Wrist pain

Alternative names:

pain in the wrist

Definition:

Any pain or discomfort in the wrist.

Considerations:

Acute infectious arthritis of the wrist (or any other joint) is a medical emergency.

Common causes:

• trauma or injury, especially if it involves a fracture, sprain, or strain
• osteoarthritis (the side of the wrist by the thumb is often involved)
• acute gouty arthritis
• carpal tunnel syndrome (pain can shoot down the fingers or up into the forearm; usually there is a numb feeling in some of the fingers as if they were asleep)
• tendinitis
• pseudogout
• inflammatory arthritis
• chronic gouty arthritis
• infection of the wrist area
• psoriatic arthritis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)

Note: There may be other causes of wrist pain. This list is not all inclusive, and the causes are not presented in order of likelihood. The causes of this symptom can include unlikely diseases and medications. Furthermore, the causes may vary based on age and gender of the affected person, as well as on the specific characteristics of the symptom such as location, quality, time course, aggravating factors, relieving factors, and associated complaints. Use the Symptom Analysis option to explore the possible explanations for wrist pain, occurring alone or in combination with other problems.