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What Causes Swollen, Discolored, Tender, And Painful Wrist?

Posted on Mon, 19 May 2014

Question: hello my name is XXXXXXX I dont know what is wrong with my wrist, it all started about a year ago when one day for no apparent reason i woke up in the morning and my wrist was very swollen, discolored, tender, in severe pain, and i literally could not bend my wrist in any direction at all. Those symptoms lasted for a week, after that the swelling and discoloration went away but the tenderness and severe pain persisted. I have been laying off it and icing it and applying compression on it and doing everything that i can to get it healed but i still cant do anything on my wrist, i cant do pushups i cant even use that wrist to push myself out of bed in the morning. It pops and cracks and clicks every single day throughout the whole day and it has not improved in the slightest bit. it still hurts just as bad as it did 1 year ago. i think its a grade three wrist sprain with a complete tear of the ligaments or tendons. My wrist is obviously not healing, what do you think is wrong with it? And do you think i should seek medical attention? Thanks

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
2 possibilities

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr. XXXXXXX
I have studied your case and it looks to me that you are having a soft tissue problem in your wrist. I can think of following conditions.

1. It can be wrist synovitis - In this condition there is collection of fluid inside wrist joint and there is mark pain and swelling.

2.It can be due to monoarticular rheumatoid arthritis

I would like to see your x ray and MRI of the wrist joint. So I think you should see Orthopaedic surgeon and discuss your condition with him. You can also tell him about my diagnosis.

Till you get these investigation I would suggest you to do hot water fomentation and Brufen tablet for pain. You can also apply compression bandage at wrist and also avoid any wrist exercises.

I hope this answer will help you. Let me know if you want to ask any other question. Thanks and take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (41 minutes later)

i have been an athlete my whole life and never had any problems with my wrist until now, and right before it happened i was doing a workout program called p90x2, where i would be doing all kinds of crazy pushup moves, im thinking that it is a direct result of all the pounding on my wrist from all those crazy workouts. I have gotten an x ray but the physician who reviewed it said he didn't see any fractures or anything wrong with the bones so he didn't order an MRI. He just told me to rest it and ice it and stuff. but the thing is i have been resting it and soaking it in ice water followed by hot water and compressing it and all that for a full year now and my wrist has not gotten any better so thats obviously not the remedy. i forgot to tell him about the constant popping and clicking it does every day. I have researched all of my symptoms that i have online and all of it points to a severe wrist sprain. do you think i should push for an MRI or do you think that thats not necessary? And if it is arthritis or synovitis which i honestly don't think it is what would be the remedy for those things?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I think MRI is must

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I think you should get MRI of the wrist joint. I think that even if the x ray is normal then also it can be synovitis. MRI is better investigation for this. Popping sound is also proved that there can be some ligament injury or arthritis. I do not think a wrist sprain can cause pain for such long time.
If MRI shows any abnormality then treatment can be done. All type of medicines and surgical methods are available for all these conditions. I hope this answer will help you. Let me know if you want to ask any further questions. Thanks and take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (50 minutes later)

Thank you for your answer it has helped me a lot and will have an impact on the decisions I make. I just have one more question then I will be out of your hair. I will be going to to marine boot camp pretty soon, do you think it would detrimental to the longevity of my wrist if I were to try and go through boot camp without first addressing and fixing whatever is wrong my wrist?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Sharma (25 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Send your MRI report

Detailed Answer:
hello ,
I can not answer this question before diagnosis. It would be better if you send MRI report to me. If it shows any major problem, it is better to fix this before straining your wrist.

Thanks and take care.

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj