| Arthritis of the wrist may not sound like a big deal... until | | | | wrist include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, |
| you need to open a door, type on your computer, or | | | | and pseudogout. When inflammatory forms of arthritis |
| shake hands. Then you realize how much a role your | | | | affect the wrist, there is wearing away of cartilage as |
| wrist plays in these simple activities. | | | | well as damage to the supporting structures. Wearing |
| The wrist is like many other joints. It's enclosed in a | | | | away of the cartilage leads to misalignment and |
| synovial membrane. It consists of the ends of the | | | | deformity as well as wrist dysfunction. Swelling and |
| radius and ulna- two long bones- that articulate with a | | | | fluid accumulation may occur. |
| row of eight carpal bones. The carpal bones in the | | | | When wrist arthritis occurs, there is a benefit in that |
| wrist also articulate with the metacarpal bones of the | | | | wrist involvement by arthritis generally is often a tip off |
| hand. The entire wrist complex is stabilized by tendons | | | | to diagnosis. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis is one of |
| and ligaments and encased in a synovial membrane. | | | | the more common forms of arthritis that affect the |
| When arthritis develops, the wrist complex is affected | | | | wrist. By allowing an earlier diagnosis, early intervention |
| by inflammation of the synovial membrane as well as | | | | can lead to remission. |
| by any other problem that causes the cartilage that | | | | Physical therapy and specific exercise may be |
| surrounds all the bones in the wrist to wear away. | | | | beneficial as are splinting and anti-inflammatory |
| While wrist pain may occur as the first sign of a | | | | medicines. Sometimes, injection with glucocorticoids |
| problem, the inability to perform simple activities of daily | | | | may be necessary. |
| living follows shortly. | | | | In advanced cases, surgery may be necessary. |
| The pain may be dull initially but then becomes sharper | | | | Surgical procedures include excision arthroplasty |
| and more constant. | | | | where the end of the ulna bone is removed. This often |
| Grip strength diminishes. Inflammation progresses, then | | | | helps with some forms of arthritis since it allows more |
| there may be pressure on the other structures that | | | | freedom of movement. |
| pass through the wrist such as the median nerve. This | | | | Joint fusion and joint replacement may be called for in |
| leads to carpal tunnel syndrome. | | | | extreme cases. Wrist replacement currently lasts |
| The treatment of wrist arthritis is dependent on the | | | | about ten to fifteen years depending on the amount of |
| cause. Forms of arthritis that commonly affect the | | | | activity. |