Pain in the back of the hand
Pain in the back of the hand
Common causes of pain in the back of your hand
Pain in the back of your hand is often caused by bruising or injuring your hand.
Your symptoms might also give you an idea of what's causing the pain in the back of your hand.
| Symptoms | Possible cause |
|---|---|
| Pain, swelling and stiffness that lasts a long time, may be hard to move your fingers, may have a lump | Tendonitis or arthritis |
| Sudden, sharp pain, swelling, a popping or snapping sound during the injury | Broken bone in the hand |
| Smooth lump near a joint or tendon, may be painful | Ganglion cyst |
| Aching pain that's worse at night, numbness or pins and needles, a weak thumb or difficulty gripping | Carpal tunnel syndrome |
| Itchy and painful skin, rash | Scabies |
Tips on how you can ease pain in the back of your hand yourself
If you see a GP about pain in the back of your hand, they'll usually suggest you try these things:
- rest your hand when you can
- put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) wrapped in a towel and place it on the back of your hand for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours
- take paracetamol to ease the pain
- take off any jewellery if your hand is swollen
- wrap a bandage around your hand to support it
- wear a splint to support your hand and ease pain, especially at night – you can get these at most pharmacies and supermarkets
- gently exercise your hand and fingers to help ease pain and stiffness
- After, use Metonil a joint pain product for the pain
If you have pain in the back of your hand
- 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
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