When Do I Need to See an Orthopedic Specialist for Wrist Pain?

Wrist pain is an incredibly common issue dealt with by working adults. Statistics show that over 13% of workplace musculoskeletal issues occur in the wrist. Per Esra Rehab, approximately 1 in 4 adults experience wrist pain at some point in their lives. Among those, individuals aged between 30 to 60 years old are most commonly affected. Moreover, athletes, especially those involved in sports requiring repetitive wrist movements such as tennis or golf, have a higher incidence of wrist pain. But when is it severe enough that you should seek a professional opinion? That is what we will discuss in this article.

Wrist pain can come in many different forms and have many different causes. Wrist injuries can range from carpal tunnel syndrome, to arthritis, tendonitis, ganglion cysts, and others. The symptoms from these different injuries can range from numbness, tingling, "pins & needles", strength loss, swollen fingers, etc. Not all wrist pain requires professional treatment, however. Less severe injuries, such as minor strains/sprains of the wrist, can potentially be treated with the RICE method (rest, ice, compression, elevation). You should seek professional medical help if the pain noticeably worsens and/or doesn't become better after a few days. Paying close attention to your symptoms is key, as given how often we use our wrists in daily life, it's constant daily strain can make it slightly difficult to truly rest it and determine if at-home treatment is being truly effective.

As far as resting your wrist goes, avoiding any basic activities which require heavy use of the hand is the best starting point. You will obviously want to avoid actions and activities such as heavy lifting, repetitive motions like typing and drawing, intricate hand movements like when playing guitar, and any hand-heavy sporting activities like tennis and bowling. These types of actions can exacerbate any pain or damage already done to the wrist. While your daily life and job may require you to perform some of these actions, it is best to try and keep it to a minimum. Precautions which can help the issue, such as using an ergonomic keyboard and wrist rests, are also recommended.

There are several signs that you should go seek the opinion of a medical professional. The simplest one being if the at-home remedies like rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications seem to be ineffective. If you can't seem to get the issue under control, it is best to go see a professional who can analyze the problem better.

Another symptom which should prompt seeing a professional is if the pain/injury was immediately caused by a serious trauma to the area. An example of this could be if you were playing a sport that involved running and fell at high speed, or if you tripped of an elevated height like stairs and used your hand to try and break the fall. This level of strain and impact on the wrist can cause serious damage to the area. If the pain doesn't seem very serious, you may not have to seek care. However, if the pain feels more serious, or if there is an obvious change/deformity in the area, the opinion of a medical professional should be sought.

One condition that can also be a sign to go get checked out by a doctor is loss in range of motion. While some cases may not seem to have aggressive pain, if you are noticing you can no longer execute motions the same way, or have a noticeable reduction in your range of motion, it is worth having a professional do an examination on your wrist. This is especially true if the loss in range only came after an injury or period of pain. As stated by the Hand & Wrist Center of North Florida Surgeons, "if your wrist pain is new and more severe than your usual aches and pains, you should see a doctor. If you have nagging wrist pain that worsens at night, you should also see a doctor. If you have extreme difficulty moving your wrist and hand, you should also see a doctor."

Wrist injuries are very common and can be quite the nuisance if not treated properly, so be certain to pay close attention to symptoms. Do not be hesitant to seek a professional examination if you feel your symptoms are not regressing, or you feel uncertain about what to do.