Wrist Osteoarthritis Causes and Symptoms

Updated on May 05, 2021

Medically reviewed by David Ozeri, MD

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.

Woman holding her wrist because of pain — fatihhoca / E+ / Getty

Causes

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that involves the gradual wear and tear of cartilage, a tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of the bones in 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 healthcare provider is a description of past injuries involving the wrist.

Your healthcare provider 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. Your healthcare provider will likely order an x-ray to assess joint damage, so they 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 be fused together. Your healthcare provider will help you decide if you are a candidate for either procedure and, considering your work and lifestyle, which is better for you.

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