It gets to a point when you are faced with a choice: ‘keep living through the pain, or seek a remedy?’ The waking up, the stretching, the groaning, the clicking, the repetitiveness of it all can become unbearable.
Arthritis of the wrist is just one of the many conditions we offer treatment for at Ladan Hajipour. Wrist arthritis affects the joints between the forearm (radius and ulna bones) and the carpal bones in the wrist. There are two types of arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, caused when the body’s immune system attacks itself by sending antibodies to the joint lining, and osteoarthritis which is a result of the degeneration of joint cartilage.
While the latter is the most common of the two, it is the early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis that can slow down damage to the joints, as well as working towards the prevention of future disabilities. With so much at stake, it could pay dividends to develop a furthered awareness in advance, thus giving you a chance to catch the condition before it gets to that point.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
- It is essential to remember that rheumatoid arthritis inflames the wrist joint, and so the most commonly perceived symptoms are swelling and stiffness. After a period of sleep or sustained rest, the pain will not begin to subside for at least an hour, if at all.
- Although there is not a definitive cause of rheumatoid arthritis, it can be a hereditary condition, so it is certainly worth checking with your family for any past history of the condition.
- When did the symptoms first present themselves? Was it the result of an external injury? If the answer is no, and the symptoms are self presenting, then an appointment is recommended.
- How long have the symptoms been a problem? If they have been persistent for over six weeks, then an appointment is recommended.
- RA often presents itself symmetrically. So, concerning the wrist, if one is experiencing symptoms then there is a high chance the other is too.
- As the condition stems from an inflammatory problem, the joint may feel hot-to-touch alongside the other typical symptoms.
- Some symptoms may have nothing to do with the wrist joints themselves, and that is because RA is a ‘systemic’ disease – this means that it highlights problems with the bodily system on the whole. Other bodily symptoms may include: fatigue, swollen glands, paleness of the skin and a loss of appetite.
Osteoarthritis
- Much like rheumatoid arthritis, the typical immediate symptoms are swelling and stiffness; however, as osteoarthritis is concerned with the wear and tear of the joint as opposed to the body’s inflammatory response, there is a much lower chance of the wrist joint being hot-to-touch.
- The stiffness is commonly at its worst in the morning, with the pain easing throughout the day.
- If the joint cartilage has deteriorated past a certain point, a crunch or crack sound may be experienced when the bones grind together.
- Unlike RA which often presents itself in a ‘symmetrical pattern’, OA can develop on one particular side of the body.
While there is currently no cure for wrist arthritis, there are several ways in which the symptoms outlined can be treated and relieved. There is multiple wrist arthritis treatment available that can stop it from progressing. Once the correct medication or steroids are prescribed, however, the effectiveness of this will naturally increase if the condition is caught early. Back in 2013, a mum went to The Express to try and raise awareness of the need for quick action.
If you find yourself worried by any potential symptoms, or believe that you need arthritis wrist support, then you can get in touch with Ladan Hajipour here.