Arthritis of the Wrist: Here’s What You Need to Know

Wrist injuries include everything from fractures and tears to repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. But one of the most common is also one of the slowest to develop: arthritis.

Wrist arthritis can arise for a number of reasons, including overuse and genetics, but one type – post traumatic wrist arthritis – comes from of injuries suffered by the patent, sometimes many years before:

Generally, this type of arthritis may develop in the months to years following a fracture or other severe injury in the wrist. The patient does not remember the injury event if it occurred years earlier. Improper healing of wrist bone fractures can cause parts of the affected bone to become poorly aligned or even die, which negatively affects the cartilage.

Arthritic pain can be acute and long-lasting, stealing mobility from patients of every age. Although some medications may be able to rein in that pain, the damage to your body’s cartilage can be difficult to reverse in any lasting way.

Surgery for wrist arthritis can relieve some of the most advanced symptoms of the disorder. The only way to know for sure whether you are a good candidate for wrist arthritis surgery is to contact an experienced San Diego orthopedic surgeon. Start here to get some fast answers today.