Wrist, hand and finger pain: treatments and self-care methods
Wrist pain treatments, as well as relief for hand pain and finger pain, are top priority when you meet the everyday reality of having to work, cook, drive, shop - even turn on the tv. Here we help you understand how to ...get rid of wrist pain and find wrist, hand and finger pain treatment that works for you. That way you can get back to movement that actually feels good.
First, let’s touch upon what causes wrist pain. Largely speaking, wrist pain can be caused by damage to any part of your wrist – including the joint, muscles, nerves or tendons that run through it – and can cause tingling, weakness, and pain. All of this can spell difficulty performing everyday tasks like gripping things in your hand or making a fist. Wrist pain is often caused by repetitive use injuries. Osteoarthritis in the wrists can also cause painful flare ups.
Short term injuries can also cause finger pain and thumb pain, like a sprain. Like wrist pain, finger pain and thumb pain can also be caused by medical conditions like arthritis. Tendonitis is also common in fingers, which can also result in trigger finger, where swollen tendons make it difficult to move the finger and can result in clicking. There's also nerve damage conditions like shoulder-hand syndrome that result in pain all down the arm but also in the hand and fingers.
Self-care and home remedies for wrist pain relief
Wrist pain doesn’t always require medical treatment. If you’re looking for how to get rid of wrist pain at home, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some at home wrist and hand pain treatments you may want to consider if you have pain, tingliness, or numbness in your hand or wrist.
Self-care and at-home wrist and hand pain treatments include:1
Icing the area
Applying ice to your wrist or hand can help reduce inflammation and swelling to tissues aggravated by a recent injury. An ice pack – or even a... bag of frozen peas – will do. Never apply ice directly to your skin. Instead, wrap the pack in a thin towel first, then apply it to your wrist.
Wearing a splint
Wearing a splint can provide support for your wrist or fingers as your go about your day-to-day activities. You may find that you only need to wear a splint at night. Speak with a physiotherapist to see if a splint might help you and how to pick out the right one for you.
Wrapping your wrist
For a minor wrist injury, wrap your wrist and hand in an elastic bandage to keep it relatively supported and immobilised while it heals. Be sure not to wrap the bandage too tight. You don’t want to cut off circulation to your hand. If your fingertips feel cold, you’ve wrapped your bandage too tightly. Simply unwind it and rewrap.
Resting the painful area
For a fresh injury, rest your wrist or hand. We know it can be hard not to use them (you need your hands for everything, right?), but taking some time to heal can be advantageous. If it’s not a fresh injury, take plenty of rests when performing activities that cause you soreness or discomfort. This can keep swelling and pressure on your wrist. Be sure to rest in a way that doesn't put pressure on the painful points.
Performing wrist stretches and exercises
Flexibility and strength exercises for your wrist can help ease and prevent wrist discomfort. Try performing them after a hot shower or bath when your muscles are at their most flexible. Never stretch or exercise an actively inflamed wrist.
Maintaining ergonomic work habits
Repetitive movements are a part of our lives. There’s no way around it. But, you can take steps to minimize the negative impact of these movements by maintaining ergonomic work practices. The key is to make sure your wrists aren’t bent upwards or downward when you’re working. Instead, they should be in a neutral position. Adjust your keyboard height accordingly.
Sometimes wrist pain is severe enough that non-medicated remedies aren’t cutting it, and you need to seek over the counter medication.2
You may choose to take an over-the-counter painkiller for your wrist pain in a tablet form. You can also choose from gels, sprays, patches and plasters, as the hand can be a tricky place to apply product to! Jump to Iodex for wrist pain relief.
Some particularly severe wrist or hand pain may warrant medical attention. See a doctor immediately if you have the following severe wrist pain symptoms:
- Inability to move your wrist at all
- Warmth and redness in your wrist joint accompanied by fever of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- Misshapen or abnormal looking hand or fingers
At your visit, your doctor may order x-rays, CT scans, MRI, or ultrasound tests in order to reach a diagnosis and put together a wrist and hand pain treatment plan.
Surgery3 may be necessary in the following cases:
- Bone fractures
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendon or ligament repair
How does Iodex UltraGel work to relieve wrist and hand pain Iodex UltraGel is clinically proven to shorten your recovery time and provide targeted relief from pain. Iodex UltraGel contains diclofenac, which works by reducing chemicals in your
body that cause inflammation. Its Emulgel technology
helps the gel to penetrate deep through the skin
to enhance delivery of the active ingredient,
diclofenac, to the site of pain and swelling,
making it an effective pain reliever.
Iodex UltraGel’s Emulgel formulation allows it to permeate the skin 7 times deeper, thus treating the pain at its root. Gently massage the gel into your skin, it penetrates and provides additional cooling and soothing effect at the site of pain and inflammation.
- Open your tube of Iodex UltraGel
- Squeeze out an amount around the size of a cherry.
- Gently rub into the wrist
- Wipe off excess gel with an absorbent tissue and throw in the trash bin. Given your hands / wrists are the area being treated, try to let the gel dry without washing them, before continuing your day.
Iodex dosage to relieve wrist or hand pain
Always follow the Iodex UltraGel dosage instructions listed on the package of your Iodex UltraGel. A little bit goes a long way. Apply between a cherry and walnut size amount of Iodex UltraGel, depending on the size of your affected area.
Explore Iodex’s products for pain relief
Health, wellness & your pain
Pain is rarely just physical nor is it always solved by taking medicine alone. Iodex is your ally in helping you take more control of your pain journey, from the way to sleep, to what you eat, mental wellbeing and complementary pain relief therapies.
