Thumb pain, which is often both uncomfortable and distracting, can be caused by a variety of conditions. To determine what’s causing your pain, we must first begin with where the discomfort is coming from, how often it hurts, and what type of pain you are experiencing.
A treatment plan for thumb pain will often depend on the condition or cause of the pain. For some patients, consistent thumb pain may be an indication of an underlying condition like arthritis or tendonitis. During your consultation, our experts will determine which course of action will be needed to relieve your discomfort and best treat your symptoms. This can include a combination of therapy, injections, splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, or surgery.
Treat Thumb Pain In Long Island and New York
The Institute for Hand Surgery at New York Plastic Surgical Group, a Division of Long Island Plastic Surgical Group offers comprehensive clinical care for conditions affecting the hands, peripheral nervous system, and upper extremities. Our surgeons specialize in hand and upper extremity disorders and are dedicated to helping patients restore the function of their hands with the most advanced surgical techniques.
If you’re experiencing pain in your thumb or have questions about treatment options, please contact us to schedule an appointment. Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of thumb pain, the common causes of thumb pain, as well as how we diagnose and treat thumb pain to improve our patients’ overall quality of life.
Types of Thumb Pain
Pain in specific areas of the thumb often indicates different conditions. For example:
Thumb Knuckle Pain
Thumb knuckle pain may be caused by a jammed thumb, a sprained knuckle, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger thumb, or basal joint arthritis.
Thumb knuckle, or joint pain has many different causes depending on which joint is involved. Pain in the base of the thumb, or CMC joint is most often caused by nasal joint arthritis but can be injured in trauma such as a bicycle accident or car accident. Other common causes of thumb pain are a sprained knuckle from a fall or trigger thumb, also known as tenosynovitis.
Thumb Pad Pain
Thumb pad pain can often indicate arthritis (basal joint or other), carpal tunnel syndrome, or soft tissue injury.
Thumb & Wrist Pain
Thumb and wrist pain may be caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis (basal joint or other), or De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.
Common Causes of Thumb Pain
Thumb Arthritis
As we age, the cartilage that forms a cushion inside the thumb joint can break down resulting in arthritis in the thumb. Arthritis is often characterized by an aching, stabbing, or burning pain, tenderness, stiffness, and swelling.1 Other symptoms may include decreased range of motion and the loss of grip strength. Thumb arthritis may be indicative of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune inflammatory condition, or osteoarthritis, which mechanically affects the bones and joints.
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
Inflammation located where the thumb meets the wrist over the styloid process of the radius bone can indicate De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.2 This condition affects the tendons running from the thumb to the wrist and can cause pain when grasping, making a fist, or turning the wrist. While the exact cause of tenosynovitis isn’t known, repetitive wrist and/or hand movements like holding a video game controller can make the condition worse. For this reason, it is often referred to as “gamer’s thumb”.
Trigger Thumb
Trigger thumb, or stenosing tenosynovitis, is a condition that may result in pain, clicking, locking, or minimal movement of the thumb tendon, and may affect people with pre-existing underlying conditions such as arthritis or diabetes. Trigger thumb is caused by inflammation of the tendon in the thumb and thick ending of the tendon sheath. There may be a sensation of catching or locking when straightening and bending the thumb, as well as stiffness, and pain.
Break, Sprain or Injury
An injury resulting in damage to the ligaments in your thumb can cause thumb sprains, “skier’s thumb,” or a jammed thumb. Typically caused during falls or contact sports, this type of injury often creates localized pain at the thumb joint, as well as stiffness, and swelling. Your thumb may also be in pain if it’s broken. If the thumb is broken, it’s common to experience an intense radiating pain from the location of the fracture.
Thumb Pain Diagnosis
The Institute for Hand Surgery at New York Plastic Surgical Group can diagnose the cause of thumb pain in a variety of ways, depending on your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle. The most common methods we use to diagnose thumb pain include:
- X-ray
- Nerve test
- Ultrasound
- MRI
Thumb Pain Treatment
If thumb pain is affecting your life, we offer a range of medical treatments that can reduce or eliminate your discomfort. Depending on the condition that is causing thumb pain, treatment may include:
- Steroid injections
- Physical therapy
- Pain relievers (such as topical analgesics or prescription medication)
- Surgery
Schedule A Consultation To Treat Thumb Pain
If you are experiencing recurrent pain in your thumb, that limits your daily activities or otherwise affects your life, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to speak with one of our hand and wrist specialists. We are dedicated to helping each patient live their best, pain-free life.
1 Mayo Clinic. Thumb arthritis. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thumb-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20378339. Accessed October 6, 2021.
2 Mayo Clinic. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/de-quervains-tenosynovitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371332. Accessed October 6, 2021.
