What Is Arthritis in the Wrist? Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Updated: 2 days ago
Medically reviewed by Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD · Last reviewed: October 2026
Quick Answer: What is arthritis in the wrist?
Wrist arthritis is a chronic disease that wears away the cartilage in the wrist joint, causing pain, swelling and stiffness that worsen with use. [1] Osteoarthritis from everyday wear and tear is the most common type, though rheumatoid arthritis also occurs. [1] Treatment begins with self-care and simple therapies, progressing to injections or surgery, but most people manage without surgery. [1]
Key Takeaways
Wrist arthritis is a leading cause of chronic wrist pain and affects up to 1 in 7 people in the U.S. [1]
The wrist is the most complex joint in the body, with more bones and connection points than any other joint. [1]
Osteoarthritis causes a dull, constant ache; inflammatory arthritis often feels intense and burning and affects both wrists.
Treatment starts with self-care: hot/cold therapy, NSAIDs, physical therapy, and activity modifications. [1]
Surgery options like joint fusion and wrist replacement can restore movement when conservative treatments fall short.
What the research says
According to PubMed:
Surgery comes only after conservative treatment has failed. A review of wrist osteoarthritis found that most cases follow an injury, a metabolic joint disease, or an inflammatory joint disease, with idiopathic (no clear cause) wrist osteoarthritis in only a small minority, and that surgery is indicated only when conservative treatment fails (Laulan et al., Orthop Traumatol Surg Res, 2015) [4].
Splinting and early active motion have the strongest evidence in hand and wrist therapy. A systematic review of 59 articles on occupational therapy for adults with forearm, wrist, and hand conditions found the strongest evidence supported post-surgical early active motion protocols and splinting for various conditions (Roll and Hardison, Am J Occup Ther, 2017) [5].
Wrist replacement is an option, but complications are common. A review of total wrist arthroplasty reported complications as high as 43%, with modern implants most often failing from dislocation or loosening, and noted that wrist fusion remains the gold-standard treatment, particularly for people with higher physical demands (Lin and Paksima, Bull Hosp Jt Dis, 2017) [6].
Study details are from PubMed abstracts.
What Is Arthritis in the Wrist?
Arthritis of the wrist is one of the main causes of chronic wrist pain. [1] It can also cause swelling and stiffness in your wrist that worsen the more you use it. [1]
The wrist is the joint that allows you to bend, straighten, and rotate your hand — and you use it to accomplish countless tasks throughout the day. [1] Arthritis is a chronic and progressive disease that wears away the cartilage in your joints. [1] It especially affects joints that take a lot of stress from weight and/or frequent use. [1] Your wrist does not bear much weight, but you do use it a lot. [1]
Why Does the Wrist Get Arthritis So Often?
Your wrist is the most complex joint in your body. [1] It has more bones and connection points than any other joint [1], which gives it remarkable flexibility — but also means arthritis can occur in different places where different bones connect. Wrist arthritis affects up to 1 in 7 people in the U.S., so if you have it, you are far from alone. [1]
What Are the Different Types of Wrist Arthritis?
Wrist arthritis can occur where different bones connect and can have different causes, with types grouped as noninflammatory or inflammatory. [1]
Type by Location | Where It Occurs | What That Joint Does |
Distal radioulnar joint arthritis | At the base of the wrist, where the two forearm bones (radius and ulna) meet | Allows you to turn your palm up [1] |
Midcarpal joint arthritis | Between the eight small carpal bones that connect your hand to your arm bones | These bones move together with your finger bones [1] |
Radiocarpal joint arthritis | Where the two forearm bones meet the carpal bones | Allows you to rotate your wrist and flex and extend your hand [1] |
Noninflammatory Types
Type | How It Develops |
Osteoarthritis | The most common type. The cartilage in the joint gradually wears away from everyday use. Common with advancing age and with occupations that use the wrist more. [1] |
Post-traumatic arthritis | Follows an injury that damages the cartilage in the joint. Often temporary, but sometimes it contributes to the onset of osteoarthritis. [1] |
Inflammatory Types
Type | How It Develops |
Rheumatoid arthritis | The most common type of inflammatory arthritis. The immune system attacks the joint lining (synovium), and the inflammation can damage cartilage. It can affect any joint in the body. [1] |
Psoriatic arthritis | Affects some people with psoriasis, a skin disease. It can cause inflammation and swelling in the small joints of the hands and feet. [1] |
Septic arthritis | Can develop after a systemic bacterial or viral infection. The immune system sends inflammation to fight the infection. [1] |
Gout | Occurs when the body has too much uric acid. The excess acid causes tiny, painful crystals to form in the joints. It often affects the feet first, but can also affect the hands. [1] |
What Are the Symptoms of Wrist Arthritis?
Different types can cause different symptoms, but the most common symptom is all-over wrist pain. [1] Osteoarthritis may feel like a dull, constant ache, while inflammatory arthritis might feel intense and burning. [1]
You might feel it more when you use your wrist to open jars, turn doorknobs, or type. [1] You may also experience:
Symptom | What It Looks or Feels Like |
Joint pain | All-over wrist pain — a dull ache (osteoarthritis) or intense and burning (inflammatory) [1] |
Swelling | Puffy joints around the wrist [1] |
Discoloration and warmth | The skin over the joint changes color and feels warm [1] |
Reduced range of motion | Harder to bend and rotate the wrist fully [1] |
Morning stiffness | Stiffness that is worse in the morning and improves throughout the day [1] |
Wrist and hand weakness | Less strength in the wrist and hand [1] |
Clicking or crackling | Sounds when the wrist moves [1] |
Numbness or tingling | Can signal carpal tunnel syndrome alongside the arthritis [1] |
One helpful clue: osteoarthritis or post-traumatic arthritis may only affect one wrist, while inflammatory types like rheumatoid arthritis often affect both wrists and may affect other joints too. [1] With inflammatory types, you may also have fever, fatigue, a rash, or nail discoloration and pitting (nail psoriasis). [1]
With all types, severe swelling in your joints can force bones out of their normal positions, causing disfigurement. [1]
What Causes Arthritis in the Wrist?
Arthritis is gradual, ongoing damage to the cartilage in your joints. [1] Cartilage is the padding between the bones that helps them move smoothly against each other. [1] Inflammatory diseases or common wear and tear can erode this padding, leaving bones to rub against bones. [1] This causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. [1]
It is worth noting that inflammation itself can cause these symptoms even before it starts to wear down the cartilage [1] — which is why inflammatory types of arthritis hurt long before much cartilage is lost.
How Is Wrist Arthritis Diagnosed?
Wrist arthritis diagnosis starts with a physical exam that checks your range of motion and looks for signs of inflammation or disfigurement. [1] Tests to diagnose the type of arthritis in your wrist include:
How Is Arthritis in the Wrist Treated?
Treatment focuses on relieving your symptoms and slowing or stopping the damage, if possible. [1] Healthcare providers usually start with conservative treatments to relieve pain and reduce stress on the wrist, then prescribe medications if needed, and consider surgery only when those measures fall short. [1]
Conservative Self-Care Treatments
Treatment | How It Helps |
Hot/cold therapy | Ice packs or gel packs reduce inflammation; heat pads or baths relax a stiff joint. [1] |
Over-the-counter pain relievers | NSAIDs reduce both inflammation and pain; topical pain relief products can also help. [1] |
Physical therapy | Specific hand and wrist exercises; regular, gentle exercise nourishes tissues and prevents stiffening. [1] |
Activity modifications | Too much repetitive stress worsens arthritis; an occupational therapist recommends new ways to accomplish tasks. [1] |
Prescription Treatments
Treatment | How It Helps |
Cortisone shots | Steroid injections provide powerful, temporary pain relief and inflammation control directly to the wrist — a standard treatment for all types. [1] |
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections | An alternative pain relief option and standard treatment for osteoarthritis; studies suggest it may stimulate cartilage repair. [1] |
Oral corticosteroids | Anti-inflammatory drugs that work by suppressing the immune system — standard for inflammatory types. [1] |
DMARDs | Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs that treat auto-inflammatory arthritis and reduce inflammation throughout the body. [1] |
Surgical Treatments
If conservative and prescription treatments do not do enough to help, your provider might recommend surgery [1]:
Surgery Type | What It Does |
Proximal row carpectomy | Removes a few of the carpal bones to make more room for the others, freeing them to move without friction. [1] |
Joint fusion (arthrodesis) | Uses pins and screws to fuse together the bones that cause pain when they move — once healed, they no longer move, so they no longer cause pain. [1] |
Joint replacement (wrist arthroplasty) | Replaces damaged parts of the wrist with artificial parts; relieves arthritis symptoms and preserves movement in the joint. [1] |
What Is the Outlook with Wrist Arthritis?
Most people with wrist arthritis can manage their pain with conservative treatments, and steroid injections can help when needed. [1] If the arthritis is very advanced and a lot of cartilage is lost, it might be harder to manage conservatively. [1] When wrist arthritis begins to seriously affect your life, talk to your healthcare provider about surgery options — they can recommend the best procedure for you. [1]
For many people, self-care and activity adjustments make a real difference. [1]
Conclusion: Wrist Pain Does Not Have to Run Your Day
Arthritis in the wrist is a silent disruptor. You may not realize how often you use your wrist throughout the day until using it becomes painful and difficult — opening jars, turning doorknobs, typing an email. The wrist is the most complex joint in the body [1], and it is also one of the most commonly affected, with up to 1 in 7 people in the U.S. living with wrist arthritis.
The encouraging news is that most people manage their pain successfully with conservative treatments: hot and cold therapy, over-the-counter pain relief, physical therapy, and simple activity adjustments. [1] Injections and surgery exist for when those measures fall short. [1] If your wrists hurt more than they used to, that is the signal to act — a healthcare provider can pinpoint the type of arthritis you have and determine the best treatment plan for you.
Ready to take the first step? If wrist pain, swelling, or stiffness lasts more than a week or makes daily tasks harder, talk with a healthcare provider about diagnosis and a treatment plan. For more clear, verified health information, explore the rest of Rinnit.com — start with our guides on wrist pain and physical therapy.
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FAQ
What is arthritis in the wrist?
Wrist arthritis is a chronic disease that wears away the cartilage in the wrist joint. [1] It is one of the main causes of chronic wrist pain and also causes swelling and stiffness that worsen the more you use the wrist. [1] It affects up to 1 in 7 people in the U.S. [1]
What does wrist arthritis feel like?
The most common symptom is all-over wrist pain. [1] Osteoarthritis usually feels like a dull, constant ache, while inflammatory arthritis can feel intense and burning. The pain often flares when opening jars, turning doorknobs, or typing, and may come with swelling, warmth, stiffness, weakness, and clicking or crackling sounds.
What is the most common type of wrist arthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common type. [1] [2] It develops when the cartilage in the wrist joint gradually wears away from everyday use, and it is more common with advancing age and in occupations that use the wrist frequently. [1]
Is wrist arthritis the same in both wrists?
Not always. Osteoarthritis or post-traumatic arthritis may only affect one wrist, while inflammatory types like rheumatoid arthritis often affect both wrists and may also affect other joints in the body. [1]
Can wrist arthritis cause numbness or tingling?
Yes. Numbness or tingling in the wrist can accompany arthritis and may signal carpal tunnel syndrome. [1] People with inflammatory types may also experience fever, fatigue, a rash, or nail discoloration and pitting. [1]
How is wrist arthritis diagnosed?
A healthcare provider performs a physical exam to assess range of motion and check for inflammation or disfigurement. [1] X-rays look for damage to the cartilage, and blood tests check for inflammation or other indicators that identify the type of arthritis. [1]
How is wrist arthritis treated?
Treatment starts with self-care: hot/cold therapy, over-the-counter NSAIDs or topical pain relief, physical therapy exercises, and activity modifications. [1] Prescription options include cortisone shots, platelet-rich plasma injections, oral corticosteroids, and DMARDs. [1] Surgery is considered when other treatments do not help. [1] [4]
What surgeries are available for wrist arthritis?
The main surgical options are proximal row carpectomy (removing a few carpal bones to give the others room to move), joint fusion (arthrodesis, which fuses painful bones so they stop moving), and wrist joint replacement (arthroplasty, which replaces damaged parts with artificial ones while preserving movement). [1]
What is the outlook for wrist arthritis?
Most people manage their wrist pain with conservative treatments, and steroid injections help when needed. [1] Very advanced arthritis with significant cartilage loss may be harder to manage conservatively [1], but surgery options can restore comfort and function when the condition seriously affects daily life.
References
Cleveland Clinic. Arthritis in Wrist. Cleveland Clinic. December 16, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21595-arthritis-in-wrist
Cleveland Clinic. Osteoarthritis. Cleveland Clinic. July 15, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/5599-osteoarthritis
Cleveland Clinic. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cleveland Clinic. November 6, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4924-rheumatoid-arthritis
Laulan J, Marteau E, Bacle G. Wrist osteoarthritis. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res. 2015;101(1 Suppl):S1-S9. PMID 25596986. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.otsr.2014.06.025
Roll SC, Hardison ME. Effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for adults with musculoskeletal conditions of the forearm, wrist, and hand: a systematic review. Am J Occup Ther. 2017;71(1):7101180010p1-7101180010p12. PMID 28027038. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2017.023234
Lin E, Paksima N. Total wrist arthroplasty. Bull Hosp Jt Dis (2013). 2017;75(1):9-14. PMID 28214456. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28214456/
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
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