Arthritis Osteoarthritis Knee Osteoarthritis Wrist Osteoarthritis Causes and Symptoms By Carol Eustice twitter linkedin Carol Eustice is a writer who covers arthritis and chronic illness. She is the author of "The Everything Health Guide to Arthritis." Learn about our editorial process Carol Eustice Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by David Ozeri, MD on May 03, 2020 linkedin David Ozeri, MD, is a board-certified rheumatologist from Tel Aviv, Israel specializing in arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and biologic therapies. Learn about our Medical Review Board David Ozeri, MD Updated on March 18, 2021 Print Is your wrist painful and stiff? Is it swollen? These are signs that you may have osteoarthritis of the wrist. Osteoarthritis can affect joints in any part of the body, including the wrist. Early diagnosis and treatment can help people with wrist osteoarthritis manage their symptoms. fatihhoca / E+ / Getty Causes Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease tha tinvolves the gradual wear and teat of the cartilage, a tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of the bones forming a joint. That's the nature of the disease but what is the specific cause of osteoarthritis of the wrist? Injuries to the wrist, whether sprains or fractures, can change the anatomy of the wrist. The injury can damage the articular cartilage (the type of cartilage present in the joints). When severely damaged, cartilage may even be torn away from the bone. With any injury that causes abnormal joint movement, there is an increased stress on the articular cartilage. Over time, the changes in the joint mechanics cause damage that can lead to wrist osteoarthritis. Diagnosis The diagnosis of wrist osteoarthritis begins with your medical history and your description of your symptoms. The most important information to disclose to your doctor is a description of past injuries involving the wrist. Your doctor will perform a physical examination of your wrist to see how your wrist moves, whether it has normal alignment, and where the pain is located. You will likely be asked to do an x-ray to assess joint damage, so your doctor can gauge if it is worsening over time. Also, blood tests may be ordered to rule out other types of arthritis. This would be done if there was any uncertainty about your diagnosis or the type of arthritis you have. Symptoms As with any joint affected by osteoarthritis, the primary symptom associated with wrist osteoarthritis is pain. In the early stages of osteoarthritis, pain is brought on by activity. Usually if you stop the activity, the pain subsides. Once the activity is restarted, the pain and stiffness increase again. Aside from pain, other symptoms associated with wrist osteoarthritis include: Swelling of the wrist Fluid around the wrist joints Crepitus (crackling) when the wrist is moved Stiffness and a limited range of motion Treatments Usually, conservative treatment options are tried first, and surgery is considered as the last-resort for those not getting a satisfactory response. The goals for treatment of wrist osteoarthritis are to relieve pain and improve joint function. Treatment options include: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Cortisone injection Heat Rest Topical rubs Physical therapy/exercise Occupational therapy Brace or wrist support Surgical options include wrist fusion and wrist replacement. Both are excellent for pain relief but with fusion, there is little or no motion left in the wrist. Wrist fusions involve 12 or 13 bones that need to fuse together. Your doctor will help you decide if you are a candidate for either procedure and, considering your work and lifestyle, which is better for you. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Learn tips for managing arthrits pain, medications, and daily challenges. 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. Cleveland Clinic. Arthritis of the Wrist and Hand. Updated January 4, 2017. Cleveland Clinic. Arthritis of the Wrist and Hand: Diagnosis and Tests. Updated January 4, 2017. Cleveland Clinic. Arthritis of the Wrist and Hand: Management and Treatment. Updated January 4, 2017.