Understanding The Pain at Base of Thumb Palm Side

A pain at the base of the thumb on the palm side is not a good sign and it usually marks something serious. If you have been facing a base thumb pain that just refuses to go away, it is imperative that you visit your doctor at the earliest. While a case of thumb pain might be caused by a simple injury to the thumb, there are some serious medical conditions that can lead to the onset of this problem. In most cases, the thumb pain in the palm side would just be a symptom that would be brought about by a medical condition. Here, we are going to discuss two major problems that can lead to the symptom of thumb pain.

Pain at Base of Thumb Palm Side

The base of Thumb Joint Pain Causes

  • Thumb Arthritis
  • Wrist Tendonitis
  • Joint Stiffness
  • A broken Thumb

A base of the thumb joint pain causes can be determined by taking a look at the thumb pain symptoms. In case you are noticing a dull thumb pain that refuses to go away, you could be a victim of thumb arthritis. In this condition, some other thumb pain symptoms would be present in this joint. Thumb pain at the base, swelling at the base of thumb joint and severe ache after long use of the thumb joint are some signs that indicate the problem of thumb arthritis. Thumb arthritis is a dangerous condition that can affect your thumb joint severely, and lead to the permanent disability in the joint. In order to avoid such a condition, you would have to carry out thumb pain diagnosis at the earliest. Apart from the problem of thumb arthritis, there is another condition that can lead to the problem of thumb pain. Wrist tendonitis is a problem that can lead to the development of thumb pain symptoms in this joint. The combination of wrist and thumb pain is usually associated with wrist tendonitis, a problem that arises due to the inflammation of tendons in this joint. Joint stiffness in Base of the thumb is another cause of the pain.

A broken thumb is often caused by a punch or falls on the thumb. The thumb can be slightly moved towards the palm, so the thumb base becomes unstable. Putting the thumb in the plaster is the suitable treatment of the broken thumb. But sometimes an operation is needed.

Pain at Base of Thumb Palm Side Treatment


  • Modify behaviour patterns and avoid activities that cause you pain.
  • Rest Your Thumb by using a splint to hold the wrist and thumb.Don’t forget to remove the splint at least five times a day to maintain the flexibility of the thumb joints.
  • Place hot or cold compresses: Hot Pads may help relieve pain, relieve joint stiffness, and relax tense muscles. You can use electric heating pads or simply take a hot bath. Cold compresses may be effective in relieving pain during seizures or after exercising a large physical activity. So, placing ice cubes on your hands, or soaking your hands in cold water reveals an anaesthetic effect that hides hand and wrist pain.
  • The treatment of thumb pain is usually carried out in similar ways in both these conditions. In the initial stages of the problem, thumb pain exercises are utilized to take care of the condition completely. These thumb pain exercises make sure that the strength of the thumb joint is restored over time and the condition is taken care of. However, it is possible that these thumb pain exercises fail to show any results. In such cases, it is better to get the thumb pain treated by an experienced doctor.

When To See a Doctor

You have to See your doctor in the following cases

  • If a tumour, stiffness or pain continues at the base of the thumb
  • Unable to fully extend the thumb
  • Hang your thumb in a curved position

Understanding The Pain at Base of Thumb Palm Side. Last Updated: 16/10/2017

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