Arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Wrist By Kimberly Charleson Kimberly is a health and wellness writer with 8 years of experience in healthcare and a special passion for mental health awareness. Learn about our editorial process Kimberly Charleson Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Grant Hughes, MD on January 08, 2021 linkedin Grant Hughes, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist. He is an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the head of rheumatology at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Review Board Grant Hughes, MD on January 08, 2021 Print The wrist is one of the main joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since this condition often starts in the small joints of the hand and wrist. About one in seven people in the United States has wrist arthritis. This condition can be mild to severe and cause a variety of symptoms, including wrist pain, that can disrupt everyday functioning. The wrist is the joint connecting the hand to the forearm, and is formed by the radius and the ulna bones. Daily work and personal life activities require the use of the wrist. If you experience wrist pain or discomfort when you use your wrist or at rest, it may be due to arthritis. ljubaphoto / Getty Images How RA Affects the Wrist Rheumatoid arthritis is one type of arthritis, and is an autoimmune and chronic condition. An autoimmune disease causes the body's immune system to attack its own tissue. This means in RA in the wrist, the condition will cause damage to the nearby tissue and soften the bone in the wrist. Everyone's experience with RA and wrist arthritis varies. Some won't have symptoms right away, while others may experience extreme pain. People with wrist arthritis may have overlapping symptoms between RA and another condition like carpal tunnel syndrome or gout. RA joint damage and deformity cannot be reversed, so it's best to catch the problem and start the treatment early. Joint Pain Pain in the wrist joint is a common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis in the wrist, and the severity of the pain can range from minimal to extreme. It should also be noted that RA is known to be a symmetrical disease, where joints of the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles are commonly affected on both sides. Other Symptoms In addition to pain, there are many other notable symptoms to look out for, including: StiffnessSwellingRednessWeaknessJoint painDifficulty gripping itemsLimited range of motionGrinding or clickingDeformity Symptoms can be a slight inconvenience or a barrier to getting things done from day to day. With RA, the wrist is often only one of several affected body parts. Along with the symptoms felt in the wrist from RA, the disease can also cause physical symptoms of fatigue, fever, and weight loss. Diagnosis Keep in mind that wrist pain isn't always due to an underlying condition. There may be another reason for your wrist pain, like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or simply overuse. That said, it's always a good idea to have your wrist pain checked out by a doctor. It's important to get a diagnosis as early as possible for RA to avoid deformity of the joint. When it comes to RA, diagnosis can be difficult due to its similarities to other conditions. To accurately diagnose the cause of your wrist pain, your medical provider will take a full medical history and family history, listen to your symptoms, and rule out other possible causes to your complaints. Your doctor may also order several tests to diagnose your condition, including imaging and blood tests. An x-ray of your wrist can reveal the severity and progression of RA. RA also shows up in blood work through these tests: Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rateC-Reactive proteinRheumatoid factorAnti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies Severity Your doctor will also look at the severity of your RA to determine the best treatment, which is classified into stages. Rheumatoid arthritis has four stages: Stage 1: This is the first and earliest stage of RA. It involves initial inflammation in joints and some swelling in the tissue. There are also symptoms of joint pain, swelling, and stiffnessStage 2: This is the moderate stage where the inflammation becomes severe enough to do damage to the cartilage. Symptoms increase to additional loss of mobility and decreased range of motionStage 3: This stage is considered severe. Inflammation is destroying the cartilage of the joint and bone. Increased pain, swelling, low mobility, and loss of strength are all included in this stage. The joint may also start to show deformityStage 4: This is the end stage of RA, where the inflammatory process stops and the joints don't function at all. This stage is associated with pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of mobility Treatment There a few treatment options for wrist arthritis. It's important to discuss your options with your doctor to determine if the benefits of a treatment outweigh the risks. Options for Surgical and Non-Surgical Treatments of Wrist Arthritis Splints and Supports Wrist splints and arthritic gloves can be used to ease the pain. You may get them sized specifically to fit your wrist. These will not prevent injury or take away the pain completely, but are great for support and comfort during the day. Medication Medications can be used to control pain and inflammation in RA. There are a few different types of medications, depending on your level of pain and the severity of your RA: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Over-the-counter treatment for pain that doesn't slow the progression of the diseaseDisease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMADs): These are used as first-line treatment to reduce immune system activity and reduce inflammationOral steroids: A temporary measure for quick results to lower inflammationInjections: Cortisone shots are injected into the pain site for pain relief and inflammation three to four times per year Oral glucocorticoids like prednisone may reduce symptoms, but they don’t affect the disease itself. The risks of this medication may outweigh the benefits. Physical Therapy Physical therapy is another option that can be coupled with other treatments to manage arthritis in the wrist. In physical therapy, you'll learn how to stretch and strengthen your wrists to relieve the pain in that joint. How to Strengthen Your Wrists Coping An RA diagnosis can be a shock, and will likely spark changes in your life, from the medications you take to the activities you can do. Lifestyle Modifications Some lifestyle changes may have to be made to ease wrist joint pain and live a healthy life with wrist arthritis: Being activeWatching your weightStaying in contact with your doctorJoining a community of RA patientsProtecting your joints A Word From Verywell While an RA diagnosis can be distressing, getting diagnosed is a great start and allows you to begin treatment as soon as possible to slow the disease progression. Feeling pain in your wrist can be upsetting, but there are many ways you can manage it and prevent it from interfering with your daily life. With the right combination of treatment and support, you will be able to continue your life as usual for many years to come. Once you are clear on the cause of your pain and discomfort, you can work with your medical team to come up with a doable plan for you. You are your biggest advocate, so keep a record of your symptoms and concerns to help your doctor investigate and keep track of your RA. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with chronic inflammation? An anti-inflammatory diet can help. Our free recipe guide shows you the best foods to fight inflammation. Get yours today! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Akhondi H, Panginikkod S. Wrist Arthritis. [Updated 2020 Jul 5]. 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