Wrist & Hand Pain Treatment in Birmingham & Warwickshire
Promoting A New Standard Of Clinical Excellence In The Diagnosis & Treatment Of Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
Wrist and hand pain are amongst one of the most common musculoskeletal health issues in the United Kingdom. Studies suggest that approximately 10–20% of adults experience significant wrist pain or hand pain at some point in their lives. The incidence is notably high among older adults, particularly those aged 50 and above, though the condition can affect individuals of all age groups.
In the United Kingdom, for instance, a study by the National Health Service (NHS) revealed that more than 4 million people suffer from chronic pain in their joints, with hand and wrist pain being among the most reported. The incidence of conditions like osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis has also risen in line with the ageing population, further contributing to the growing prevalence of hand pain.
Hand pain can have a profound impact on a person’s quality of life. Simple tasks such as holding a cup, writing, cooking, or even getting dressed can become excruciatingly painful. In severe cases, hand pain can lead to disability, affecting a person’s ability to work or engage in recreational activities.
In the workplace, individuals with hand pain may need to take time off, reduce their working hours, or change their job duties. This can lead to financial strain and emotional stress, contributing to a cycle of pain and frustration.
Common Causes Of Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
Musculoskeletal wrist, hand, finger, and thumb pain can arise from a variety of structures, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, and surrounding soft tissues. It is important to differentiate between the various potential causes to ensure appropriate treatment and management. Common causes of musculoskeletal wrist, hand, finger, and thumb pain include:
1. Sprains & Trauma
- Wrist sprains and ligament injuries – Including scapholunate and other carpal ligament injuries, which may cause localised pain, instability and reduced function.
- Fractures and dislocations – Including distal radius, scaphoid, carpal, metacarpal and phalangeal fractures, as well as finger and thumb dislocations.
- TFCC injury – A common cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain, particularly with gripping and forearm rotation.
- Carpal instability – Abnormal movement between the wrist bones, often associated with previous ligament injury.
- Thumb UCL injury – Skier’s thumb or gamekeeper’s thumb, affecting the ligament at the base of the thumb.
2. Degenerative & Joint Conditions
- Osteoarthritis – Commonly affecting the wrist, thumb CMC joint and finger joints, causing pain, stiffness and reduced function.
- Post-traumatic osteoarthritis – Degenerative changes developing following previous injury or fracture.
- Kienböck’s disease – Avascular necrosis of the lunate causing persistent wrist pain and stiffness.
3. Tendon & Soft-Tissue Conditions
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis – Pain affecting the thumb side of the wrist, particularly with gripping and thumb movement.
- Flexor and extensor tendinopathy – Overuse-related pain affecting the tendons around the wrist and hand.
- Flexor or extensor tendon injuries – May cause pain, weakness and impaired finger movement.
- Trigger finger or trigger thumb – Painful catching, clicking or locking caused by irritation of a flexor tendon and its pulley.
- Ganglion cysts – Fluid-filled cysts commonly occurring around the wrist and sometimes associated with pain or restricted movement.
- Dupuytren’s disease – Thickening of the palmar fascia that can progressively restrict finger extension.
4. Neurological Conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome – Median nerve compression causing pain, tingling or numbness in the thumb, index and middle fingers.
- Ulnar nerve entrapment – Can cause sensory disturbance and weakness affecting the little and ring fingers.
- Cervical radiculopathy – Irritation of a nerve root in the neck producing symptoms into the arm, wrist or hand.
- Peripheral neuropathy – May cause bilateral or widespread numbness, tingling, burning or pain.
5. Inflammatory and Systemic Conditions
- Rheumatoid arthritis – Inflammatory arthritis commonly affecting the wrists and small joints of the hands.
- Psoriatic arthritis – Can affect the fingers, wrists and other joints, sometimes causing whole-digit swelling (dactylitis).
- Gout and other crystal arthropathies – Can produce sudden episodes of severe pain, swelling, warmth and redness.
- Infection – Septic arthritis, infectious tenosynovitis, cellulitis and osteomyelitis can cause acute pain, swelling and systemic illness and require prompt assessment.
6. Persistent and Less Common Causes
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) – Persistent, disproportionate pain following injury or surgery, often accompanied by sensory, temperature, colour or swelling changes.
- Vascular disorders – Circulatory problems can cause pain, altered temperature or colour and changes in hand function.
- Tumours or other space-occupying lesions – Uncommon causes of persistent or unexplained pain, particularly where a mass or progressive symptoms are present.
- Persistent/nociplastic pain – Pain may persist in the absence of significant ongoing tissue pathology, with altered pain processing and psychosocial factors contributing to symptoms.
Consultation & Diagnosis of Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
Understanding your Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
A Diagnosis: Clearly explaining your foot & ankle pain and its potential underlying causes / contributions.
A Prognosis: Offering an understanding of how your foot & ankle pain is likely to progress and the expected recovery timeline.
A Treatment Plan: If we determine that your foot & ankle pain is suitable for management within our clinic, we will outline the proposed approach.
- What we can do to help.
- What you will be able to do, in order to help yourself.
- What results you can expect.
- The rate at which you can expect these results.
- What this result will cost you in time and money. ‘We aim to make all costs involved in the management of your case known to you from the outset.’
- If we feel that your complaint would be better managed by another clinician, the appropriate referral to that clinician will be made without delay.
Safe & Effective Treatment Of Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
Our treatments typically include a comprehensive range of gentle, evidence-based conservative care procedures.
Each patient’s care plan is personalised, taking into account their unique needs, preferences, and circumstances. We recognise that some patients may feel apprehensive about treatment, and we are committed to providing comfort and reassurance throughout the process. The care we provide includes, but is not limited to:
- Spinal mobilisation
- Peripheral joint manipulative therapy
- Peripheral joint mobilisation
- Nerve mobilisation
- Pacing & graded exposure
- Postural & lifestyle advice
- Myofascial therapy (soft tissue work)
- Orthotic & splint prescription
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Pain education
- Rehabilitative exercise management:
- Strength & endurance training
- Movement pattern training
- Postural exercise
- Flexibility exercise
- Balance training
- Graded motor imagery
Our Modern & Evidence-based Approach To Wrist Pain, Hand Pain, Finger Pain & Thumb Pain.
Who Should I See? Chiropractor, Physiotherapist, or Osteopath?
For the treatment of musculoskeletal wrist, hand, finger, and thumb pain, you are welcome to see any one of our Chiropractors, Podiatrists, Physiotherapists, or Osteopaths.
For musculoskeletal pain or injury affecting the wrist, hand, fingers or thumb, you are welcome to make an appointment with any of our Chiropractors, Physiotherapists or Osteopaths. All of our clinicians are experienced in assessing and managing a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions affecting the upper limb.
We take a patient-centred, team-based approach to care. You do not need to determine which type of clinician is most appropriate for your particular problem before making an appointment. When you first attend, your clinician will undertake a thorough assessment to understand your symptoms, establish a working diagnosis and determine the most appropriate course of management.
We triage the care of every patient and, where we feel that your condition would be better managed by another member of our clinical team, we will recommend and arrange a referral to the most appropriate clinician. This might be because a particular practitioner has a specific area of expertise, or because another form of treatment or assessment would be more appropriate for your needs.
We also frequently co-manage patients, with two or more members of our team contributing to different aspects of their care. For example, a patient may initially see a Chiropractor or Physiotherapist for their wrist pain and subsequently be referred to one of our other clinicians for additional assessment, rehabilitation, gait or functional considerations where appropriate.
Our aim is therefore not simply to provide you with an appointment with a particular type of practitioner, but to ensure that you receive the right assessment and the right care from the most appropriate member of our team. If your needs change during the course of your treatment, we can adapt your care accordingly and involve other members of the team where this would be beneficial.
