SPECIALIST HELP FOR ARM, ELBOW AND WRIST PAIN WITH SPORTS MASSAGE iN CHORLEY
We use our hands and wrists a lot in our daily lives, but when a problem happens, like carpel tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain, golfers or tennis elbow, we can struggle to do our normal activities without pain.
Find out how the hand, wrist, elbow and arm work together, how you can treat hand, wrist, elbow or arm pain at home, and what sports massage can do to help!
WHAT IS HAND OR WRIST OR ELBOW PAIN?
Written by Arran Tomlinson, Sports Massage Therapist at Muscle Mender, Buckshaw Village, Chorley
It's important to see the arm as one long limb running from the shoulder all the way down to the finger tips.
The main bones in the arm are the upper arm bone (the humerus) and the forearm bones (the ulnar and radius bones). Where the upper arm bone and the forearm bones meet, there is the elbow joint.
At the other end of the forearm bones is the hand, which has lots of individual bones including the carpus bones, the metacarpus and the flanges (the metacarpus and flanges are the bones in the fingers). All these bones are joined together and supported by muscles, ligaments and tendons that allow us to perform a whole range of complex movements easily and efficiently, and mostly without any pain at all!
WHAT CAUSES PAIN IN THE ARMS, WRISTS OR HANDS?
Although there are lots of muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones in the arms and hands, it's important to know that these aren't the only structures in the arm that can cause pain. Certain types of pain in the arm can be a symptom of a heart attack or very high blood pressure, and (for reasons that doctors don't yet understand), a particular type of pain in the tip of the shoulder has been linked to miscarriage in pregnant women. If you think your arm pain may be serious, please contact a medical professional like your GP, NHS 111 or even 999 without delay.
When it comes to less serious causes of arm, hand, wrist or elbow pain, falls are a very common cause. When we fall over, we will often instinctively put out an arm to protect ourselves, and this means that if we hit the ground, the force of the fall is transmitted up from the hand to the wrist, elbow and all the way up to the collar bone. This type of fall is called a FOOSH (a Fall Onto an Outstretched Hand) and in older people can often result in a fractured to the upper arm bone, either around the elbow or at the shoulder, or even a broken collarbone as the force of the fall travels up the arm.
The big muscles in the upper arm are the biceps and triceps. Weight lifters can often sprain or strain these muscles using weights that are either too heavy, or by performing a movement incorrectly. However, it's just as easy to hurt these muscles by carrying bags that are too heavy from the supermarket!
Problems with the elbow joint (where the upper arm bones meet the forearm bones) include golfers elbow and tennis elbow. Both of these problems have the same cause - trying to move the elbow too far to the side, beyond where the ligaments around the elbow joint can comfortably move.
Many office workers or people who type a lot are familiar with issues around the wrist like carpal tunnel syndrome, which is normally caused when the nerve that runs through the wrist into the hand becomes injured. This is normally due to overuse, although there are other causes, like arthritis.
A surprisingly common cause of pain in the hand is around the base of the thumb from too much use of mobile phones, but many people who play contact sports will often injure their fingers, especially the little fingers.
HOW TO TREAT HAND, WRIST, ELBOW OR ARM PAIN YOURSELF IN CHORLEY
If you have hurt your hand or arm, and it is not something you need to see a doctor or medical professional for, then there are some treatments you can try at home to help ease any pain or discomfort you might be feeling.
Please remember you should seek immediate professional help for any heart attack symptoms or unusual pain if you are pregnant, or if you have broken a bone.
Some people choose to take painkillers for pain in the hand, wrist, elbow or arm. There are two types of pain killers. One type simply helps reduce pain, while the other helps reduce pain and reduce inflammation. You should make sure that any medication you take is safe for you, and if you're not sure what those might be, please speak to a GP or pharmacist. Although anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen are very popular, there is some evidence to suggest that in some cases they can slow healing, so they should be used with care.
Using heat or ice on the affected area is a popular home treatment for hand, wrist, elbow or arm pain. Whichever you decide to use, it's important to not leave it on the skin too long (as this can cause damage), and to make sure that it is at a safe temperature to apply to your arm.
Rest can also be helpful in the case of muscle sprains or strains, however, this does not mean keeping the arm immobile, but rather doing gentle movements that keep your arm, elbow or wrist mobile without causing further pain.
Many people find splinting the wrist helpful if they have carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. This can lead to other complications and should be used with care and only for short periods unless advised otherwise by a medical professional.
HOW DOCTORS AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TREAT PAIN IN THE ARM, ELBOW, WRIST OR HAND
If home remedies don't help with your foot or ankle pain, you might decide to go and see a GP.
The treatment you receive will depend on the symptoms you have and the cause of your injury. Severe problems like a torn muscle or ligament might result in surgery, while other problems like a sprain might just need advice and painkillers.
Some people choose to seek massage or sports massage therapy for their arm pain. Sports massage - like that offered by Muscle Mender in Chorley - focuses on restoring movement and reducing pain, and while results cannot be guaranteed, many people find sports massage a useful complementary therapy for these types of problems.
I treat aches and pains in the arm using a variety of techniques, including massage, sports massage, cupping, scraping and kinesiology taping.
When I see my clients, I examine exactly what is going on because as a fully trained therapist, I know that the cause of pain is not always where you feel it, which is why I always carry out a full assessment on my clients as part of their treatment.
The treatment I offer is personalised for you, with the aim of helping you get back to doing what you love as soon as possible.