Hand-pain — Whether you need assistance with finger and joint pain from arthritis, carpal tunnel, wrist pain, or want to keep your hands clean with anti-bacterial hand sanitizer gel, it's the little things that Senior Health Stores helps you take care of!

Hand-pain may develop for a number of reasons—fracture and infection are among the most serious while sprains and strains are among the most common.

The hand is composed of many different bones, muscles, and ligaments that provide a excellent movement and dexterity. There are three major types of bones in the hand which include the following groups:

• The Phalanges - 14 bones that are found in the fingers of each hand and also in the toes of each foot. Each finger has three phalanges (the distal, middle, and proximal); the thumb has only two;
• The Metacarpal Bones - 5 bones comprising the middle part of the hand; and
• The Carpal Bones - 8 bones that create the wrist. The carpal bones are connected to the two bones of the arm, the ulnar bone and the radius bone.
  

Many types of conditions affect the hand and cause pain:

1. Arthritis is one of the most common causes of hand pain. The hands are really the mirror of arthritis. The most common type of arthritis that affects the hands is osteoarthritis. This causes knobby bony swelling (called Heberden’s nodes) in the distal row of finger joints which result in finger and joint pain. The bony swellings that affects the more proximal row of finger joints are called Bouchard’s nodes.
2. Gout is a condition where uric acid deposits accumulate in finger joints. These deposits, called tophi, can lead to joint swelling and finger pain.
3. De Quervain's tenosynovitis is an inflammation of the tendon on the side of the wrist at the base of the thumb. This tendon is referred to as the extensor pollicus longus tendon. De Quervain's tenosynovitis causes pain and tenderness at the side of the wrist beneath the base of the thumb. Sometimes there is slight swelling and redness in the area.
4. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a known repetitive stress injury, diagnosed most often in people whose occupations require repetitive hand motion and consequentially cause strain on the wrist tendons. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage in the wrist, formed by bones and ligaments which shield the nerves and tendons that extend into the hand. Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and wrist) occur when tissues within the carpal tunnel become inflamed and swollen and press on the median nerve.
5. Arthritis of the thumb is a form of osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. It affects the basilar joint at the base of the thumb, formed by the thumb metacarpal bone and a small wrist bone called the trapezium. The ends of these bones are covered with cartilage, which acts as a cushion and allows them to move freely.

Arthritis destroys the cartilage, causing the joint to become painfully inflamed.

Quick links to Hand-pain treatments:

• Soothing Warm parafin Wax
• Arthritic Hand Pain
• Pain relief therapy creams
• Carpal Tunnel Gloves and Braces
• Cindy Wrist Splint and Wrist Splints
• Ice Packs

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