Wrist Arthritis
What Causes Chronic Wrist Pain and Stiffness?
Ongoing wrist pain and stiffness, especially with grip or weight-bearing activity, is often wrist arthritis — cartilage wear that can develop from age, prior fracture, ligament injury, or inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis gout. It's a common cause of chronic wrist pain in adults.
Causes and Symptoms
Wrist arthritis often follows a prior injury — a healed fracture or ligament tear can alter wrist mechanics and accelerate cartilage wear years later — though it can also develop without a clear prior injury. Symptoms include pain with gripping or weight-bearing (like pushing up from a chair), stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
X-rays typically confirm the pattern and severity of arthritis. Nonsurgical treatment includes bracing, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, and injections. This is the case in most patients, at least initially. When conservative treatment isn't enough, surgical options range from limited fusion of specific wrist bones (preserving some motion) to total wrist fusion or replacement, depending on the pattern of arthritis and the patient's functional demands.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What's the difference between wrist arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome?
Arthritis is joint and cartilage damage causing pain and stiffness; carpal tunnel syndrome is nerve compression causing numbness and tingling — they're unrelated conditions, though both can cause hand/wrist discomfort.
Does wrist arthritis always require surgery?
No, many patients manage well long-term with bracing, activity changes, and injections; surgery is considered when these no longer control symptoms.