Hand and wrist pain is often mistakenly attributed to carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but it’s not always the culprit. One common misdiagnosis is ESS, which can lead to improper treatment. Let’s explore these conditions further.
Chronic low-grade inflammation can lead to serious health issues like certain cancers and heart diseases. Tendonitis is a familiar problem in the wrist and hand, occurring when tendons, which connect muscles to bones, become inflamed. This can affect the flexor tendons, which bend your fingers, or the extensor tendons, which straighten them.
Tendonitis shares symptoms with CTS, such as pain, tenderness, and weakness, especially during repetitive wrist and hand movements. However, tendonitis pain is usually localized to the inflamed tendon. For example, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis affects the tendons at the base of the thumb, causing pain on the thumb side of the wrist. In contrast, CTS typically causes pain and numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger.
The timing of symptoms can also differ. CTS often causes nighttime numbness and tingling that disrupts sleep, while tendonitis pain can persist throughout the day and night.
Cervical radiculopathy, despite its complex name, refers to nerve compression in the neck. The cervical spine contains nerves that extend to the arm and hand. If a nerve root is pinched by a herniated disc or bone spurs, it can cause pain, numbness, and weakness from the neck down to the hand.
Cervical radiculopathy can mimic CTS by causing hand pain, numbness, or weakness, but it also involves pain along the affected nerve up to the arm, sometimes accompanied by neck pain or stiffness and weakness in the arm or shoulder, which are not typical of CTS.
When hand or wrist pain interferes with daily life, it’s crucial to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. They will review your medical history, conduct an examination, and possibly order tests like X-rays or nerve conduction studies. This thorough evaluation ensures you receive the right treatment for your condition. While CTS is often suspected, a proper assessment can identify the true cause of your hand pain.
