Your hand is made up of a complex network of bones, ligaments and tendons, with the thumb connected right at the base of your wrist. In cases where this pain is radiating around your thumb and wrist, it's likely inflammation of the tendon caused by injury or strain, and requires rest and in serious cases treatment by a medical specialist.

Your hands are used in almost every activity you perform, meaing they're at risk of injury in any rigorous activity you undertake. The more common injuries that affect our hands include fractures, tendonitis, sprains, jarred or crushed fingers and hyperextensions.

Treatment for hand injuries varies widely depending on the problem itself. Most cases require RICE (rest, ice, compress, elevate) while more serious injuries may require a splint, anti-inflammatories or medical attention if a fracture or serious injury is suspected.

When your hand is sprained, there's often a feeling of pain across the affected area that comes with any movement or tension, as well as a feeling of weakness and irritation. In cases where there's a numbness or loss of feeling, seek immediate medical attention.

If you find that the hand is swollen, there's increased pain (especially with any movement or gripping) or there's significant bruising, visit your doctor or the hospital to get an X-ray to confirm if there's a fracture and seek appropriate treatment.

When left untreated, sprain injuries in the hand can lead to tendon or nerve damage, and develop into chronic weakness and pain. In cases where the bone is bruised or has a mild fracture, this can cause bony growths to occur, leading to arthritis and stiffness down the road.

The thumb joins down at the base of your wrist where the nerves tendons and bones and interweave. Usually when we injur our thumb during sport or exercise it will be a little painful and stiff for a couple of days. If there's pain, limited movement or numbness in the thumb for more than a few days, it's important to see a doctor in case it's something more serious.

Treating tendonitis in the thumb is similar to managing it in other parts of the body. It's important to minimise movement and relax the tendon, and this is most effectively done by using a thumb splint to allow for normal activity while still keeping the thumb in place. Using anti-inflammatories, ice and other treatments to minimise the inflammation are effective in minimising the pain during this process.

Arthritis can affect any joint in your body, and is more likely to develop in joints that have been used more over your life. Thumb arthritis is more common in people who play video games a lot, knit or sew, or use their thumbs in particular as part of their work. It's not at all unusual for the fingers and hand to also develop arthritis in these cases, and if you find stiffness starting in the thumb, it's worth having the rest of your hand checked.