Do you suffer from regular wrist pain? Wondering if it’s from arthritis? Arthritis affects millions of Americans annually. Although arthritis can affect any joint, this disease can be particularly debilitating when it affects the wrist.
Risk Factors
The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is typically not associated with any other medical illness. The risk of developing this disease increases with age. It is also more common in females, in obese patients, and in someone with a prior history of a wrist injury. People who have had a wrist fracture before or dislocation, or ligament injury are at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the future. This risk is even greater if the previous injury was not treated. People who have a history of other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or psoriatic arthritis are also at increased risk. Genetics may also be a contributing factor to developing osteoarthritis.
Symptoms
The most common symptom people have is a pain. The pain usually starts slowly but then becomes more frequent and more intense. It is often described as achy and is typically worse at the end of the day. Loss of range of motion often accompanies the pain. People also report that the wrist is swollen or deformed. As the pain worsens, people will often limit the use of the affected wrist, which can result in secondary weakness. In some cases, there can be advanced joint deformity but with limited pain.
Physical Examination
Patients with worsening arthritis in the wrist demonstrate swelling, stiffness, and progressive deformity of the joint. There can also be clicking or other noises in the joint. The exam is tailored to find out which bones of the wrist are affected and what the cause may be.
Diagnostic Tests
An X-ray examination of the wrist is used to determine the areas of joint damage and how far along the arthritis is. X-rays can also show old injuries/fractures that may have led to the pain. A CT scan or MRI may be necessary for people who have less obvious signs of arthritis or to look for injuries to the ligaments. In addition, blood tests may be ordered in cases where rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or other systemic illnesses are suspected. Although it is rare, it may be necessary to take a sample of joint fluid if an infection is suspected.
Nonsurgical Treatment Options
There are several nonsurgical treatments for arthritis of the wrist. Early on, the symptoms can be treated with splinting, physical therapy, activity modifications, oral anti-inflammatory medications, and selective steroid injections. The injections can relieve symptoms for up to six months and can be repeated several times. Patients who are found to have other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are treated with medications geared toward reducing inflammation from the disease. People can have good use of the wrist and pain relief for many years without requiring surgery.
Surgical Treatment
People who have exhausted nonsurgical treatments are candidates for surgical reconstruction of the wrist. Surgery is geared towards halting the progression of arthritis. The mainstays of surgical treatment include selective fusion (arthrodesis) of the wrist bones, selective removal of wrist bones around the arthritic areas, or repair of previously undetected injuries. These procedures usually result in good pain relief but at the expense of some range of motion. In advanced cases, complete fusion (arthrodesis) of the wrist bones becomes necessary to relieve pain. Complete wrist joint replacement (arthroplasty) can also be performed in selective cases.
At Advanced Specialty Care, our skilled team including surgeons Dr. Sohel Islam and Julia Toto, registered nurses and medical office staff treat a full range of wrist and hand maladies including carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s contractures, finger and nerve injuries, osteoarthritis, as well as many unsightly conditions such as ganglions, arthritic spurs, protruding veins, and skin blemishes. We are located in Danbury, in Fairfield County, Connecticut.