What is a hand pain?
Hand pain is very common and has many causes ranging from osteoarthritis to trapped nerves.1
Hand pain causes
A common cause of hand pain is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which approximately 1 in 1,000 people develop each year. CTS develops when the nerve that runs between the small bones and ligaments of the wrist gets compressed, restricting its blood flow and causing pins and needles, pain, numbness and weakness in the fingers and thumb.1
Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is another condition that can cause pain in the muscles, nerves and tendons of the hands – as well as in the arms, neck and shoulders. As its name suggests, RSI is caused by repetitive movement and overuse, with symptoms including pain, aching or tenderness; stiffness; throbbing; tingling or numbness; weakness and cramp.
If you think you may have RSI it’s important to stop the repetitive tasks that may be causing that pain. You should also see your GP if your symptoms persist, because RSI can get worse without treatment and may eventually become constant.2
Hand pain types
With so many moving parts, you may experience pain in your fingers and thumbs, the palm of your hand, or the back of your hand.3
Hand pain symptoms
Tingling, numbness, tenderness, swelling, throbbing and cramp are all common symptoms of hand pain.3
Hand pain relief
It’s difficult to rest your hands, but if you want to relieve pain in your hands you need to do your best to avoid or cut down on activities that cause your hands to become more painful, such as typing, using vibrating tools for work, or playing an instrument.4
To ease your hand pain at home, use an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel) for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.4 Your pharmacist can advise you on pain relief medications that can help your hand pain, such as Solpadeine Plus or Solpadeine Max.
There are many different reasons you could be suffering hand pain, and while most are nothing to worry about, if it doesn’t resolve in a few days speak to your GP.
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References:
1. NHS PhysioHey: Hand pain. Available at: http://physio.hey.nhs.uk/common-injuries/upper-limb-injuries/hand-pain Accessed July 2021.
2. NHS: Hand pain. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-pain/ Accessed July 2021.
3. NHS: Repetitive strain injury. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/repetitive-strain-injury-rsi/ Accessed July 2021.
4. NHS: Hand pain – finger pain. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-pain/finger-pain/ Accessed July 2021.
Find out more about other pain types
Select a type of pain to read about causes, what you can do to help relieve it, and which treatments are most appropriate.
Solpadeine® Max Soluble Tablets, Paracetamol 500mg, Codeine Phosphate Hemihydrate 12.8mg, Caffeine 30mg For the treatment of acute moderate pain which is not relieved by paracetamol or ibuprofen alone. Contains codeine. Can cause addiction. Use for 3 days only. Always read the leaflet.
Solpadeine® Headache Soluble Tablets contain Paracetamol and Caffeine – a mild analgesic and antipyretic formulated to give extra pain relief. Always read the leaflet.
Solpadeine® Plus, Solpadeine® Max and Solpadeine® Headache products are not recommended for children under 12 years of age.
SolpaOne® 1000mg Effervescent Tablets contains paracetamol. For the treatment of mild to moderate pain and/or fever. For adults and adolescents over 50kg of body weight aged 16 years and above. Always read the leaflet.
