Wrist Arthritis - Diagnosis & Various Treatments

The bone fracture of the radius in the forearm is called distal radius fracture. It is often results due to a fall onto an outstretched hand. It is also known as wrist fracture because of its proximity to the wrist joint. Pain in your wrist may be a sign that your joints suffer from arthritis. This inflammatory condition includes symptoms like stiffness, swelling, and pain in the affected joints. There are specific types of distal radius fracture namely, Colles’ fracture, Smith’s fracture, Barton’s fracture, Chauffeur’s fracture. These names are applied to the specific patterns in which the radius suffers a fracture.

In order to diagnose your wrist arthritis, a doctor will examine if your wrist is swelling or not. Identifying the area of swelling the doctor can tell which wrist joint are most affected. From the movement of your fingers, doctors can easily diagnose the condition of the fracture and pain. Problems in the wrist can further affect the peripheral tendons. Initially, a doctor may advice you to wear a wrist splint for temporary or long-term arthritis relief. In order to get relief from pain, you need to avoid manual labour and playing any kind of sport and keep your hand at rest.

If you suffer from a moderate pain then steroid injections can bring you relief. However, if you suffer from disabling pain despite of medication and exercise, a doctor then recommends surgery as treatment for wrist arthritis. Wrist acts as a stabilizer for a hand and its efficient functioning and pain in wrist joints hinders proper functioning of the hand. In such a situation, doctors advice a patient to undergo a surgery. Surgery is recommended when all other treatments have failed to relieve you from pain. In a surgical treatment, a surgeon removes bones, fuse bones or replace them.

Distal Radius Fractures If Not Treated Well May Cause Severe Pain

Fracture is the medical term used for broken bones and most of the fractures of the forearm usually occur near the wrist (at the distal bone end), in the middle of the bone or near the elbow ie, at the proximal bone end. Radius and ulna are two of our forearm bones and they are at risk for growth plate fractures because they are made of cartilage. Majority of the forearm fractures involve wrist-end bone and thus are termed as the Distal Radius Fractures. One may fracture his forearm from a fall onto an outstretched arm, fall from a bike or an accident etc.    

One naturally place their hand on the ground when falls off or is thrown from a bike in order to control themselves and thus it is the most common mechanism of injury. Falling on a stretched out hand can cause numerous types of injury leading to broken bones or fractures. One of the most common fractures suffered by many is known as distal radius fracture. Distal radius is the large bone of the forearm that articulates with the smaller carpal bones in the wrist. The fracture will cause pain in the forearm slightly away from the wrist. If you have a severe break in your bones and if the bones are displaced then you will require immediate medical help to avoid further problems.     

A broken wrist causes pain and swelling and if not treated well may lead to wrist arthritis. It also causes a deformity, causing the wrist look bent due to pain and swelling. This will further restrict you to carry out your day-to-day work. Thus, it is important to see a doctor for a diagnosis. The first thing doctor will do is take an X-ray of your forearm to identify the severity of the fracture in order to recommend the correct treatment.

Wrist Arthritis

Wrist arthritis is very common. Wrist arthritis may occur from ligament injuries, fractures, or from chronic overuse. Wrist arthritis leads to pain, stiffness and often swelling of the wrist.
Regardless of why the wrist arthritis occurred, nonoperative treatment should usually be tried first.

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Basilar (Basal) Thumb Arthritis

The base of the thumb (the trapeziometacarpal joint) is commonly affected by arthritis. The arthritis often causes pain during pinching and gripping. It may be especially severe when opening jars or turning a key. It may progressively worsen until most/all hand activities become painful.

The

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Forearm Fracture Is A Major Cause Of Wrist Arthritis

Wrist arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis in which fingers are mainly affected. Unlike most of arthritis, people suffer from swollen joints that further results in severe pain. A joint is connected with two bones that are guarded by cartilage, are adjoined together, and move easily across each other. However, if this smooth surface gets damaged or wears out over time then it leads to arthritis.

Arthritis of the wrist is explicitly painful and weakening. It is because a human hand consists of nineteen bones and eight small bones with several small joints. The most common forms of wrist arthritis include osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Other causes of this pain include psoriasis, gout, and infection.

The main reason due to which you suffer from arthritis in your wrist is the wear and tear of the joints over time that further leads to inflammation and pain. Though wear and tear is the main reason, specific hand injury can also be the cause of it. Pain, swelling, difficulty in moving your hand, losing grip and pinch strength are some of the most common symptoms of hand arthritis. 

You can also suffer from arthritis in your wrist due to forearm fracture. Forearm is a complex and vital part of our hand and it serves an integral role in upper end function. The agility of the upper limb depends on a combination of smooth functioning of hand and wrist and forearm rotation. The forearm bones are considered as a support connecting two halves of a condylar joint created by the proximal and distal radioulnar joints. Thus, any change in the structure modifies the compatibility and range of motion of this condylar joint.

If you are experiencing any pain or have structured you forearm, you should immediately consult a doctor to avoid arthritis. A doctor is able to determine the severity of hand arthritis and thus will recommend treatment in accordance.