Hand and Wrist Osteoarthritis

Signs of Wrist Problems
Are your wrists causing you bother?
You may be experiencing:
- Pain and Discomfort – particularly on movement
- Swelling and Tenderness
- Limited Movement
Low-dose radiotherapy treatment can relieve all these synmptoms and get you back to your normal activities.

Managing Wrist Osteoarthritis
Effective ways of dealing with wrist osteoarthritis include:
- Activity modification
- Immobilisation of the hand or bracing
- Exercises and stretching
- Medication and injections
- Radiotherapy
- Surgery – fusion or joint replacement
Radiotherapy is a way to reduce inflammation and pain. This leads to improved function in the wrist joints so that you can do the things that you need to with your hands and wrist – moving them properly with less stiffness and pain.
What is Low Dose Radiotherapy?
Low-dose radiotherapy is a specialised technique that reduces pain and inflammation using very low dose and carefully controlled radiation treatments.
Unlike the stronger radiotherapy used in cancer treatment, much lower doses of radiotherapy are used to treat wrist osteoarthritis (OA). The use of low radiation levels ensures that the treatment is very safe.
This is a non-invasive treatment that does not involve any injections or surgery. It is exclusively focused towards the affected areas and does not affect the rest of the body.
It’s given as an outpatient, so that you can keep on doing your normal activities without needing a break during treatment. Since it is very low dose, it tends to have only very mild (if any) side effects.
A typical course of radiotherapy involves six treatments given over 2 to 3 weeks. Each treatment, delivered as an outpatient, takes less than 10 minutes. About 70% of patients may need a second course of radiotherapy to maximize the benefits.


When should I consider Radiotherapy for Wrist OA?
Radiotherapy can be a good option for wrist osteoarthritis when other methods aren’t working or when symptoms are worsening.
You should consider radiotherapy for:
- Persistent Pain and Inflammation
If you still have pain despite using self-help treatments (like exercises and weight loss) and medicines
- Medicines are not helping
Where simple pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs aren’t working well enough or are causing side-effects
- Symptoms getting worse
If you notice increased pain and discomfort.
- Don’t Want Surgery
If you are not suitable, for instance due to personal choice or other health conditions.
In any of these situations, low dose radiotherapy to the wrist offers an alternative approach to address osteoarthritis symptoms, including pain relief and improved joint function.
How Can Radiotherapy Help Wrist Osteoarthritis?
- Pain Reduction
Recent research shows that low-dose radiotherapy reduces pain from wrist osteoarthritis in around 7 out of 10 people.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Scientific evidence shows that radiotherapy reduces inflammation, leading to reduced swelling in the affected wrist joints. This reduction helps reduce pain and improves joint function.
- Improved Mobility
People having radiotherapy for wrist OA may report substantial improvements in overall joint performance, which can include increased ease of movement, allowing for greater wrist mobility.
- Addresses Multiple symptoms
Radiotherapy can help with various symptoms such as swelling, stiffness, and discomfort in the wrist joints. This can improve overall quality of life for those dealing with wrist joint problems.
- Sustained and Long-lasting Benefits
Some studies suggest that the benefits of radiotherapy, especially in pain reduction, may last over a considerable period, resulting in long-lasting relief.


Is Radiotherapy Safe?
Low-Dose Radiotherapy is a very safe treatment for wrist osteoarthritis. This is due to various factors:
- Low-Dose
This ensures effective treatment with very few side effects
- Precise
Radiotherapy is focused towards only the specific areas causing trouble. This way, the surrounding areas are not affected by the treatment
- Mild side effects
Low-dose radiotherapy typically causes only very mild redness or perhaps some dry skin in the treatment area
- Non-Surgical
Radiotherapy treatment is a non-surgical way to treat osteoarthritis in the wrist joints. This allows you to avoid the risks involved in invasive surgery
What are the Side Effects of Radiotherapy for Wrist Osteoarthritis?
The side effects of low dose radiotherapy tend to be very mild.
These can include:
- Skin Reactions
You may get a bit of redness, dryness, or irritation in the treated area of the wrist. Typically, these effects disappear a couple of weeks after finishing the treatment.
- Tiredness
Sometimes people feel a bit tired during or after the treatment. However, this tends to settle down once the treatment has finished and energy levels usually improve quickly after that.
Radiotherapy is a straightforward outpatient procedure which doesn’t need an anaesthetic, injections or surgery. You can easily schedule it around your regular work or other activities.
Before starting radiation therapy, we’ll thoroughly discuss any potential side effects with you. We will provide comprehensive information about the risks and benefits of the treatment, so that you can make the best decisions possible.

Do You Have Any Questions?
Explore detailed answers to common queries on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.