Nerve Entrapment Syndromes
The most common nerve entrapment syndromes affecting the wrist are carpal tunnel syndrome, DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis, and ulnar nerve entrapment neuritis.
Carpal tunnel syndrome usually causes burning pain in your hands, wrists, and forearms. This syndrome is associated with sensory changes such as numbness and tingling. However, you can also experience weakness and difficulty gripping. This is the most common nerve entrapment syndrome but not the only one.
DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis is an inflammatory condition of the tendons, which attaches the muscle to the bone. It often occurs as a complication of wrist splints or casted wrists when they are kept for too long. Symptoms include tenderness and pain in the thumb side of the wrist, along with tenderness at the thumb side of the wrist crease.
Ulnar nerve entrapment neuritis is an inflammation of any part of the ulnar nerve. This nerve goes from the hand to the arm. In ulnar nerve entrapment neuritis, the nerve is compressed beneath a ligament. The compression causes pain and weakness in the hand and fingers. Ulnar nerve entrapment usually occurs in a baseball pitcher’s elbow. This is because the ligament that compresses the nerve is known as the ulnar collateral ligament.
These syndromes are characterized by similar signs and symptoms. The pain can be located in the hands, but it is usually found in an extensive area that is sometimes difficult to pinpoint. Besides pain, patients will also experience sensitive and motor abnormalities.