Wrist Pain and its Many Causes
Wrist Pain and Various Disorders
Wrist pain and it’s many causes are often called in by patients.
You cannot diagnose patients over the phone. Unfortunately, sometimes they often want this. Many times my staff comes and asks me complex questions that people want answers to over the phone.
My standard answer is, “your cardiologist does not prescribe heart medicine over the phone without seeing you.”
This is not meant to be rude, disrespectful or uncaring. It is quite the opposite, I want people to understand medicine is complex.
A great doctor who does care practices medicine accordingly. A detailed history, review of records, physical examination, review of diagnostic tests, x-rays and MRI’s are all important.
Interpreting this in the clinical context of that patients life, is also important. An elite athlete may be different than an elderly 70 year old with the same diagnosis.
Possible wrist pain and its many causes include:
- Sprains strains
- Ligaments scapholunate and scapholunate dissociation
- Cartilage
- Degenerative arthritis
- TFCC tears or triangular fibrocartilagenous complex tear
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- AVN or avascular necrosis
- Prieser’s disease
- Kienbock disease
I have had high school athletes who are told they need a wrist fusion, that we treat with orthobiological Regeneration Medicine Stem cell applications who go on to have college scholarships and successful careers without wrist fusion.
These patients are forever grateful for our attention to detail, the time we take to evaluate them with their best interest put first. Not just for today, but for their health long term. Wrist fusion is irreversible, and the degenerative changes that occur at surrounding unfused segments sneak up on people as they age.
Degenerative arthritis is not mans best friend, yet it all too familiar to those who have sustained earlier traumatic injuries to not just their wrists, but many other joints as well.
Older Age and Multiple Joint Pain
It is very common for patients to present complaining of one joint pain, such as the wrist, yet on further questioning, they have many complaints.
Our bodies are like older cars….they have more problems.
Time has a way of reminding us of what we did in our youth. Sports, jumping from heights, work injuries, staying in shape all take their toll.
I have treated some of the World’s Greatest Bodybuilders, including several Mr. Olympia’s. The Mr. Olympia title is professional bodybuilding’s pinnacle of success. Arnold Schwarzenegger won it 6 times. I’ve also treated Ronnie Coleman one of two who hold the distinction of all time highest Mr. Olympia wins with 8 titles. No one lifts that much weight over that many years without a great toll on their joints.
With professional bodybuilding or even recreational bodybuilding, and weightlifting over decades their is usually multiple degenerative arthritic joints. Wrists are not uncommon from the way weights are held over time, and the amount of weight being lifted. Shoulders, hips, and low back pain are all too common. In fact, Low back pain is second in frequency of medical office visits right behind the common cold.
Rest assured you are not alone when you get older, that multiple joints hurt from degenerative arthritis pain. When thinking about consultation with someone for not just your wrist pain, consider someone has had their share of aching joints, but also the expertise to diagnosis and treat your wrist and other joint pain problems.
Dr. Lox Serves Patients with Wrist Pain in Clearwater, FL and Beverly Hills, California
