Do you have pain at the base of your thumb? If you ask your doctor about it, he or she will probably diagnosis it as “arthritis” or maybe even carpal tunnel syndrome.
Here’s something interesting. If any of us have an x-ray, it would most likely show arthritis (changes in the bones, usually from muscles pulling on them.) But, we don’t all have pain! “Arthritis” is a diagnosis doctors use when they don’t know why else you might have pain.
But, muscles and trigger points will cause pain in the
base of your thumb. Muscles (and trigger points) are the most commonly overlooked cause of all types of pain. (If you’d like to know more about trigger points look for the Triggers & Trigger Points Category here.)
Because of the deep therapeutic work I’ve done as a massage professional, I have had pain in the base of my thumb many times. And, I’ve worked it out many times, too.
The culprit muscles are most often in the web of your thumb and on the thumb-side of your lower arm.
What to do?
You can use heat, ice or massage on your lower arm, if it’s tender.
For your thumb pain, pinch your web with your finger and thumb of your opposite hand. (So you are pinching the web from both sides.)
You will find tender areas. Hold those areas for 12 seconds. Take a break any time your treating fingers get tired. You don’t want to wear them out. You don’t have to do this all at one time, either. Work all around the base of your thumb and around to your index finger. Do the center of the web, too. Do this as often as you can.
Also, take care not to tilt your hand toward your baby finger on a regular basis. That strains the muscles on the thumb-side of your lower arm and wrist.
If you can’t avoid that tilting motion at work, a wrist brace can help, but don’t wear it too tightly. Or you may be able to figure out how to do the movement without tilting.
Sometimes we just do things from habit not realizing that we can aggravate muscles in our carpal tunnel area or cause pain in the base of our thumb.
Hi Jeff,
Would you describe this as nervy pain? Is it burning or does it feel like a toothache? I’m thinking a nerve is involved. Does it keep coming back? Do you keep doing the movement that aggravates it? I’d like to know more.
I get excrutiating pain in my wrist at the point where a straight line drawn down my thumb to the base of it’s proximal phalanx and where that meets the wrist. The pain first came about from twisting off a 2″ diameter rubber thermos top. The pain will last a day or two and then disappear just as quickly with no treatment. The pain will not allow even gentle pressure at the point of pain. I could not even put my hand in my pocket. The next day…..gone!
Hi Tom, Thank you for your question. Here are my best long-distance guesses:
1. It sounds like this is larger than a muscle spasm would be. But have you tried applying pressure as suggested in the article? Does it help at all? If so, that would probably be a muscle spasm at the base of your thumb. Also the tendons for your thumb muscles run almost to your elbow so do apply pressure or massage or cold packs to those areas, too, to help them relax.
Cold therapy is usually the best choice for pain but if it makes you feel slightly more uncomfortable, try heat. If heat cause more discomfort, then it is not the correct choice.
2. We most often get a diagnosis of ‘arthritis’ when the cause is unknown. So, it may or may not be arthritis or bony changes.
3. If there is a cyst or tumor (I’m not saying cancer–just saying a growth) and it causes you that much discomfort, removing the fluid from the cyst or removing the cyst or tumor may be your best option. If you consider surgery, ask lots and lots of questions:
What exactly is this? What will you do? What results can I expect? Is there another option to surgery? How long will it take for me to recover use of my thumb? Can you assure me of good results? And ask similar questions that will help you make your best decision.
I hope you are able to get rid of the pain at the base of your thumb quickly.
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach
Before the pain there was a lump that seemed to get larger and move from the upper side of the fatty part of the hand next to the thumb to the bottom area and felt as if it attached itself to the muscle; etc at the base, becoming more painful as months have passed. It literally feels at times as if the thumb is broken. It was diagnosed as arthritis a few years ago, but I have serious doubts about this. I’ve worn a thumb brace that helps, but if it continues, I’ll have to consider surgery. When at it’s worst, the hand is useless.