There are several structures on the wrist such as tendons, tendon sheaths and bursa, all of which can be the starting point for inflammation.
If one speaks of an inflammation of the wrist, it can be a tendinitis (Tendonitis), tendinitis (Tendovaginitis) or bursitis (Bursitis) be meant.
The symptoms of a wrist infection are the classic signs, as they occur with other infections.
Depending on the cause of the wrist inflammation, more specific symptoms can also occur.
For example, tendinitis can occasionally crunch when moving, and rheumatoid arthritis, for example, increases the pain that occurs at night and in the morning.
Morning stiffness of the wrist is also frequently reported.
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If the wrist is inflamed from the bursa, it can also lead to fever, fatigue and swelling of the lymph nodes.
Read about this too Swollen wrists
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Swelling on the wrist is a very common symptom that can have many causes. For example, someone who has fallen on the wrist can then have a traumatic swelling on the wrist. This can result from a slight bruise, but structural injuries also lead to swelling.
There is also superficial swelling caused by external influences such as a sting. The wrist can also swell if it is infected. The cause is often not immediately apparent (as in the case of trauma or a sting). The swelling often develops slowly, and movement-dependent pain also occurs.
Find out more about the topic here: Bump on the wrist
Wrist pain and swelling can have various causes. Above all, a traumatic event such as a fall that is caught with the hand triggers pain. These set in suddenly and are usually short-lived. In contrast, the pain of inflammation in the wrist is characterized by a gradual onset. Especially when an overstrain is the cause of the inflammation, the pain is initially only slight and becomes noticeable when stressed. However, as the inflammation increases, so does the pain. In addition, symptoms such as swelling, reddening and overheating of the wrist can occur.
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A - Chronic causes
B - Acute causes
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The causes of wrist inflammation are numerous.
The inflammation is often the result of excessive or unfamiliar exposure.
Even monotonous activity with always the same movement sequences can result in wrist inflammation.
Both tendon sheaths and bursa can be affected.
Read more about the topic here: Bruise wrist
Another possible cause is an infection with bacteria, fungi, or viruses, which then spreads to the joints.
This can happen, for example, after an injury that has not been adequately treated or in the event of injuries in which germs could penetrate the wound.
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Wear and tear on the joint can also lead to an inflammatory reaction in the wrist.
Inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis often affect the wrist. Due to the storage of substances in the joints, so-called Crystal arthropathies inflammation of the respective joints.
Read more on the topic: Rheumatoid arthritis
The best-known example in this case is gout, in which uric acid crystals are deposited.
Read more on the topic: gout
In most cases, tendinitis is due to excessive strain or poor posture. Tendons that lead from the forearm to the hand are particularly often affected, which is why tendinitis on the wrist often occurs. The tendon sheath forms a sheath within which the tendon can move almost smoothly. This is made possible by a thin film of fluid that is formed by the so-called synovial fluid.
In the event of poor posture or excessive strain on the wrist, the tendon and the tendon sheath can swell. This leads to the fact that the fluid is displaced and therefore the tendon and the tendon sheath meet directly. This creates a lot of friction with every movement, and in some cases the tendon can even get caught in the tendon sheath or stick to it. This increased resistance also increases the inflammation.
Risk factors for developing tendinitis in the wrist are, for example, office jobs where a lot is written by hand or on the computer. But even those who work hard physically and have to do a lot with their hands can also struggle with tendinitis. Bacterial infections are rare causes of tendinitis. In this case, it is called septic tendinitis.
Read more on the topic: Tendonitis on the wrist
Bursae act as a natural buffer in the wrist where tendons run directly over the bone. The bursa can become inflamed, especially through monotonous, repetitive movements. Such overuse is the number one cause of bursitis. But falls on the wrist or damage from wear and tear can also lead to inflammation of the bursa. Very rarely, wrist bursitis is caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
$config[ads_text1] not foundRead more on the topic: Bursitis
The discus is a disc of cartilage that lies between the carpal bones and the ulna. This discus can be particularly affected if the wrist falls. For example, the disc can tear or bleed into the cartilage disc. This can lead to inflammation, causing pain and restricted movement in the wrist.
But the discus can also become inflamed if the wrist is overloaded. With such an inflammation, the pain is on the outer area of the wrist and is particularly noticeable when the hand is also spread outwards.
The diagnosis of inflammation of the wrist begins with a medical history, which is followed by a physical examination.
The doctor first asks for more detailed information about the nature and severity of the symptoms, as well as the resulting restrictions.
It is also important for the doctor to know how long the symptoms have existed and whether there was a specific trigger such as a previous infection or trauma.
During the physical examination, the examiner palpates the joint and looks for swelling, tenderness and overheating.
He will also carefully test mobility.
This is often followed by an X-ray of the hand including the joint in order to obtain information on possible damage to the wrist.
Joint inflammation can be confirmed by special blood tests.
Important values are the so-called inflammation parameters.
These include the white blood cells (Leukocytes), C-reactive protein (CRP) and the sedimentation rate (ESR).
In rheumatoid arthritis, so-called rheumatoid factors are often found, and in gout, increased uric acid levels can be detected in the blood.
Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance tomography (MRI of the hand) can also be indicated to obtain more precise information about the current situation in the wrist.
Overall, the MRI examination of the hand is considered to be the most valuable in diagnosing an inflammation of the wrist.
If these examinations are not sufficient for a diagnosis, a joint puncture (a removal of fluid or tissue material from the joint) or a jointoscopy (Arthroscopy) be necessary.
Read more on the topic: Arthroscopy wrist
Since a wrist inflammation can be triggered by different stimuli, the treatment depends on the respective cause.
Basically, it is important first of all to avoid the activities that trigger inflammation of the wrist.
In general, the wrist is initially immobilized for some time using bandages or solid bandages in order to prevent further damaging stimuli and to give the joint time to heal.
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The pain can be relieved by cooling. It should be noted that in the case of an inflammation of the wrist that has already reached the chronic stage, heat often helps better than cold.
In addition, various medicinal, physical and surgical measures are used.
Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, which are regularly applied in the form of ointments, often form the basis of drug therapy.
If the inflammation of the joint is caused by bacterial colonization, antibiotics are used.
In rheumatoid arthritis with involvement of the wrists, special rheumatoid drugs are used, the so-called basic therapeutic agents or DMARDs (=Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs), on.
There are several options when it comes to physical therapy.
The joint can be relieved by a joint puncture. In doing so, too much fluid is removed from the joint, which relieves the feeling of tension, restricted mobility and pain.
The symptoms can also be relieved with cold compresses as well as movement exercises and physiotherapy.
If the conservative measures do not lead to any improvement in the symptoms, surgical intervention can also be considered in the case of tendinitis.
The surgeon cuts the ligament that holds the tendons together, the so-called Retinaculum, and in this way relieves the tendons.
Read more on the topic: Tendonitis therapy
If there is inflammation in the wrist, different homeopathic remedies can be used depending on the main complaint. Arnica and Ruta graveolens are used in the event of an overload of the wrist or an acute injury. If the pain occurs mainly when moving, Rus toxicodendron can alleviate the symptoms. If the inflammation is particularly pronounced and is noticeable through swelling and reddening of the wrist, one can resort to Bryonia and Apis mellifica.
An inflammation in the wrist should first be cooled if it is acute. This counteracts the first flare-up of inflammation and at the same time alleviates the pain in the wrist.
But especially when inflammation lasts longer or even becomes chronic, warmth is usually more helpful. The warmth relaxes the muscles in the wrist and forearm area and can take the pressure off inflamed tendons or bursa. The wrist usually “knows” best itself whether cooling or warming is better in a specific situation. That means: try out cold and heat applications and stick to what feels better.
Taping the wrist can help relieve inflammation. A distinction should be made between two types of taping: Rigid (usually white) tape can mainly be used to stabilize the wrist. This is useful if the inflammation is very acute and the hand should be immobilized.
A splint usually fulfills the same purpose, but is often more difficult to handle and therefore more annoying. If the wrist is ready for use again, the kinesio tape can be used. These mostly colorful tape strips are stuck along muscles and thus relieve the tendons when the muscle is tensed.
Read more on the topic: Tap your wrist
A wrist bandage is used when the wrist is to be spared due to inflammation. Such a bandage is usually elastic and allows a certain amount of movement in the wrist. This differs from the wrist splint, which is used at the beginning of the inflammation and is intended to keep the wrist completely still. The bandage, on the other hand, supports the wrist when the hand can already be loaded again and thereby relieves the muscles, tendons and bursa. The bandage also exerts a certain amount of compression on the joint and prevents the wrist from swelling.
Find out more about the topic: Wrist bandage
Acute is a disease that has just set in and lasts for a limited period of time. A chronic illness exists permanently or over a longer period of time. An inflammation of the wrist is usually referred to as chronic inflammation if the symptoms persist for a few months or longer.
However, one must also think about a chronification of the disease if symptoms keep recurring over months and years, even if there is a symptom-free interval in between. The chronic inflammation of the wrist is often accompanied by structural changes in the bursa, tendons and / or tendon sheaths and can then usually no longer be completely healed.
In the case of simple tendinitis due to overstressing the wrist, the orthopedist is usually responsible. He can prescribe bandages and splints as well as physiotherapy. Anyone who struggles with inflammation in the wrist frequently should see a plastic surgeon who specializes in hand surgery. These can rule out other causes of the inflammation and offer more intensive treatment options. The hand surgeon can also assess whether the inflammation has become chronic and / or whether an operation on the wrist is necessary.
Inflammation in the wrist can be very protracted. Especially if it was triggered by overloading the wrist. With immobilization and subsequent careful acclimatization to the strain, you should expect a period of several weeks to months. However, caution should be exercised even after this, as such inflammation often recurs. In particular, people who are prone to such inflammation in the wrist and who write a lot by hand or work on the computer are often plagued by inflammation of the wrist throughout their professional life.
The prognosis depends on the cause of the inflammation.
With early and appropriate therapy, the chances of recovery from tendinitis, bursitis and tendinitis are quite high.
Then you should be careful to avoid the factors that triggered the inflammation of the wrist as much as possible.
Conversely, if the therapy is inadequate, the tendinitis can develop into a chronic inflammation, which can then drag on for several months. A doctor should therefore be consulted at an early stage. Acute infectious arthritis also usually heals without consequences.
However, in the course of the inflammatory process, the joint can also be destroyed and, as a result, permanently deformed.
If the inflammation of the wrist is already in the chronic stage as part of an existing underlying disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, healing and complete regeneration are usually no longer possible.
In this case, the goal is to prevent further inflammation and joint destruction, and to alleviate pain and inflammation.
In order to prevent the development of an inflammation of the wrist, it is advisable to avoid or carry out triggering activities and movements as rarely as possible.
In the case of injuries in the vicinity of the wrist, early and appropriate treatment should be given, on the one hand to prevent infections and on the other hand to avoid consequential damage that can lead to joint inflammation.
If there are underlying diseases that can lead to inflammation of a joint, therapy for this underlying disease should be started in good time.
Regular checks of the success of the therapy and any signs of incipient inflammation in the wrist are recommended.
