The treatment options recommended for hand and wrist pain depend on the underlying cause of the pain. In more severe cases where symptoms do not improve despite undergoing treatment, surgical intervention may be required. It's crucial to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and personalised treatment plan based on the underlying issue.

 

Non-Surgical Treatment 

Supportive Therapy

The acronym R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Your doctor may suggest these practical and conservative approaches to help joint pain from injury or overuse. 

  • Rest to avoid further injury. (Especially avoid repetitive tasks.)
  • Ice your wrist or hand on and off for 15 minutes at a time.
  • Compress your wrist or hand by applying an elastic bandage to help reduce swelling and provide some support.
  • Elevate your hand and wrist when you rest.

Lifestyle Changes
Avoid activities that tend to worsen the symptoms.

Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can help reduce your pain and improve pain-free movement. Your physiotherapist may perform manual therapy, suggest stretching and strengthening exercises based on your anatomy, joint function, and disease progression. They may also recommend a wrist brace to allow rest of the painful and inflamed wrist. 

Medication
Your doctor may suggest over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling and pain in your wrist joint. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and steroid medications such as corticosteroid injections can be helpful. The use of these medications should be monitored by your doctor.

Alternative Treatments
Other methods to alleviate hand and wrist pain include corticosteroid injections, splint, braces and ultrasound therapy.
Discuss non-surgical approaches with your doctor to alleviate wrist pain. If these methods do not provide relief, you can explore the surgical options below to address your wrist pain.

 

Surgical Treatment

Our team offers innovative diagnosis and treatment for both common and complex hand and wrist conditions.

Some of the surgical services we offer:

Wrist Replacement

When non-surgical treatments and medication don’t bring relief and restore mobility, your doctor may recommend wrist replacement. Wrist replacement is a surgery performed to replace the arthritic ends of bone and damaged cartilage with prosthetic implants designed to move like a natural, healthy wrist.

During surgery, your surgeon inserts one component into the bone in the forearm (the radius) and a second component in the hand side of the wrist where the carpal bones have been prepared to accept the component. An artificial ball made of medical-grade plastic (polyethylene) assembles to the carpal component. These components work together to form the artificial wrist implant designed to replicate the wrist joint.

Wrist Fusion Surgery

Wrist fusion may be an option for you when a standard wrist replacement cannot address your pain. 

A total wrist fusion uses a plate and screws over the wrist joint to form one long bone. By forming one long bone, you eliminate the articulation (movement) between the arthritic surfaces that were causing the initial pain. 

However, it is important to consider that, unlike with a joint replacement, some motion, such as flexion and extension will be lost with a total wrist fusion.