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Hand pain can be debilitating and prevent you from doing normal daily tasks such as typing, texting, and cleaning. This can be contributed to stiffness and swelling of the joints, which diminish the way you normally use your hands, even when it comes to buttoning clothes. Typically, hand pain is caused by carpal tunnel or osteoarthritis, which is the weakening of cartilage between your finger joints. In addition, hand pain may also be caused by nerve pain, a tingling feeling when pressure is applied to the wrist. The information below provides an overview of ways you can alleviate hand pain.

Hand Splints

Hand splints can stabilize your hand can reduce the movement of your fingers, thumb, or wrist. The stability helps to strengthen your hand. In addition, it also helps to alleviate inflammation caused by arthritis flare-ups. Wearing the splint may also prevent you from causing further damage to the joints in your hand. This is because the splint protects you from putting too much stress on your joints.

Hand Joints

If a splint doesn't work to reduce inflammation in your joints, you can talk with your doctor about other alternatives. One method is to have corticosteroid injections to reduce the inflammation. Typically, you only need one of these injections a year. However, the injections work quite well to relieve the inflammation, making it easier to have a better rotation of motion in the hand.

Anti-inflammatory Drugs

The use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help to relieve the pain in your hand. This is done with the use of blocking enzymes that reduce the pain and swelling in your hand joints. However, long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs is not recommended because they can lead to things like ulcers and liver damage. If you notice the pain is not subsiding, speak with a doctor.

Heating & Cooling Pads

The use of heating pads can help loosen stiffness in your hands. However, cooling pads can take away the pain. Typically, it's best to use flexible gel pads that you can keep in the freezer and then apply to your hand later. There are also various heating pads that you can use to help with the stiffness in your hand.

Hand Exercises

Hand exercises relieve pressure on your hand's tendons and muscles. With the work of a physical or occupational therapist, you will be provided with strengthening exercises and stretches to help absorb any stress on your joints, which will reduce pain.

Fusion

The surgical procedure of fusion can help to reduce your hand pain. This is completed through a welding process the fuses the bones together. This stops the painful bones from moving, thereby reducing the pain. Over time, the bones will fuse, or grow together, and heal to prevent the pain altogether.

To learn more, contact a clinic like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates, P.C.