Inside your hands, you’ll find a lot of small joints, tendons, nerves and ligaments. So there are lots of areas where you may feel hand pain. The pain could stem from arthritis, nerve compression, tendon irritation, injury or overuse and symptoms could get worse slowly or start right away after an injury.
“It’s easy to take our hands for granted,” said Erik Bradley, DO, a hand and wrist surgeon with Banner Health. “When our hands hurt or don’t work as well as they once did, it can be frustrating.” Hand pain can make it hard to do things like opening jars, typing, gripping, driving, using tools or holding a phone.
You should see a provider for hand pain that affects your daily tasks. They can evaluate the pain’s location, timing and what makes it worse and check for swelling, numbness or weakness.
Why hand pain and stiffness happens
Hand arthritis and joint pain
Arthritis can cause sharp or aching pain, stiffness and weakness in the joints of the hand and fingers. “This pain is typically worse in the morning and eases throughout the day or with use,” Dr. Bradley said. Thumb arthritis is a common source of thumb pain that can make pinching, gripping, opening jars or turning doorknobs painful.
Arthritis in your hands could be:
- Osteoarthritis: Related to wear and tear in joints
- Inflammatory arthritis/rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune condition that can affect small joints in the hands
Nerve problems, including carpal tunnel syndrome
Nerve compression can cause hand numbness, tingling in the fingers, burning, weakness or a feeling that the hand is “falling asleep” or losing circulation.
Symptoms often affect the thumb, index finger, middle finger and part of the ring finger. They may be worse when you’re driving, typing or holding a phone or at night. Your grip may be weak and you may drop things.
Carpal tunnel syndrome, one type of nerve compression, affects the median nerve at the wrist.
Tendon and overuse injuries
Tendon irritation and tendonitis may cause tenderness, swelling, warmth or wrist pain with gripping. You are likely to notice it in a specific part of your hand. It can get worse with repeated gripping, lifting, twisting, typing, sports, hobbies or tool use.
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis can cause pain and swelling on the thumb side of the wrist
- Trigger finger can make a finger catch, lock or feel stiff
Injuries and other causes
You could also develop hand pain from:
- Sprains, strains, fractures or dislocations, which may also cause swelling or bruising
- Pain after a fall, jammed finger or direct hit
- Cysts, such as ganglion cysts, which can create pressure
- Infection, which can cause redness, warmth, swelling, pus or fever
- Circulation problems, which may cause coldness, color change or severe pain but are less common
What your symptoms may be telling you
- Morning finger stiffness and swollen joints: Possible hand arthritis or an inflammatory condition
- Numbness or tingling: Possible nerve compression
- Pain with gripping or lifting: Possible tendon, joint or overuse problem
- Finger catching or locking: Possible trigger finger
- Thumb-side wrist pain: Possible De Quervain’s or thumb joint irritation
- Pain after injury: Possible sprain, fracture or tendon injury
- Red, warm, swollen skin: Possible infection
What you can try for mild hand pain
When you have hand pain, it may help to:
- Rest from activities that make pain worse
- Use ice for new soreness or swelling
- Use heat for stiffness if it feels helpful
- Try gentle range-of-motion movement
- Consider ergonomic changes for typing, tools or hobbies
- Take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers if they are safe for you
- Avoid pushing through numbness, weakness, severe pain or swelling
- Limit long-term splinting, since it can make stiffness worse
When to see a provider
“You should consider stopping home care and getting evaluated if your symptoms are worsening or persisting despite attempting a few different home remedies for a reasonable amount of time, typically a few weeks,” Dr. Bradley said.
You should also get care if:
- Symptoms interfere with work, sleep or daily tasks
- You have numbness, tingling or weakness
- You drop objects or lose grip strength
- A finger locks or catches
- Joints are swollen, warm or stiff in the morning
- Pain follows an injury
- A lump is growing or painful
“Treatment varies depending on your condition and it may not need to involve anything invasive. Meeting with a hand specialist can be helpful for finding relief and peace of mind,” Dr. Bradley said.
When hand pain is urgent
Seek urgent or emergency care for:
- Severe pain after injury
- A crooked or deformed finger, hand or wrist
- Inability to move a finger or hand
- Numbness after an injury
- A deep cut, bite or puncture wound
- Redness, warmth, swelling, pus or fever
- A cold, pale, blue or numb finger
- Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
Bottom line
Hand pain and stiffness can come from many causes, including arthritis, nerve compression, tendon irritation, overuse or injury. The pattern of symptoms can offer clues but an exam is often needed to know what is going on.
If hand symptoms are lasting, worsening or making daily tasks harder, it is time to get checked.
A Banner Health hand and wrist specialist can help identify the cause and recommend treatment.
FAQs about hand pain
What causes hand pain and stiffness?
Common causes include arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendon irritation, overuse injuries, sprains, fractures, cysts and infection.
Why are my hands stiff in the morning?
Morning stiffness may happen with arthritis or inflammation. If stiffness lasts, affects several joints or comes with swelling, get checked.
Why do my hands go numb or tingle?
Numbness or tingling may come from nerve compression, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, or other nerve problems.
When should I worry about hand pain?
Get care if pain is severe, worsening, follows an injury or comes with swelling, redness, numbness, weakness or trouble using your hand.
Can overuse cause hand pain?
Yes. Repeated gripping, typing, lifting, sports or tool use can irritate tendons, joints or nerves.
