Have you ever felt pain in your wrist, that is, the area where your hand bends, especially the little finger? Maybe you feel a clicking sound when you swing a bat, lift a heavy object, or even just turn your hand. While many people think this is just a sprain, it can be a bit more serious. Today we are talking about a small part of our wrist that helps keep it stable, but can be easily damaged.
What is TFCC?
Simply put, the two main bones in our forearm are the radius and the ulna. Between those two bones, at the wrist, is a small but very important area made up of cartilage, ligaments, and tendons called the Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex , or TFCC for short.
Think of it like a shock absorber in a car. This little TFCC helps stabilize the wrist by absorbing the pressure that occurs when we lift weights, bend, and twist our arms. It's because of this that we can bend our arms in six different directions without any pain. That's why this part is used so often, and it's also more prone to damage.
How does the TFCC get damaged? (Causes)
There are two main ways the TFCC can be damaged or torn.
1. Acute Injury: Sudden injury caused by something else.
2. Chronic/Degenerative Injury: This part of the wrist gradually wears down and becomes damaged over time due to constant pressure on it.
Imagine you're playing cricket. If you suddenly twist your hand while swinging a bat quickly, playing tennis, or using something like a drill while doing housework, you could damage the TFCC.
| Cause of damage | A simple explanation |
|---|---|
| A fall | It most often occurs when you fall with your palms on the ground. |
| Hand wringing | In cases where something like a drill gets stuck and the hand suddenly spins. |
| Playing games | In sports where the wrist rotates frequently, such as tennis, badminton, cricket (batting), and weightlifting at the gym. |
| Aging | As the body's cartilage wears down with age, this condition can affect almost half of people over the age of 70. |
| Other medical conditions | People with joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout are at higher risk. |
One thing to remember is that in some people, the ulna bone is slightly longer than the radius bone. In such people, the TFCC is located a little thinner, making it more likely to tear.
What are the symptoms of this? (Symptoms)
If you have a TFCC tear, you will mainly feel pain on the side of your wrist where your little finger is . This pain may be aggravated by activities such as turning your hand, opening a door, or unscrewing a water bottle. However, these things can also happen at the same time.
| Symptom | How you feel |
|---|---|
| Weakening of grip | When I hold something like a cup or a plate, I feel like I don't have the strength I used to. I lose something in my hand. |
| Wrist instability | Feeling helpless and out of control. |
| A 'click' or 'pop' sound | When I turn my hand, I hear a 'click', 'click' sound accompanied by pain. |
| Restriction of movement | Not being able to fully bend or rotate your arm as easily as before. |
How does the doctor diagnose this? (Diagnosis)
If you have these symptoms, don't stay home and think, "It's probably just a sprain." See a doctor as soon as possible. There can be other illnesses with similar symptoms.
The doctor will first ask you about how the pain started, when it gets worse, and what you do to relieve it. Then he or she will examine your arm. The doctor may do the following while examining you:
- They tell you to grab a table and pull it up. Then they see if it hurts.
- Sit in a chair, hold the chair's handles with both hands and ask them to lift their bodies. Then they will see if the pain comes.
- They will gently rotate your wrist and bend it in different directions to try to find the exact location of the pain.
After these tests, if the doctor has any doubts, he will order an MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of the damage. He may also order an X-ray to check for any fractures.
How to treat?
Once you've been diagnosed with a TFCC tear, treatment will depend on the severity of the injury. In most cases, surgery is not necessary.
Non-surgical treatments
- Rest: If you are a sportsperson, you may need to take a break from sports and work that puts pressure on your wrists.
- Ice: Apply ice to the area of pain and swelling for 15-20 minutes several times a day.
- Wearing a splint or cast: The doctor may recommend a special support (splint) or plaster of Paris (cast) to keep the wrist from moving.
- Medication: Use anti-inflammatory medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor to reduce pain and swelling.
- Physical Therapy: Once the pain in your hand has subsided, you may need to do physical therapy exercises to strengthen the muscles around your wrist and restore your hand's mobility. Do these as directed by your doctor or physical therapist.
- Injection: Sometimes, a corticosteroid injection may be recommended by your doctor to quickly relieve pain.
Surgery
If none of these things help, or if the damage is very severe, surgery may be necessary. This involves repairing the torn TFCC or removing the damaged part. Your doctor will explain this to you in detail.
Take-Home Message
- If you feel pain, a 'clicking' sound, or a loss of strength in your hand on the pinky side of your wrist, don't ignore it.
- This could be a TFCC tear, which is more serious than a simple sprain and requires treatment.
- See a doctor as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis and treatment. The sooner treatment begins, the better the chance of recovery.
- Follow the doctor's instructions exactly, especially rest, wearing the splint for the prescribed period, and doing the prescribed exercises.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න