NEW: Express access to COVID-19 vaccine record is now available.

The MyHealth.Alberta.ca Network showcases trusted, easy-to-use health and wellness resources from Alberta Health Services and Alberta-based partner organizations. The network is led by MyHealth.Alberta.ca, Alberta’s source for consumer health information. Our partners are committed to helping Albertans better manage their health and wellbeing. Health experts across Alberta make sure that the information on these sites is accurate and up-to-date. Our partners include

Ready or Not Alberta Healthy Parents Healthy Children Teaching Sexual Health Alberta Quits Cancer Care Alberta

VISIT MYHEALTH.ALBERTA.CA

MyHealth.Alberta.ca Network

MyHealth Records

Main Content

Top of the pageCheck Your Symptoms

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury

Skin feeling of the hand, Opens dialog

Nerves of the arm, Opens dialog

Nerves of the hand, Opens dialog

Removing a Ring From a Finger or Toe, Opens dialog

Overview

Everyone has had a minor problem with a finger, hand, or wrist. Most of the time our body movements don't cause problems. But sometimes symptoms occur from everyday wear and tear or from overuse. Finger, hand, or wrist problems can also be caused by injuries or the natural process of aging.

Your fingers, hands, or wrists may burn, sting, or hurt. Or they may feel tired, sore, stiff, numb, tingly, hot, or cold. Maybe you can't move them as well as usual, or they are swollen. Perhaps your hands have turned a different colour, such as red, pale, or blue. A lump or bump might have appeared on your wrist, palm, or fingers. Home treatment is often all that's needed to relieve your symptoms.

Overuse problems

Carpal tunnel syndrome. This is caused by pressure on a nerve (median nerve) in the wrist. The symptoms include tingling, numbness, weakness, and pain of the fingers and hand.
Tendon pain. This is actually a symptom of tendinosis, a series of very small tears (microtears) in the tissue in or around the tendon. Besides pain and tenderness, common symptoms include decreased strength and movement in the affected area.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis. This can occur in the hand and wrist when tendons and the tendon covering (sheath) on the thumb side of the wrist swell and cause pain.
Repetitive motion syndrome. This is a term used to describe symptoms such as pain, swelling, or tenderness that occur from repeating the same motion over and over.
Writer's cramps. These are caused by repeated hand or finger motion, such as writing or typing.
Trigger finger or trigger thumb. This occurs when the flexor tendon and its sheath in a finger or thumb thicken or swell.

Bone, muscle, or joint problems

Dupuytren's disease. It causes tissue to thicken beneath the skin in the palm of the hand or hands and sometimes in the soles of the feet. Over time, the thickened skin and tendons (palmar fascia) may limit movement or cause the fingers to bend so that they can't be straightened.
Ganglion cysts. These are small sacs (cysts) filled with clear, jelly-like fluid. They often appear as bumps on the hands and wrists. They also can form on feet, ankles, knees, or shoulders.

Problems from medical conditions

Tingling or pain in the fingers or hand (especially the left hand) may be signs of a heart attack.
Diabetes may change how the hands normally feel or sense touch. Decreased feeling in the hands is common because of decreased blood flow to the hands or damage to nerves of the hand.
Pregnancy may cause redness, itching, swelling, numbness, or tingling that often goes away after delivery.
Osteoarthritis is the progressive breakdown of the tissue that protects and cushions joints (cartilage). It may cause stiffness and pain with movement.
Rheumatoid arthritis may cause stiffness and pain with movement. Over time, deformity of the fingers may occur.
Lupus is a long-lasting autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks normal body tissues as though they were foreign substances. It may cause joint pain.
Gout is an inflammatory joint disease that causes acute pain and swelling. It's a form of arthritis that occurs when uric acid crystals form in and around the joints. It often affects the big toe joint.
Raynaud's phenomenon is a condition in which some areas of the body, usually the fingers or toes, have an extreme response to cold temperature or emotional stress. During an attack of Raynaud's, the blood vessels in the affected areas tighten, severely limiting the flow of blood to the skin. This causes numbness, tingling, swelling, pain, and pale colour.
Infection can cause pain, redness, and swelling that occur with red streaks, heat, fever, or the drainage of pus. An infection often causes tenderness to the touch or pain with movement at the site of the infection.

Health Tools

Check Your Symptoms

Do you have a finger, hand, or wrist problem? Review health risks that may make any symptom more serious.

This includes symptoms like pain, numbness, and trouble moving the fingers, hand, or wrists normally.

Yes

Finger, hand, or wrist problem

Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:

Your age. Babies and older adults tend to get sicker quicker.
Your overall health. If you have a condition such as diabetes, HIV, cancer, or heart disease, you may need to pay closer attention to certain symptoms and seek care sooner.
Medicines you take. Certain medicines, such as blood thinners (anticoagulants), medicines that suppress the immune system like steroids or chemotherapy, or natural health products can cause symptoms or make them worse.
Recent health events, such as surgery or injury. These kinds of events can cause symptoms afterwards or make them more serious.
Your health habits and lifestyle, such as eating and exercise habits, smoking, alcohol or drug use, sexual history, and travel.

Symptoms of infection may include:

Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in or around the area.
Red streaks leading from the area.
Pus draining from the area.
A fever.

Pain in adults and older children

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that you can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt your normal activities and your sleep, but you can tolerate it for hours or days. Moderate can also mean pain that comes and goes even if it's severe when it's there.
Mild pain (1 to 4): You notice the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt your sleep or activities.

When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold, it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood supply to the area. This can be serious.

There are other reasons for colour and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal colour returns after you move it. What you are looking for is a change in how the area looks (it turns blue or pale) and feels (it becomes cold to the touch), and this change does not go away.

Pain in children under 3 years

It can be hard to tell how much pain a baby or toddler is in.

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the baby cannot sleep, cannot get comfortable, and cries constantly no matter what you do. The baby may kick, make fists, or grimace.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The baby is very fussy, clings to you a lot, and may have trouble sleeping but responds when you try to comfort him or her.
Mild pain (1 to 4): The baby is a little fussy and clings to you a little but responds when you try to comfort him or her.

Pain in children 3 years and older

Severe pain (8 to 10): The pain is so bad that the child can't stand it for more than a few hours, can't sleep, and can't do anything else except focus on the pain. No one can tolerate severe pain for more than a few hours.
Moderate pain (5 to 7): The pain is bad enough to disrupt the child's normal activities and sleep, but the child can tolerate it for hours or days.
Mild pain (1 to 4): The child notices and may complain of the pain, but it is not bad enough to disrupt his or her sleep or activities.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
Long-term alcohol and drug problems.
Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.
Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.
Medicines taken after organ transplant.
Not having a spleen.

Cold Temperature Exposure

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries

Post-Operative Problems

C undefined
R 13.8.0.0

Information about Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury

Self-Care

Try the following tips to help relieve finger, hand, or wrist pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Remove all jewellery.
Remove rings, bracelets, watches, and any other jewellery from your finger, wrist, or arm. It will be hard to remove the jewellery after swelling starts.
Rest.
It's important to rest and protect the affected area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.
Use ice.
Put ice or a cold pack on the affected area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake).
Wrap the affected area.
Compression, or wrapping the area with an elastic bandage (such as an Ace wrap), will help reduce swelling. Don't wrap it too tightly, because that can cause more swelling below the affected area. Loosen the bandage if it gets too tight. Signs that the bandage is too tight include numbness, tingling, increased pain, coolness, and swelling in the area below the bandage.
Elevate the affected area.
Try to keep the area at or above the level of your heart to help reduce swelling. Prop up the area on pillows while you apply ice and anytime you sit or lie down.
Avoid things that might increase swelling.
For 48 hours, avoid things that might increase swelling. These things include hot showers, hot tubs, hot packs, and drinks that contain alcohol.
Apply heat.
- After 2 or 3 days, you can try applying heat to the area that hurts. Types of heat therapy include microwavable packs and disposable heating patches.
- Apply heat for 10 to 20 minutes at a time.
- You might also try switching between cold and heat.
Treat hands that are sensitive to cold.
Avoid and protect your hands from the cold. For example, wear gloves or blow warm air onto cold hands.
Avoid sleeping on your hands.
This may decrease blood flow to your fingers.
Treat blisters on fingers or hands.
Use a loose bandage to protect them.

If you need to use a wrap for more than 48 hours, you may have a more serious injury that needs to be checked by a doctor.

When to call for help during self-care

Call a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home:

New or worse pain or swelling.
New signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, pus, or a fever.
New or worse numbness, tingling, or cool and pale skin.
Movement or strength decreases.
Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.

Learn more

Over-the-counter medicines

More self-care

Watch

RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, video

Preparing For Your Appointment

Related Information

Credits

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Ignite Healthwise, LLC, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.

Click here to learn about Ignite Healthwise, LLC

To learn more about Ignite Healthwise, LLC, visit webmdignite.com.

Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems, Non-Injury

Overview

Skin feeling of the hand, Opens dialog

Nerves of the arm, Opens dialog

Nerves of the hand, Opens dialog

Removing a Ring From a Finger or Toe, Opens dialog

Overview

Your fingers, hands, or wrists may burn, sting, or hurt. Or they may feel tired, sore, stiff, numb, tingly (Figure 1), hot, or cold. Maybe you can't move them as well as usual, or they are swollen. Perhaps your hands have turned a different colour, such as red, pale, or blue. A lump or bump might have appeared on your wrist, palm, or fingers. Home treatment is often all that's needed to relieve your symptoms.