Common Hand Problems

Hand problems and finger injuries are both painful and sadly all too common.  Our hands are a fine-tuned complex of muscles, ligaments, nerves and small bones, that work together in harmony to produce movements and gather information. When any of these components is damaged, carrying out the daily tasks that we all take for granted can become problematic.

Common hand problems and injuries include:

Trigger Finger

Inflammation or swelling around the flexor tendons can cause pain, stiffness or a ‘clicking’ sensation in one or more fingers or the thumb. Either hand can be affected and symptoms can be worse in the morning. People who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis or Diabetes often experience trigger finger too.

De Quervains Disease

Affecting the tendons on the radial (thumb) side of the wrist, this condition can be quite painful with wrist or thumb movements, whilst gripping or making a fist. Patients can often experience swelling on the wrist and difficulty in grasping things. Most commonly affecting women aged between 30 and 50, it can be associated with repetitive Movements.

Thumb And Finger Arthritis

Loss of joint cartilage can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and restricted movements in the thumb or fingers. Symptoms may come and go, or can be more persistent, seeing the joints take on a knobbly appearance with some patients experiencing a grating sensation in the affected joint(s).

Ganglion Cysts

These non-cancerous lumps can often be seen at the joints of your wrist or fingers. Varying in size and usually round or oval shaped, they are filled with a jelly-like fluid. They can sometimes disappear on their own, but if they are causing pain, hand surgery treatment may be required.

Mucous Cysts

This type of cyst typically forms at the end joint of the finger. It can be due to fluid escaping from the joint, or simply as a result of wear and tear. The cysts can vary in size and may get bigger or smaller over time, sometimes causing an irregularity to the finger nail. Resisting the temptation to pop the cysts is advisable as this can cause the joint to become Infected.

Dupuytren’s Disease

Also known as Dupuytren’s Contracture, this condition sees one or more fingers adopting a bent position, towards the palm of the hand. It is caused by thickening of the tissue under the skin of the palm and it can start with the appearance of lumps or dimples on your palm, leading to the finger becoming bent. Patients can have difficulties fulfilling certain activities or laying their hand out flat.

Carpal  Tunnel

Symptoms include tingling, aching and numbness in the hands and fingers and are caused by pressure on the nerve in your wrist. Pregnancy can be one of the causes, in which case it will go away by itself after childbirth. Symptoms can come and go and they can be particularly troublesome at night, however if they worsen or do not disappear, then treatment may be necessary.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Cubital tunnel syndrome is when the ulnar nerve is compressed as it bends pass the elbow. The nerve passes through a tight tunnel (called the cubital tunnel) on the inside of the elbow. Cubital Tunnel syndrome usually starts with tingling in the ring and little fingers. Initially the tingling occurs when the elbow is bent, during sleep at night or when using a phone or driving. As things progress, the tingling becomes permanent, then loss of sensations in these two fingers and hand weakness occur. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment by a Consultant Hand surgeon is advised