Man with writing something on a moving box. He is wearing Bauerfeind's ManuLoc wrist brace to help manage wrist pain

Considering how much we use our hands in everyday life, it’s unsurprising that so many people get wrist pain for one reason or another. And while in some cases, the cause is pretty easy to identify (like if you fell and landed on the joint), others are a bit of a mystery. So, if you’ve been asking yourself, ‘Why does my wrist hurt?’ Here are the potential answers.


CARPAL TUNNEL 

WHAT IS IT 

Carpal Tunnel affects the median nerve, which runs through the arm and extends into the thumb and index, middle, and ring fingers. The condition develops when the nerve's housing narrows due to inflammation in the surrounding tissue. This type of inflammation is usually brought on by repetitive strain (like typing, cleaning, or any other activity where you move your fingers and hands for many hours a day). It can also develop due to pregnancy and some thyroid disorders. 


With Carpal Tunnel, you’ll usually feel: 

  • Tingling 
  • Numbness 
  • Pain that gets worse with repetitive use, strain (like lifting a heavy object), and long hours of inactivity. 

HOW TO TREAT THIS CONDITION

Woman gardening with her husband. The shot focuses on the ManuLoc wrist brace she's wearing, a good way to stop the wrist hurting from carpal tunnel syndrome

ManuLoc Wrist Brace

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You can manage Carpal Tunnel symptoms by taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Be mindful, though: these will just mask the pain without addressing the underlying condition. 

You can also incorporate some hand and wrist exercises into your routine. These include: 

  • Wrist flexor stretch. You can check out how to do this in our Golfer’s Elbow article. This exercise will help relieve some muscle tension and the pressure in your wrist.
  • Shakes. All you need to do is pretend you’re shaking water off after washing your hands. Bend your elbows, hold your hands in front of you, and quickly flick them up and down while keeping your fingers loose. This exercise will loosen your flexor muscles and relieve some of the pressure on your median nerve.

But most importantly, wear a wrist brace. Our ManuLoc’s anatomically contoured splints will stabilise your wrist, letting damaged and irritated tissues heal. However, your hand won’t be fully immobilised. You can still do most activities while protecting your median nerve.

 

WRIST STRAIN (TENDONITIS & TENDINITIS)

A wrist strain is a wrist tendon injury. As with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, frequent use of the hands and fingers is a common cause, as this can fatigue the support network of forearm muscles and make your tendons pick up the slack. Over time, the tendons develop micro tears and become inflamed, leading to tendonitis. 

You can also strain your wrist through an acute injury, like falling over and landing badly on the joint. In this case, the condition is called tendinitis. In both tendonitis and tendinitis, you’ll likely experience tenderness, weakness in the hand, and pain that worsens when you try to rotate your wrist. Generally, the pain will be worse if you sprained your wrist through injury, and you’ll likely see some swelling around the joint. 

 

HOW TO TREAT THIS CONDITION

Older woman cooking with her son. She is chopping vegetables while wearing a ManuTrain wrist brace, a great support for relieving tendonitis wrist pain

ManuTrain Wrist Support

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Rest, ice, and elevation are great for giving your tendons a break and relieving some symptoms. But bracing is the best course of action in the long term, as your damaged tendons will need extra support to heal. In more severe cases, opt for a splint brace like the ManuLoc. But a softer compression brace like the ManuTrain will be ideal for mild cases. Its medical compression fabric will reduce swelling and activate your muscle support network. Its wrist strap, meanwhile, will stabilise the wrist joint. You should also go see your physio, as they can prescribe specific exercises to build your strength and restore mobility. 

 

ARTHRITIS 

As you probably already know, arthritis is a condition in which the smooth cartilage disks responsible for cushioning wrist movement degrade, becoming rough. What you might not know is that three things cause arthritis: 

  • Natural wear and tear (Osteoarthritis). Some tissues (like cartilage) will naturally degrade as we age and go about our lives.
  • Injury (Posttraumatic arthritis). The cartilage in the wrist starts degrading because something in or around the joint (like a tendon, ligament, or bone) is injured, preventing the joint from moving correctly. 
  • Inflammatory and autoimmune disorders (Rheumatoid arthritis). Unfortunately, some medical conditions can turn your immune system against your body. With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune cells start attacking your cartilage tissue. 

Arthritis often comes with stiffness, pain, and swelling. The severity of these symptoms can vary drastically from person to person. In more severe cases, the symptoms may be constant. In mild cases, they may come and go. 

 

HOW TO TREAT THIS CONDITION

Woman squeezing a stress ball, a good way to relieve some symptoms wrist arthritis

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for arthritis. However, there are some steps you can take to alleviate pain, improve mobility, and slow degeneration. 

  1. Rest. It can be hard to pinpoint which activities worsen your symptoms, especially in more severe cases. It can also be hard to cut them from your life entirely, as we use our hands often in daily tasks. But if you can, see which movements seem to agitate your condition and try to adjust them accordingly. You should also take time out of your day to rest your hands. 
  2. Exercises. While rest is essential, you should also incorporate some exercises into your routine to help avoid stiffness. Wrist stretches, rotations, and squeezing a stress ball are all relatively gentle.
  3. Heat. Taking a bath or applying a heat pack to the affected area will help relieve stiffness. 
  4. Brace. According to The Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, The Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, and our customer reviews, a good brace will provide additional support for your wrist and unload the joint, helping you get more mobility while reducing pain. For more severe cases, we’d recommend the ManuLoc. For milder cases, try out the ManuTrain. It won’t provide as much stabilisation as the ManuLoc, but it will improve muscle activation and boost circulation to loosen stiff muscles.
  5. Occupational therapy. A professional occupational therapist can help you relieve tension and adjust the way you move the affected joint.

 

SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE

First and foremost, you should always consult your doctor to get a proper diagnosis. And second, when selecting a brace, always keep quality, sizing, and purpose in mind. A medical-grade brace that perfectly fits your wrist and is built for your condition will always work better.

 

TO SUM UP

Wrist pain can come from many conditions. It can develop for various reasons, happen suddenly or come on gradually, and may sometimes be challenging to treat. But at least for some conditions, taking necessary precautions like resting, bracing, and seeking specialist advice can go a long way to addressing the underlying cause. Or, at the very least, help you manage the symptoms.

See our collection of wrist braces: Bauerfeind Wrist Supports 

If you require assistance selecting the right product for your needs or wearing the brace, call us on 098015660 or contact us via live chat.

Do you have private health? Most private health extras will cover Bauerfeind Products. Check to see if yours is included. Bauerfeind Private Health Insurance Inquiry.  

 

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