Pain and Stiffness in the Hand or Wrist

Pain or stiffness in the hand or wrist can interfere with daily activities and limit movement. These symptoms may be caused by injury, arthritis, inflammation or nerve irritation. At Novant Health, our orthopedic specialists diagnose the underlying cause and offer personalized treatment to help relieve pain and improve hand function.

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Overview

Symptoms

Common symptoms of hand and wrist pain and stiffness include:

Pain

Aching, sharp or throbbing pain
Pain that worsens with movement or gripping
Pain that radiates up the arm

Stiffness

Difficulty bending fingers or wrist
Morning stiffness
Stiffness after periods of rest

Causes

There are a wide variety of hand and wrist conditions that may cause pain. The location of the pain and any known injuries can help to narrow down some of the more common causes:

Whole hand and wrist pain

Hand and wrist arthritis (osteoarthritis)
Hand and wrist arthritis (rheumatoid)
Carpal tunnel syndrome

Wrist pain

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
Ganglion cysts
Hand and wrist osteoarthritis
Tendonitis
SLAC wrist
Ulnocarpal abutment

Palm pain

Pain at heel of palm
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Pain at base of thumb
Trigger thumb
Thumb CMC (basal joint) arthritis
Pain at base of fingers
Trigger finger

Finger pain

Trigger finger or thumb
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Cubital tunnel syndrome
Hand and wrist arthritis (osteoarthritis)
Hand bone

Common hand and wrist injuries by location

Whole hand and wrist injuries

Hand and wrist fractures
Wrist and finger sprains
Complex regional pain syndrome

Wrist injuries

Distal radius fracture
Scaphoid fracture

Wrist and finger sprains

Scapholunate ligament injuries
SLAC wrist
TFCC injuries

Hand injuries

Metacarpal fracture
Boxer’s fracture

Finger injuries

Phalanx fracture
Mallet finger
Tendon injuries/lacerations

Thumb injuries

UCL injuries (gamekeeper’s or skier’s thumb)

Diagnosis

Your care team will ask about the history of your pain and stiffness and perform a physical exam. This will include checking the range of motion, feeling for any tenderness or swelling, assessing your grip strength and looking for any deformities. You may also need imaging or laboratory tests to narrow down what is happening and identify the best path for treatment.

Why treatment matters

Seeking prompt treatment can help prevent worsening damage and protect nerve function. Early care also helps maintain strength and hand function, since pain and stiffness may cause you to use your hand less, which can lead to weakness, reduced grip strength and loss of fine motor skills. Treatment can also prevent chronic pain — many conditions can start mild but become chronic if not addressed. Having pain in your hand and wrist can affect many things you do — driving, typing, lifting and even sleeping.

Take the next step

Our board-certified specialists are here to help you heal. They can often diagnose the problem in one visit and get you started with a personalized treatment plan. We offer a wide variety of treatment options.