wrist pain on pinky finger side
July 30, 2024 2:09 AM Subscribe
owww. I'm 10 days into a massive decluttering clear-out of my parents' place and developed a mild strain in my right wrist (dominant hand), presumably due to hauling stacks of books around etc. Yesterday I felt a sharp stabbing pain when I was moving a table and now my wrist hurts even when eating or typing. Tendonitis? YANMD but any advice on how to help it is welcome.
I'm an ocean away from my health insurance coverage for another 2 weeks so can't see a doctor quite yet...
I'm an ocean away from my health insurance coverage for another 2 weeks so can't see a doctor quite yet...
Ulnar nerve pinch, probably at the cubital tunnel, is my guess.
Pinch and rub the muscles just under your elbow, inside and outside it; that might help.
posted by humbug at 5:14 AM on July 30
Pinch and rub the muscles just under your elbow, inside and outside it; that might help.
posted by humbug at 5:14 AM on July 30
Submerge the hand and wrist in very hot water, as hot as you can stand. You can do this several times a day for five minutes or so. This is likely to control the pain well, if temporarily, and speed healing if there is any inflammation. Take an over the counter anti-inflammatory.
While you may have a pinched nerve, you also may have a strain injury or arthritis flare up in the hand either instead or as well.
Check your ergonomics - If you are curling your wrists to lift bags higher when going up and down stairs for example, you could be really stressing the joints and ligaments. Try to keep your wrists as straight as you can to prevent this issue. Braces, as mentioned above, can help if you can't remember to do this.
Use a wrist rest while typing. The issue could spring from or have been made worse by using a keyboard at your parent's with a set up that lets you let your wrists sag. A hand towel rolled up firmly makes a quick, readily available wrist rest.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:00 AM on July 30
While you may have a pinched nerve, you also may have a strain injury or arthritis flare up in the hand either instead or as well.
Check your ergonomics - If you are curling your wrists to lift bags higher when going up and down stairs for example, you could be really stressing the joints and ligaments. Try to keep your wrists as straight as you can to prevent this issue. Braces, as mentioned above, can help if you can't remember to do this.
Use a wrist rest while typing. The issue could spring from or have been made worse by using a keyboard at your parent's with a set up that lets you let your wrists sag. A hand towel rolled up firmly makes a quick, readily available wrist rest.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:00 AM on July 30
Stretch out your neck - chin down head back - as much as you can without overdoing it. All the nerves in your arm radiate from the neck and if anything is pinched in the neck, it can show up farther down the limb.
posted by soelo at 7:27 AM on July 30
posted by soelo at 7:27 AM on July 30
Sounds similar to a problem I have had over the years. I was recommended a brace called the "Wrist Widget" that has been incredibly effective for me.
posted by TheCoug at 7:53 AM on July 30
posted by TheCoug at 7:53 AM on July 30
I have experienced various problems associated with things I thought were “mild” joint issues, and for which I have sometimes tried to homebrew solutions. I would not do so again and would, in your situation, at the very least go to a clinic and get an x-ray.
posted by cupcakeninja at 3:59 PM on July 30
posted by cupcakeninja at 3:59 PM on July 30
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I bet it will heal with no issues within 24 hours. But with your luck, you will probably get that exact thing happen about 4 days into coverage. So weird.
posted by hal_cy_on at 3:10 AM on July 30