Thumb Pain Causes And Treatment Options

Thumb Pain Causes And Treatment Options. Thumb pain is very problematic. That is because we need our thumb to do almost any task that we do with the hands. If the thumb is in pain, it can limit the quality of life severely.Thumb pain is mostly mild and recovers on its own in a few days. However, pain due to serious cause may even lead to disability in the thumb. It is important to pay attention to thumb pain and visit a doctor if the pain is not alleviating at all.
There are many specific conditions which cause pain at an exact location in the thumb. These are the causes of thumb pain.

• Thumb joint pain due to arthritis : The burning pain coming from thumb joint is generally arthritis. It is not easy to manage arthritis. This condition makes it very difficult to do things like cooking, writing, texting etc. 
• Pain in the thumb when gripping : In all the activities in which gripping is required, if there is pain, then it could be De Quervain Syndrome. This condition causes pain from the wrist to the thumb on gripping something. It is also called mother's wrist or mommy thumb because it often troubles mothers who are caring for a baby. 
• Trigger Thumb : If the condition trigger finger occurs in the thumb, then it is called trigger thumb. In this condition, the thumb locks itself into a precarious position and pops back out, creating pain. Trigger finger is really painful. 
• Pain due to excessive use of smartphone for texting : The use of thumb while texting on small keypads like in smartphones can lead to pain and strain in the thumb. This can also occur due to excessive use of joystick for playing games. 
• Injury to the thumb, like bumping it somewhere causes pain for some time. If the pain after injury is sharp, then it could be fracture or damage to the tendon or ligament of the thumb.
• Nerve damage like pinched nerve or carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain in the wrist and often into the fingers. This kind of pain feels like a pulse, a ray of pain traveling along the forearm down the wrist and into the thumb or any other finger. 
• Diabetes : People who suffer from diabetes often experience pain in the hands and feet, a condition known as diabetic neuropathy. 

Once the real cause of thumb pain is identified, one can use certain home remedies for that condition. If the home remedies do not provide relief, then one can visit a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. Some of the conditions like trigger finger and De Quervain syndrome may also require surgery as a last option. 
Treatment options for thumb pain : 

• Orthotics devices, splints and bandages are a great support in thumb pain. They can even be used to treat the condition. 
• Warm compress or cold compress, depending on what works best is also a good remedy for thumb pain. 
• Thumb massage by an experienced practitioner can help in thumb pain. 
• Physical therapy is almost always recommended to speed up recuperation after treatment.