Arthritis and other Inflammatory Conditions
Inflammatory conditions of the wrists also trigger pain and include arthritis and gout. Arthritis of the wrist is a disease that features pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints of the hands. In arthritis of the wrist, the patient’s hands may look swollen or feel tender to mild pressure. The fingers can become deformed, especially in rheumatoid arthritis and advanced cases of the disease.
The most common type of arthritis in the wrist is osteoarthritis, a disease of wear and tear with added inflammation. Osteoarthritis is a slow, progressive disease, and it worsens over time. As we get older, our joints tend to get stiffer, and this loss of motion causes arthritis. That’s why osteoarthritis is more common in older adults. However, young patients can also develop this condition after trauma.
On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis affects 1.5 million people in the United States and is more common in women than in men. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known. It involves the wrists but, more commonly, the hands and knees. The pain is usually worse in the morning and after periods of rest and is associated with stiffness.
Another inflammatory disease worth mentioning is gout. Gout in the wrists is characterized by swelling resulting from uric acid crystals in the joint space. Gout usually starts in one wrist and moves to the other hand over time. This disease is more common in your feet, especially in your big toe. However, it can develop in any other articulation, including the wrists. The main features of gout in the wrist include pain, swelling, and redness of the affected joint.