What is osteoarthritis (OA) of the wrist?
Wrist Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term condition causing pain, stiffness and swelling of the joint (at the wrist crease). It can make even simple daily tasks quite difficult. The prevalence of Osteoarthritis increases with age. It can occur for no apparent reason or following previous injury, for example a previous wrist fracture. There is a familial link i.e., if one of your parents has Osteoarthritis you have an increased risk of developing it.
Although there is no cure for OA, there are many treatment options available to help your pain and stiffness, in both the short and long term. Physiotherapy, activity modification, wrist splints and anti-inflammatories provide the mainstay of treatment. For severe pain, for those that are not improving, and/or if symptoms are waking you at night, an ultrasound guided steroid injection can significantly improve your pain and stiffness. This should always be followed up with a course of physiotherapy to restore your movement and strength. An ultrasound guided hyaluronic acid injection can also be used to reduce your pain and may have a role in reducing the progression of the disease.
What are the symptoms of wrist Osteoarthritis (OA)?
The symptoms of wrist OA are:
Diffuse, deep, dull aching pain, stiffness and swelling located around the wrist joint
Morning pain, swelling and stiffness, which normally settles within 30 minutes
Pain with weight bearing activities such as carrying out press ups, leaning on a table and/or lifting/carrying
15 авг 2022
