This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Topic Overview At one time or another, everyone has had a minor injury to a finger, hand, or wrist that caused pain or swelling.
Finger, hand, or wrist injuries most commonly occur during: Sports or recreational activities. Work-related tasks.
Work or projects around the home, especially if using machinery such as lawn mowers, snow blowers, or hand tools. Accidental falls. Sudden acute injury An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall, or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally.
Acute injuries include: Bruises. After a wrist or hand injury, bruising may extend to the fingers from the effects of gravity. Injuries to ligaments , such as a skier's thumb injury. Injuries to tendons , such as mallet finger.
Injuries to joints sprains. Pulled muscles strains. Broken bones fractures , such as a wrist fracture. Crushing injury, which can lead to compartment syndrome. Overuse injuries Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on a joint or other tissue, often by "overdoing" an activity or repeating the same activity.
Overuse injuries include the following: Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on a nerve median nerve in the wrist. The symptoms include tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain of the fingers and hand. Tendon pain is actually a symptom of tendinosis, a series of very small tears microtears in the tissue in or around the tendon. In addition to pain and tenderness, common symptoms of tendon injury include decreased strength and movement in the affected area.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis can occur in the hand and wrist when tendons and the tendon covering sheath on the thumb side of the wrist swell and become inflamed.
Treatment Treatment for a finger, hand, or wrist injury may include first aid measures; medicine; "buddy-taping" for support; application of a brace, splint, or cast; Physiotherapy; and in some cases, surgery. Treatment depends on: The location, type, and severity of the injury.
How long ago the injury occurred. Your age, health condition, and activities such as work, sports, or hobbies. Check Your Symptoms Do you have a finger, hand, or wrist injury? How old are you?
Less than 5 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have. If you are transgender or non-binary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms.
If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you. Has it been more than a month since the finger, hand, or wrist injury? Have you had finger, hand, or wrist surgery in the past month?
If a cast, splint, or brace is causing the problem, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it. Do you think that any of your fingers might have frostbite? Have you had a major trauma in the past 2 to 3 hours? Do you have severe bleeding that has not slowed down with direct pressure? Do you have symptoms of shock?
The symptoms in an adult or older child are different than the symptoms in a young child. Are you having trouble moving your fingers or hand normally? Can you move the fingers, hand, and wrist at all?
Have you had trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrist for more than 2 days? Is there any pain in the fingers, hand, or wrist? How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine? Signs of pain in a baby or toddler are different than signs of pain in an older child. Has the pain:. Gotten worse? Stayed about the same not better or worse? Gotten better? Do you have any pain in your fingers, hand, or wrist?
Has the pain lasted for more than 2 days? Is your hand blue, very pale, or cold and different from the other hand? If the hand or arm is in a cast, splint, or brace, follow the instructions you got about how to loosen it. Is any part of a finger partially or completely cut off? Is it more than the tip of the finger or more than half the size of a dime, or can you see the bone? Gently wash off any dirt, wrap the cut-off part in a clean cloth, put the wrapped part in a plastic bag, place the bag on ice to keep the digit cool and bring it to the hospital.
Was the finger or wrist twisted or bent out of its normal position, even if it is back in its normal position now? Is the finger or hand trapped in something, like a jar or a toy? Is there an object stuck in your finger or hand, and you can't get it out? This could be something like a nail, a needle, or a large piece of wood, metal, or plastic.
Has your hand or finger been injected with something under high pressure, like oil or paint from a sprayer? Is there any swelling or bruising?
Did you have swelling or bruising within 30 minutes of the injury? Has swelling lasted for more than 2 days? Do you have weakness, numbness, or tingling in your arm or hand that has lasted more than an hour? Weakness is being unable to use the arm or hand normally no matter how hard you try. Pain or swelling may make it hard to move, but that is not the same as weakness. Do you suspect that the injury may have been caused by abuse? This is a standard question that we ask in certain topics.
It may not apply to you. But asking it of everyone helps us to get people the help they need. Are there any symptoms of infection? Do you think the problem may be causing a fever? Are there red streaks leading away from the area or pus draining from it? Do you have diabetes, a weakened immune system , peripheral arterial disease, or any surgical hardware in the area?
Diabetes, immune problems, peripheral arterial disease, or surgical hardware in affected area. Do you think you may need a tetanus shot? Have you had symptoms for more than a week?
These include: Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker. Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner. Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners anticoagulants , medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
Recent health events , such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious. Your health habits and lifestyle , such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel. Try Home Treatment You have answered all the questions.
Try home treatment to relieve the symptoms. Call your doctor if symptoms get worse or you have any concerns for example, if symptoms are not getting better as you would expect. You may need care sooner. Pain in adults and older children Severe pain 8 to 10 : The pain is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
Moderate pain 5 to 7 : The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's there. Mild pain 1 to 4 : You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.
Major trauma is any event that can cause very serious injury, such as: A fall from more than 3. A car crash in which any vehicle involved was going more than 32 km 20 miles per hour. Any event that causes severe bleeding that you cannot control.
Any event forceful enough to badly break a large bone like an arm bone or leg bone. Pain in children under 3 years It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in. Severe pain 8 to 10 : The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do.
The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace. Moderate pain 5 to 7 : The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
Mild pain 1 to 4 : The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her. Pain in children 3 years and older Severe pain 8 to 10 : The pain is so bad that the child can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
No one can tolerate severe pain for more than a few hours. Moderate pain 5 to 7 : The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child's normal activities and sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days. Mild pain 1 to 4 : The child notices and may complain of the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities. Symptoms of infection may include: Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area. It can also happen if a person jams or cuts their finger.
A typical sign of mallet finger is a drooping fingertip that will not straighten without help. The finger may also be bruised, swollen, and painful. Splinting the injured finger can help with healing. In some cases, a person may need surgery or physical therapy.
Repetitive movements or overuse of the hands and wrists can cause the muscles, tendons, and nerves to become painful, sore, or tense. This type of pain typically results from carrying out very repetitive or high-intensity activities for long periods of time.
Holding the hands in awkward positions for too long can also lead to overuse injuries. Overuse injuries usually respond well to rest, hot or cold packs, and gentle stretching. Taking over-the-counter OTC medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen may also help reduce pain and swelling.
Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled lumps that can develop near joints and tendons in the hand and wrist. These cysts can vary size, but they are often harmless and disappear without treatment. Researchers do not yet understand what causes ganglion cysts, but they tend to be more common in younger people and females. Ganglion cysts do not usually require treatment.
If a person has pain or difficulties moving a joint, a doctor may recommend draining the cyst or removing it surgically. This swelling can affect the movement of the tendon, making it difficult or painful to move the affected finger or thumb. A person may also notice a popping sensation when trying to move the finger, or a feeling that the finger is catching on something. Scleroderma is a group of conditions that result in unusual growth of connective tissue under the skin or around internal organs.
All types of scleroderma can cause the skin of the fingers to thicken and tighten, which can make them difficult to move. Systemic scleroderma can also narrow the blood vessels of the hand, which can lead to pain and tingling. Scleroderma is a chronic condition with no cure.
However, steroids, blood pressure medications, and immunosuppressants can help relieve symptoms and prevent the condition from progressing. It often occurs in response to cold temperatures or stress. During a flare-up, blood flow to hands becomes severely reduced.
This may cause the fingers to lighten or become blue, and they may feel numb or painful. When the blood flow begins to return, the hands may appear red or purple. The length of these attacks can vary from less than 1 minute to several hours. However, making lifestyle changes and taking medications can help prevent flare-ups and reduce their severity. To check flexion, ensure that both deep and superficial flexor tendons are tested by holding the proximal interphalangeal joint still whilst asking the patient to flex the distal interphalangeal joint.
Extension should be tested by asking the patient to place their palm on the table and lift each finger up one at a time. Tendon injuries should be referred to an appropriate specialist for repair. Due to the exposed location and relatively small muscle bulk in the hand, injuries to the bones and joints of the hand are relatively common. Such injuries will include accidental amputation, fractures and dislocation injuries. Hand Menu ; Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics. Emerg Med Pract. Sports Med Arthrosc.
Epub May Hand N Y. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. Nonemergent evaluation. Am Fam Physician. I'm worried about falling asleep. Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions.
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