Once the day comes to an end, some individuals will notice that their hands are aching. Even though applying ice can help, the problem will not simply vanish over time. An aching hand can be considered as a symptom of hand tendonitis. This is a common overuse injury that will make daily tasks difficulty to handle. With this in mind, it is important that you know how to identify the condition so that you can provide the appropriate first aid care. It is also important to seek medical care as soon as possible so that treatment can be started.
What are the symptoms of hand tendonitis?
The symptoms of hand tendonitis typically include tenderness and pain in the hand that is focused along a tendon. The tendons are typically situated close to the joints, thus many individuals describe the pain as a joint pain.
Always remember that tendonitis pain tends to worsen at night time as well as activity or movement. Constant motion is responsible for aggravating the pain if an individual has tendonitis. Since these symptoms can also indicate other hand issues such as arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, those who find the pain an annoyance with their daily activities must consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Take note that the pain is usually accompanied by swelling.
What are the causes?
It is important to note that the symptoms of hand tendonitis can occur once the tendon which is the tissue that attaches the muscles of the hands to the bones becomes swollen. The condition often develops due to abuse but the tendons can become swollen after an injury. Always remember that any tendon in the body can develop tendonitis, but the hand and wrists face the highest risk to the condition since they are used most of the time. In case the symptoms of this condition are simply ignored, it can lead to a rupture or tear of the tendon. This would require surgery to repair it.
Diagnosing hand tendonitis
The condition can be diagnosed based on the symptoms that manifest. The doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination of the hand and perform range of motion exercise to determine the exact location of the pain.
If the pain is focused in a tendon, the doctor will surely diagnose tendonitis. In some cases, doctors can request for imaging tests in order to rule out other conditions such as arthritis or even bone injuries that can cause similar pain.
How hand tendonitis is treated
The symptoms of hand tendonitis can be treated with modifications to the lifestyle along with medications. Initially, daily activities will be modified so that less stress will be placed on the affected tendons. The affected hand will be immobilized by using a splint in order to allow the tendon to properly heal. This is done in connection with the anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce the inflammation. The doctor will instruct the individual to use ice in order to control the swelling.