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Suggest Treatment For Wrist Pain With Swollen Fingers

Posted on Mon, 28 Dec 2015

Question: hi. I have severe pain in my left wrist and it is slightly swollen and fingers are swollen as well. it is not my dominant hand and I do not remember any injury. pain started gradually. at first it was little sore, then painful and day later severly painful. swelling started day and half later. severe pain has lasted 30 hours. it is painful to turn hand, to move wrist, to close fingers. thumb moves normally, little finger has most pain. most pain also seems to be on top of wrist, not palm side and more on little finger side. it is painful to raise hanf up when it is on my lap - pain on top of wrist, occasionally I feel pain radiating to bone that's goes from small finger to elbow but elbow is not painful. it is also painful to hold hand down in natural position on the side. best is letting it rest in my lap. any movement hurts. never had it happened before.. what is it and how to help myself. day prior the pain I had to raise 3 years old child many times in and out of shopping cart and carseat. hand also feels little better when something is supporting it - towel around wrist

Answered by Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (53 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Sprain/ infection.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query

I'm Dr Sudhir Kumar

I have gone through your query and understand your concern. Most probably you have got sprain in your wrist and hand as you have lifted child many times. Rest, elevated and analgesic are needed. Rest to joint can be given by applying some support such as crepe bandage, slab or splint.
Elevation of limb can be done by cuff and collar sling. Analgesic such ibuprofen are useful for pain relief.
Second possibility is infective arthritis as it is sudden in onset. It is specially more so if you are also having fever. Treatment of this condition is antibiotics and analgesic such as ibuprofen for pain relief. If pain is not relieved by it then tramadol can be use.
You can investigate further by x ray and MRI of wrist joint.
You can discuss with your doctor about it.

Hope your query get answered. If you have any clarification then I will be happy to help you.

Wishing you a good health.
Take care.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (19 hours later)

thank you. I do not have fever. my hand is no better today - still very hard to move, day time it seems little less pain but evening there is more again. my fingers are so puffy and swollen is this normal with sprain or arthritis? how long should I expect swelling and pain. is there anything else I should try. there is no different temperature or discolorsation. I am worried. could swelling of fingers affect body overall or is it because of wrist pain. also in the evening swelling seems worse.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Likely to be sprain wrist.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Welcome back
As you are having no fever, no difference in temperature and discolouration so it is most likely due to sprain. In sprain wrist swelling of fingers occur. You can take analgesic and Antiinflamatory such as ibuprofen for pain and swelling reduction. Active finger movement are useful in swelling reduction. Elevation of hand and splinting is useful. You can buy a suitable wrist splint at the local store. You can consult local Orthopedician. Everything else already discussed.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
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Wishing you good health
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (3 days later)

Hi again! Just wanted to follow up. My wrist is better and I can move it, but still have little pain on the side and taking it careful. I noticed today that on the side of small finger there is blue spot like a bruise, it is not very big but more noticeable than before. wrist is still slightly swollen but fingers back to normal. my hand and forearm seem little heavier than normal and I have had weird overall feeling last day or so but maybe it is just something else or anxiety. What could that bruise would be and was that the reason why it was swollen and painful. I still don't recall any injury so maybe a tear?
sorry, also I find this hand weaker than other right now and more harder to crab things.. is this normal after the episode?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Sudhir Kumar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Most likely it is sprain.

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query

I'm Dr Sudhir Kumar

I have gone through your query and understand your concern. I think you have sprain specially of distant radioulnar joint as bruise is on little finger side. Second cause can be cellulitis but as you are not having fever so first diagnosis seems to be sprain as you has lifted child many times so it is sufficient to cause sprain As already discussed its treatment is rest, analgesic and elevation. Such bruise can be seen in sprain. Sprain also cause pain and swelling. When any part is not used it felt weak. Swelling make limb harder to grab things. Weird feeling is not explained, may be due to anxiety. You can discuss with your doctor about it.

Hope your query get answered. If you have any clarification then I will be happy to help you.

Wishing you a good health.
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. Chakravarthy Mazumdar