Wrist Lump: Causes

What causes wrist lump?

Wrist lump is often caused by an injury, such as blow to the wrist. It may also be related to conditions that cause swelling of the wrist, such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or gout. A benign growth or tumor may also be responsible for the lump. If you have recently injured your wrist, the lump may be due to bone healing.

Common causes of wrist lump

Wrist lump may be caused by a variety of common conditions and injuries including:

• Arthritis
• Gout (type of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in the joints)
• Infection, such as abscess or cellulitis (infection of the skin and tissues beneath the skin)
• Tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon)
• Wrist injury

Other causes of wrist lump

Wrist lump can also be caused by some uncommon conditions including:

• Benign tumor
• Cyst (benign sac that contains fluid, air, or other materials)

Serious or life-threatening causes of wrist lump

In some cases, wrist lump may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be evaluated immediately in an emergency setting. These include:

• Malignant tumor
• Septic arthritis (infectious arthritis)
• Serious fracture

Questions for diagnosing the cause of wrist lump

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your wrist lump including:

• How long have you had a lump in your wrist?
• Do you have any other symptoms?
• Do you have arthritis?
• Do you type or use a computer frequently?
• Do you use your wrist for strenuous activities?
• Have you had any recent injuries?
• What makes your wrist lump feel better or worse?

What are the potential complications of wrist lump?

Wrist lump may not cause any serious complications. If the wrist lump is related to inflammation, home remedies, such as cold compresses, and over-the-counter medications may help to alleviate your symptoms.

Because wrist lump can be due to serious diseases, however, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including:

• Inability to perform daily tasks
• Joint deformity and destruction
• Permanent loss of sensation
• Spread of cancer
• Spread of infection

References:

Hand/wrist/arm problems. FamilyDoctor.org. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/tools/symptom/526.html. Accessed May 11, 2011.

Wrist pain. Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003175.htm. Accessed May 11, 2011.