Wrist Pain, Adult
There are many things that can cause wrist pain. Some common causes include:
- An injury to the wrist area.
- Overuse of the joint.
- A condition that causes too much pressure to be put on a nerve in the wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome).
- Wear and tear of the joints that happens as a person gets older (osteoarthritis).
- Other types of arthritis.
Sometimes, the cause of wrist pain is not known. Often, the pain goes away when you follow your doctor’s instructions for helping pain at home, such as resting or icing your wrist. If your wrist pain does not go away, it is important to tell your doctor.
Follow these instructions at home:
- Rest the wrist area for 48 hours or more, or as long as told by your doctor.
- If a
splint or elastic bandage has been put on your wrist, use it as told by
your doctor.
- Take off the splint or bandage only as told by your doctor.
- Loosen the splint or bandage if your fingers tingle, lose feeling (get numb), or turn cold or blue.
If directed, apply ice to the injured area:
- If you have a removable splint or elastic bandage, remove it as told by your doctor.
- Put ice in a plastic bag.
- Place a towel between your skin and the bag or between your splint or bandage and the bag.
- Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
- Keep your arm raised (elevated) above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
Contact a doctor if:
- You have a sudden sharp pain in the wrist, hand, or arm that is different or new.
- The swelling or bruising on your wrist or hand gets worse.
- Your skin becomes red, gets a rash, or has open sores.
- Your pain does not get better or it gets worse.
Get help right away if:
- You lose feeling in your fingers or hand.
- Your fingers turn white, very red, or cold and blue.
- You cannot move your fingers.
- You have a fever or chills.
Wrist Pain, Pediatric
There are many things that can cause wrist pain. Some common causes include:
- Growing pains.
- An injury to the wrist area, such as a sprain, strain, or fracture.
- Overuse of the joint.
Sometimes, the cause of wrist pain is not known. Often, the pain goes away when you follow instructions from your child’s health care provider for relieving pain at home, such as resting or icing the wrist. If your child’s wrist pain continues, it is important to tell your child’s health care provider.
Follow these instructions at home:
- Have your child rest the wrist area for at least 48 hours, or as long as told by your child’s health care provider.
If a splint or elastic bandage has been applied, have your child use it as told by your child’s health care provider.
- Remove the splint or bandage only as told by your child’s health care provider.
- Loosen the splint or bandage if your child’s fingers tingle, become numb, or turn cold and blue.
If directed, apply ice to the injured area:
- If your child has a removable splint or elastic bandage, remove it as told by your child’s health care provider.
- Put ice in a plastic bag.
- Place a towel between your child’s skin and the bag or between your child’s splint or bandage and the bag.
- Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.
- Have your child keep his or her arm raised (elevated) above the level of the heart while he or she is sitting or lying down.
- Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider. Do notgive your child aspirin because of the association with Reye syndrome.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.
Contact a health care provider if:
- Your child has a sudden sharp pain in the wrist, hand, or arm that is different or new.
- The swelling or bruising on your child’s wrist or hand gets worse.
- Your child’s skin becomes red, gets a rash, or has open sores.
- Your child’s pain does not get better or it gets worse.
Get help right away if:
- Your child loses feeling in his or her fingers or hand.
- Your child’s fingers turn white, very red, or cold and blue.
- Your child cannot move his or her fingers.
- Your child has a fever or chills.
