when using a computer keyboard and mouse, or from twisting movements, such when spinning a screwdriver.

Symptoms − Elbow discomfort that progressively becomes worse, a weak grip, and pain that radiates outward from the elbow into the forearm are all symptoms of this condition.

Treatment − In this case, ice is the best solution.

Apply a cold pack to the uncomfortable region for 20 minutes, then remove it for 20 minutes, twice or thrice daily.

You shouldn't use heat since it might make inflammation worse.

Painkillers you can buy over the counter may help, but you shouldn't rely on them for more than 15 to 20 days a month.

Golfer’s Elbow

Tendonitis is often associated with racquet sports like tennis, badminton, and golf, particularly if improper equipment is used.

Inflammation of the tendons used to flex the wrist develops in the inner elbow in this ailment, as opposed to the outer elbow in tennis elbow.

Certain examples of such activities include painting, raking, and even some forms of exercise.

Golfer's elbow may also be brought on by upper-body strength training or yoga poses that involve flexing the hands against resistance.

Symptoms − inner elbow and/or inner forearm pain/tenderness.

It may hurt to shake hands or turn a doorknob. Your little and ring fingers may become numb, and you may have weakness in your hand and wrist.

Treatment − In addition to taking anti-inflammatory medication, you should rest your elbow and use an elastic Ace bandage to alleviate discomfort and swelling.

You may also try applying ice for five minutes at a time, twice a day, to the inside of your elbow.

Blackberry Finger (De Quervain's tenosynovitis)

Thumb discomfort caused due to inflammation of the sheathing around the two tendons that govern the thumb, known as De Quervain's tenosynovitis, may be triggered by the excessive and chronic use of portable gadgets like mobile phones.

It's common among new moms who pick up their babies with their thumbs extended and their wrists curved towards their little fingers.

Putting stress on the skin by pinching, squeezing, or wringing out clothing may also trigger de Quervain's.

Symptoms − Pain, soreness, weakness, and swelling on the thumb side of the wrist. Difficulty gripping and grasping items; swelling on the thumb side of the wrist.

Treatment − Splints may provide your thumbs and wrists with the rest and support they need.

Avoid uncomfortable or swelling-inducing activities, such as repeated motions, and apply ice to the affected region.

If you find no relief from these methods, ask your doctor about taking anti-inflammatory medicines orally or getting an injection of cortisone.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis may be brought on by years of use, an accident, getting older, or even your genetic make-up (OA).

Damaged cartilage in the joints causes painful rubbing of the bone surfaces.

Hands are the most common site of infection, and long-term exposure may cause joint degeneration.

It's one of the 120 recognized types of arthritis, and it's quite frequent.

Symptoms − Pain may be made worse by activities like typing, writing, crocheting, lifting heavy weights, or being outside in wet or humid conditions.

Mornings are the worst for joint stiffness, and the joints at the very end of the body, at the tips of the fingers, are most prone to this problem.

Even a little swelling may be a sign of OA.

Treatment − If you can, take a break from working with your hands and treat any discomfort with over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen. Sometimes more powerful painkillers are needed, and your doctor may prescribe such.

Follow these stretches regularly to keep your joints mobile and pain-free. Warm water on the hands before stretching helps the joints in the fingers and wrists relax and allow you to maintain the position for longer.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Experts don't know exactly what sets off RA, but they know that it causes severe swelling in most of the fingers and other joints because the immune system mistakenly thinks it's attacking foreign substances.

Symptoms − In most cases, discomfort will be felt in the middle knuckle and the palm of the affected hand. Joint stiffness and discomfort with RA may continue for hours, even a whole day, while they tend to aggravate first thing in the morning with osteoarthritis.

Treatment − In most cases, discomfort will be felt in the middle knuckle and the palm of the affected hand. Joint stiffness and discomfort with RA may continue for hours, even a whole day, while they tend to aggravate first thing in the morning with osteoarthritis.