screws and plates in my wrist causing pain old injury

[mandymoo1983]

hi i had a bad horse accident probly 10 years ago now in which i badly broke my right arm and wrist both bones were completely snapped radius and ulner?think thats it i had surgey to repair it i had 4 plates and severel screws.
i had them to my knowledge removed maybe 4 years after the accident because they caused me discomfort and my bone was growing over the plates well its always felt like there still there and i can feel them there are still holes there and hard masses on my bones for the last year or so my arm and wrist are causing me cronic pain if i move my wrist the wrong way or even bump it its sore for weeks particuly ova the top of my hand and has shooting pains all up my arm im really ova it is there anything i can do for the pain or any suggestions on what to do what should happen next???
thanks

[Mollyrae]

Hello Mandymoo and welcome to Med Help:

Injurys like yours can cause a multitude of problems down the line. I would suspect that you have alot of scar tissue in that area. Scar tissue can be very painful and there's not much you can do about that except remove it surgically. Arthritis is also known to set into old injurys. To be on the safe side, I would have a Doctor re-evaluate the wrist. It's possible that there is something else going on. You may need to have more imaging
(x-ray, MRI, ct scan) done to update your injury. How long has it been since you have had any imaging done?
Take care,   Mollyrae

[Tuckamore]

Hi Mandymoo,

I am really sorry you are having so much pain. We use our arms so much it must be difficult to "rest" it.

After an injury, especially one as severe as yours, arthritis often does set into it as Mollyrae suggested. I also suggest you have an MRI of the limb to determine if anything unusual is going on with it. You may have some nerve impingement or other condition(s) or problems besides arthritis. With such a serious past injury it is best to have it evaluated asap. Your PCP should be able to order the MRI. The results would dictate what kind of specialist can best treat your arm.

If there are no obvious changes in the MRI a rheumatologist is usually best at diagnosing and treating inflammatory conditions. In the meantime you may want to use NSAID's and heat to the area for some pain relief. Some ppl find ice is more effective in reducing their pain. I would suggest that you try not to over use it and elevate it when ever possible.  

Best of luck to you. Please let us know how you are doing. I will look forward to your update. And as always, Take Care, Tuck

[helpnikki]

They are both right... you can alternate between heat and cold. Cold when you have been using it, warm before you use it. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have found relief with acupuncture. Its better than surgery on your nerves.
Feel better.. there is nothing that compares to bone pain...