There are many causes of pain in the palm of your hand. You can often ease the pain yourself. But contact your GP if the pain does not improve.
Common causes of pain in the palm of your hand
Common causes of pain in the palm of the hand include:
- carpal tunnel syndrome - aching pain with numbness or difficulty gripping things
- trigger finger - soreness at base of your finger or thumb with a clicking noise when you move it
- arthritis - aching joints in your hand
- peripheral neuropathy - pain feels sharp or burning, with a change of sensitivity in your palm
- erythromelalgia - palms feel hot with some pain and redness
How you can ease palm pain
There are things you can do to help ease pain in the palm of your hand.
Do
-
rest your hand when you can
-
put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) in a towel and place it on your palm for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
-
remove any jewellery if your hand is swollen
-
wrap a bandage around your hand to support it
Don't
-
do not use ibuprofen in the first 48 hours after an injury
-
do not use heat packs or have hot baths for the first 2 to 3 days after an injury
A pharmacist can help
Your pharmacist can tell you:
- what painkiller to take
- if you need to see a GP
Non-urgent advice: Contact your GP if:
- the pain is stopping you from doing normal activities
- the pain is getting worse or keeps coming back
- the pain has not improved after treating it at home for 2 weeks
- you have tingling or loss of sensation in your hand
- you have diabetes - hand problems can be more serious if you have diabetes
Emergency action required: Go to an injury unit or emergency department (ED) if you:
- have severe pain
- feel faint, dizzy or sick from the pain
- heard a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of the injury
- are not able to move your hand or hold things
- notice a change in the shape or colour of your hand
These are signs you may have a broken hand.
What we mean by severe pain
Severe pain:
- always there and so bad it's hard to think or talk
- you cannot sleep
- it's very hard to move, get out of bed, go to the bathroom, wash or dress
- you cannot work due to the pain
Moderate pain:
- always there
- makes it hard to concentrate or sleep
- you can manage to get up, wash or dress
Mild pain:
- comes and goes
- is annoying but does not stop you from doing things like going to work
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
