Elbow to Fingers Pain

[LoraAnn2009]

I fell from a balcony about 5 years ago and broke my wrist. Thing is the fracture was in the growth plate and the er did not see it. It was not until 2 years later after continued swelling and pain that i went to a hand specialist who told me it had been broken. She put my hand in a brace for 1 month and said that should help things. It did help things for a while but as time goes by I have started feeling more and more pain. The pain seem to be coming from my wrist and shooting up my arm to my elbow and down to my hand. It hurts in my thumb, pointer finger, and my pinky finger. I also have a lump on the top of my wrist on the thumb side. I am at a loss as to what to do. I sleep with a brace on everynight and I take anti inflamatory meds when it flares up bad. Any suggestions as to what this could be?

[precious_woman]

You should see an orthopedic surgeon or a neurologist! Many, many years ago I had pain in my wrist which was first misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel. I too ended up with shooting pain in my wrist and hand and eventually lost the feeling in my pinky and ring fingers. It ended up being the Ulnar nerve which had detached and required surgery. (thats the nerve that you feel when you hit your "funny bone")  
please keep us updated and good luck!

[designgyrl]

My suggestion is the same as Sara, please go and see a doctor.  Something doesn't sound right with the wrist or the hand and I think you should maybe see an orthopedic surgeon to see what exactly is going on.  Good luck, and please let us know.

[Sarajmt]

Hi LoriAnn:  I'd like to welcome you to the pain management forum.  Although none of us are doctors, there is a lot of experience on this forum and some pretty smart folks.

I'd suggest you see a hand specialist.  Short of that at least an orthopedist.  You definitely need some imaging done.  IF I had to venture a guess, and that is exactly what it is, I'd be thinking along the lines of nerve impingement for the shooting pain.

As for the bump, I don't know but it could possibly be a ganglion cyst.  You'd need a doctor to look at it.  IF it is a cyst, the doctor can drain it one time.  If it comes back, you'll require surgery.  At least that was my experience with it.

The best bet is to see a doctor.  That's the only way to be sure what is wrong.  Good luck.

Hopefully someone with a better sense of what this might be will answer shortly.  Sometimes it does get a little slow on the weekends.  But hopefully someone will be along to help you.