Why does my hand hurt, and how to remedy it

Overuse of the hand, an injury, and certain health conditions can cause pain in the palm, fingers, and wrist.
A person’s hands and wrists consist of many different structures, such as bones, muscles, and joints.
These structures work together to enable a person to perform various tasks. Hand pain can affect a person’s ability to carry out these tasks and reduce their quality of life.
This article will cover some potential causes of hand pain, possible treatments, and when to see a doctor.

Causes of palm pain
There are numerous causes of pain in the palm.
Injury
Injuries to the palm can cause pain, swelling, bruising, and other symptoms.
Causes of palm injuries can include:
• knocks and blows
• landing on the hands during a fall
• cuts
• burns
• repetitive trauma from sports or other activities

Soft tissue injuries
A person’s palm contains various soft tissues, such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Symptoms of soft tissue damage include:
• pain
• swelling
• inflammation
• bruising

Sometimes, a person can initially treat soft tissue injuries using the Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) protocol. The RICE protocol involves:
Rest: Rest the injured area and avoid the activity that caused the injury.
Ice: Apply ice to the area for 20 minutes, several times a day. A person can try using cold packs or frozen bags of vegetables. A person should never apply ice directly to the skin.
Compression: Wear a compression bandage to prevent swelling and additional blood loss.
Elevation: While resting, raise the injury above the heart to help reduce swelling.

If the RICE protocol does not help reduce pain and swelling, a person should speak with their doctor.
Fractures
A person’s palm contains five long bones called metacarpals. These bones connect the finger and thumb bones to the wrist bones. Trauma to the palm can result in breaks to one or more of the metacarpals.
The most commonly broken bone in the hand is the metacarpal that supports the little finger.

Generally, hand fractures heal well without surgery. Doctors can treat broken bones using splints or casts. More serious fractures may require surgical treatment.

Symptoms of a fractured hand include:
• swelling
• bruising
• tenderness
• pain
• inability to move a finger
• deformity

When does it hurt?
If a person injures their palm, they may experience pain when:
• lifting things
• holding things
• making a fist
• playing certain sports, such as basketball or golf

Overuse
Overuse, also known as repetitive strain injury (RSI), occurs when repetitive movements cause the hand to become painful or tense. Pain and tension from muscles in the arms and shoulders can also radiate down to the hands.
Carrying out repetitive or high-intensity activities for long periods or holding the hands in awkward positions for too long can cause RSI.
RSI can occur in several different places in the hand, including the palms, though it is more common in the fingers or wrists.
According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), RSI can cause:
• pain
• stiffness
• throbbing
• tingling
• numbness
• weakness
• cramp

Treatment for RSI in the palm includes:
• identifying the cause and modifying it to reduce repetitive motions
• stopping the activity responsible altogether if necessary
• taking rain relieving medication, such as acetaminophen
• taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen
• using hot or cold packs
A doctor may also recommend physical therapy to treat RSI.