4 Causes Of Thumb Joint Pain

Many people have to deal with a pain in their thumb joint on a regular basis. While this may be a common injury, most people are not familiar with what is causing this pain. Below are four common causes of thumb joint pain:

1. Daily Use

This is one cause of joint pain that may just be unavoidable. The thumb is used for almost ever activity that we can get involved with. This includes picking up items, driving, typing, writing, cooking, etc. The list can go on and on. Depending on your occupation or how active you are, just regular daily use of your thumbs may cause regular joint pain. While this may not be avoidable it is something to be aware of.

2. Straining The Joint

A strain can considered as just using the joint too much. Lifting and holding something extremely heavy is one situation where you can strain your thumb joint. A sprain is similar to a strain and can be caused by jamming your thumb. This can aggravate the tendons, muscles, and nerves in the joint so that every time you use it you will feel some pain.

3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This condition is caused by using your hands in a repetitive motion. Unfortunately, this condition is becoming more and more common. Part of the reason for this is that everyone is typing on a keyboard more than previous decades or generations. With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome the nerves between the bones and joints are compressed, which causes pain. This condition can be addressed with medication and the worst cases can be treated with surgery.

These days, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most often caused by typing on a keyboard. Therefore, it is best to study about keyboards and desks that are designed to provide the best angles for your wrists and other joints. There are also devices that can be worn to relieve the stress on the joints so that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is less likely to develop.

4. Arthritis

In general, arthritis affects older people since this condition takes time to develop. Arthritis is the breakdown of the cartilage between the bones. Cartilage cushions the bones, so without cartilage the bones can grind together and cause pain. Although old age is common with arthritis, too much use or a deficiency of calcium can lead to this condition.

While it may not be possible to completely avoid all of the possible causes of thumb joint pain, it is good to recognize what are potential causes. By knowing what can cause this pain, you may be able to avoid some pain in the future.