In my journey as a healthcare professional, I have encountered many patients with vein pain in wrist. In most cases, sufferers ignore the condition for a long time and seek medical attention very late.
Let me warn you! The throbbing vein pain in your wrist can be proven severe and do permanent damage to your health. As a professional, I feel a responsibility to forewarn you of the causes and results of vein-related wrist pain.
In the following article, I have tried explaining exact causes, accurate diagnosis, and essential treatments for wrist pain in the simplest way possible.
Table of Content
What Does It Mean When Your Veins Hurt on Your Wrist?
Vein pain in wrist is quite common among all age groups, and sometimes it works as a symptom of any other health disease. Yet, the sufferers ignore the condition without understanding why the wrist veins hurt in the first place.
Of course, the pain in your wrist vein might be a temporary phase and nothing serious. However, frequent and intense throbbing in the veins can indicate a health hazard.
So, what conditions exactly does the wrist vein pain indicate? Here are all the possible answers,
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
When the median nerve, one of the major nerves of your hand, gets squeezed or compressed, you feel a tingling pain in your arm and wrist or numbness in your fingers. The whole condition is referred to as Carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Repetitive injuries, trauma, and sports activities are sometimes responsible for your neck or shoulder pain and numbness in the fingers. Usually, the aching is generated by the nerve contraction in the space between the collarbone and first rib. Doctors suggest that sharp throbbing in your wrist vein along with numb fingers can be the symptom of Thoracic outlet syndrome.
Cervical Radiculopathy
In this condition, you might feel pain in your arms, fingers, or wrist veins due to the damaged or inflamed cervical spine nerve root. As the throbbing travels from the neck to the wrist or hands, the disorder is often called radicular pain.
Superficial Thrombophlebitis
The development of blood clots in the wrist vein can be the reason why you are feeling a sharp pain in your arms. Inflammation and hardening of the veins are two common symptoms of Superficial Thrombophlebitis.
Vascular Disease
Abnormal conditions of the arteries and veins can mess up with the blood flow rate from the heart to the wrist. The patient feels a sharp pain in the wrist veins, fingers, or in the whole arm.
Blown Vein In Wrist
Your wrist vein can get damaged due to needlework or anything else. The injury will cause you pain, swollen skin, bruising, etc., and blood flow through the vein will get interrupted. The blown vein can be permanent in some cases.
Wrist Vein Pain Due To Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments
In most cases, the vein pain in wrist is associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The condition occurs due to the compression on the median nerve while traveling through the carpal tunnel.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS is not life-threatening at all. In a few cases, the patients face permanent nerve damage due to the disorder.
Causes
- Smaller carpal tunnel due to heredity
- Repetitive use of the wrist for a long time
- Wrong wrist position while working
- Hormonal change during pregnancy
- Diabetics, thyroid gland imbalance, and other health conditions
Symptoms
- Sharp pain in the wrist vein
- Tingling, numbness, and burning sensation in the fingers (except the little one) or hand
- Weakness in hands
- The pain may travel up to the shoulders
Treatments
In the early stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, a little modification in your routine will heal the pain. For example,
- Give your hand rest if you are typing or doing hand movements continuously
- Avoid any activity that worse the vein pain
- Applying a cold pack on the wrist might reduce the suffering
Wrist Vein Pain Due To Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments
Does your neck and shoulder pain come with a sharp pinching in your wrist vein or numb fingers? If yes, then the risks are that you are suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or TOS.
The disorder is not severe as long as you are taking proper treatments. Ignoring the condition will cause permanent nerve damage, an increase in pain, and blood clotting.
Causes
- Inherited anatomical defect
- Poor body posture
- Traumatic accident
- Extra pressure on the joints by carrying weight
- Loosen joints during pregnancy
- Repetitive physical activity
Symptoms
- Weak hand grip
- Throbbing in wrist vein
- Aching in the neck and shoulder
- Numbness in fingers and arm
- Arm fatigue
- Weak pulse
Treatments
Home remedies, along with body therapies, contribute to healing the pain. TOS is primarily linked to the Thoracic outlet. So, all the exercise focuses on the muscles around the area.
You can try the following tips as a part of the home remedy:
- Avoid unnecessary stress and carrying overweight products.
- Maintain good body posture and healthy body weight.
- Take enough breaks between work and practice stress-relieving exercises.
- Gently massage the Thoracic outlet, neck, and shoulder.
Vein Pain In Wrist And Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical Radiculopathy can be the reason why you are experiencing sharp pain in your wrist vein or numbness in the fingers or arm. Damaged or compressed cervical spine root is mainly responsible for the condition. Experts claim that ignoring the disorder for too long can turn into paralysis.
Causes
- Spine infection
- Sarcoidosis
- Spine tumors
- Ruptured spinal disc
- Degenerative changes in the spinal discs
Symptoms
- Pinched like pain in the wrist vein
- Numbness in the fingers, arm, or hand
- Weak muscles
- Loss of reflexes in arms and legs
Treatments
Usually, many patients do not need any treatment to recover from the condition. They get better with time.
However, if the pain becomes intense and more frequent, the doctor will suggest medications and physical therapies. In severe cases, the patient might need to undergo surgery.
What Are the Treatment Options for Patients With Superficial Thrombophlebitis?
Superficial Thrombophlebitis occurs due to the blood clot development in the vein. Even though this condition is unusual in wrist veins, it is not impossible. The patients feel pain and discomfort in the arm, wrist, neck, or leg, where the condition has developed.
The blood clot in the vein is mainly responsible for Superficial Thrombophlebitis. The clotting in blood forms due to a vein injury, inheritance of a blood clotting disorder, or staying immobile for a long period. Warmth or tenderness in the affected area, swelling, redness, and pain are the symptoms of this disorder.
Superficial Thrombophlebitis is not risky as long as you are treating the condition. But complications can occur if you develop DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis. Usually, smokers, senior citizens, pregnant ladies, and overweight people are at risk of having this disorder.
Is Superficial Thrombophlebitis curable, or the veins heal naturally? Fortunately, the patients do not have to rely on any regular medication routine for recovery. Doctors often suggest home treatment for this condition.
Applying a warm compress to the injured vein and wearing a support stocking reduces the vein pain in wrist. For redness, inflammation, or irritation, patients can take OTC drugs like Ibuprofen and aspirin.
Generally, the condition gets better within two weeks. If there is no sign of recovery, immediate medical care is needed.
How Do You Know If You Have a Blood Clot in Your Wrist?
Clotted blood in your wrist vein is responsible for Superficial Thrombophlebitis and also for many other health complexities. Most of the conditions caused by a blood clot are curable if diagnosed at an early stage.
As a health-conscious person, you should look out for any symptoms of blood clots in you, especially if you are overweight, over 60, and just recovered from an injury. So, what kind of signs am I indicating? Take a look at the list given below:
- Swelling and pain in the vein
- Bluish or reddish wrist
- Intense pain in the wrist
Building up blood clots in the wrist is highly unlikely. Yet, it never hurts to stay alert to any health abnormalities. A balanced diet and regular workout can prevent the risk of having a blood clot in any location of the body.
Vein Pain And Vascular Disease
As the name suggests, Vascular disease is related to a disorder in your blood circulatory network. Doctors suggest that the vein pain in the wrists, arms, legs is often linked to this condition. And this pain is completely different from regular back pain related to hunger or chest pain after drinking water.
Vascular disease can be of many types, and each one is equally dangerous. Hence, proper treatment is mandatory. Generally, people with diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight, a medical history of injury, and heart disease fall victim to this condition.
Wrist pain, numbness in the fingertips, hand pain in cold temperatures, and swelling are some of the signs that indicate Vascular disease. If you have any of these symptoms and vein pain in the wrist, go for a medical check-up.
In many cases, home treatments recover the patients. For example, a healthy diet, simple exercises, meditation, yoga, quit drinking or smoking. Doctors often prescribe blood pressure and cholesterol controlling drugs to better the condition. However, never take any medications without consulting your healthcare professional first.
What Can Cause a Blown Vein and How to Treat It?
People have a blown vein if there is any incident of improper needle insertion into the vein. Blown veins in the wrist are not uncommon as doctors often use needles in that area for taking blood samples or giving medicine shots.
A rapid movement during the needle insertion or incorrect needle size for any individual’s vein commonly causes a blown vein. Some other factors like thick, fragile, or damaged veins increase the chance of having a blown vein.
Usually, you can treat your blown vein condition at home by applying a cold pack to the wrist and taking enough rest. If the needle is stuck, you need a medical professional for the removal. The expert may use an antidote to minimize the damage before removing the needle.
FAQ
How Do You Relieve Vein Pain?
Many factors can cause vein pain in wrist. The best way to deal with the pain is to take a break from time to time and rest your arm. Putting an ice-pack on the wrist can also relieve the pain.
You can take paracetamol if the pain is too much for you. People often find the splint or a soft pad for wrist support helpful as it eases the pain. If the pain is intense and frequent, the condition might be serious. You should consult a doctor without any delay.
How Long Does It Take for a Vein to Heal?
The healing period of your vein depends on how badly it is damaged. Generally, a vein stops hurting you after 1 to 2 days.
In severe and long-term cases, the vein gets healed within 10 to 12 days. If the condition is serious, it might take 2 to 3 weeks for the damaged veins to recover.
What Happens if You Pop a Vein in Your Wrist?
Popping a wrist vein will bleed for sure. As long as the wound is not deep and not bleeding terribly, you are out of danger. Generally, blood comes out of the cut because of the ruptured vein.
You will get a minor bruise and the vein might swell. Within 2 to 3 days, the wound will heal itself.
Final Thoughts
You get nothing to worry about as long as your vein pain in wrist is not repetitive. Continuous typing, wrist movements, sports activities, and injuries are often responsible for the suffering. If the pain is intense and frequent, check with a doctor as soon as possible.
