Arthritis affects millions of men and women in the US. It commonly strikes joints in that body that are weight bearing. For example knees and shoulders are common joints to find it. But many people also suffer from arthritis in the hands and wrists making it very difficult to function on a daily basis. So what are the symptoms of arthritis wrist?

There may be hundreds of types of arthritis but when it comes to the wrist there are only two types.

1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Is an inflammatory disease that attacks the joint lining and destroys joints, tissues, and bones. It starts in the smaller joints that of the wrists and hands and usually affects the same joints on each side of the body.
2. Osteoarthritis
Is a condition that destroys the cartilage that covers the bone. The bare bones than rub against each other which causes weakness, pain, and stiffness. The wear and tear can develop at the wrist because of traumatic injury.

Signs and Symptoms of Arthritis in the wrist include:

1. With OA the wrist joint becomes swollen and motion is limited. There is also weakness. The symptoms are limited to the wrist itself.
2. With RA there will be tenderness, swelling, reduced motion, loss of grip strength and there will be pain in the knuckle joints.
3. When the joint swells it puts pressure on the nerves that run through the wrist. This can cause lesions which can then lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.
4. With RA you will experience warm, tender, swollen joints.
5. Fatigue, malaise, and occasional fatigue can occur.
6. Stiffness and pain usually lasts longer than 30 minutes in the morning.
7. Symptoms can last for years


Diagnosing

Six bones make up the wrist joint and then there are two bones of the lower arm and four wrist bones. To diagnose your arthritis your doctor will use a combination of x-rays, physical exam, patient history, and some can even diagnose specific types of RA.

Treatment

Early treatments do not require surgery. They are designed to reduce swelling and pain. They may include modifying activities, immobilizing the wrist for a short period of time, taking anti inflammatory medications, an exercise program, and even steroid injections into the joint.

Your physician might try therapies that include the use of antimalarial drugs, antimetabolites, gold, immunosuppressive drugs, and steroidal drugs.

If hand function decrease too much surgery is also an option. Surgery is designed to relieve pain but joint function can also be affected. Surgery can remove the arthritic bone and make the joint solid which prevents movement of the wrist.

Arthritis between the wrist bones is actually more common than you might have thought. It can occur either as a result of a tendency towards osteoarthritis or it can follow a previous injury to the ligaments or bone. The normal smooth surface of the joints becomes lost in places which causes bare bones to rub together whenever the wrist is moved. This results in pain, stiffness, and weakness. Take your arthritis wrist seriously!