When you bend your wrist, cartilage keeps the joint's many bones from rubbing against each other. If you have arthritis of the wrist, however, cartilage breaks down, leaving your bones without protection – and you dealing with pain, stiffness or reduced range of motion. Wrist arthritis doesn't have a permanent fix, but with expert care, you can control symptoms and enjoy the activities you love without wrist pain getting in the way.

Many types of arthritis can affect the wrist joint. The most common is osteoarthritis, which occurs as cartilage disappears over time due to wear and tear. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks the joints, can also affect the wrist. Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis, which causes pain and swelling.

Other types of arthritis that can develop in the wrist include:

• Post-traumatic arthritis. Have you ever broken a bone in your wrist? If so, you have a higher risk for post-traumatic arthritis, which can develop after an injury to the joint's bones or soft tissues.
• Psoriatic arthritis. An autoimmune condition, psoriatic arthritis causes joint inflammation. You're more likely to have this type of arthritis if you have a skin disease called psoriasis. 

Many people with arthritis of the wrist experience wrist pain, but the nature of the discomfort depends on the type of arthritis. If you have osteoarthritis, your wrist may hurt more when you move it and less when you don't. Forms of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can cause swelling, redness, and warmth in the wrist. With rheumatoid arthritis, wrist pain is more likely to occur alongside stiffness, especially in the morning.

Flares, a common feature of arthritis, are times when symptoms worsen and interfere with daily activities. Different types of arthritis have different flare triggers. For osteoarthritis, triggers may include overusing or injuring your wrist. Rheumatoid arthritis can flare due to stress, pushing yourself too hard during exercise, or stopping treatment.

Living with arthritis of the wrist doesn't mean you face a less active or fulfilling future. An orthopedic specialist can help you find an effective treatment, starting with the most conservative options.

To begin, your physician may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication to relieve pain. You can purchase common types of these medicines over the counter. Another group of prescription medications, known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, may be helpful if you have autoimmune-related arthritis that's hard to control.

You may need to give your wrist a rest by avoiding activities that worsen symptoms and wearing a splint to minimize movement of the joint. Getting a steroid injection may help relieve pain. So, too, can exercising your wrist, which may also help you recover range of motion.

Nonsurgical treatments aren't always enough to treat arthritis of the wrist. If the pain doesn't improve, you may need a procedure to remove or fuse bones in the joint. Joint replacement may also be an option. Your orthopedic specialist can determine which type of surgery may be right for you.