Bone scan and x-ray normal for wrist pain, why was blood work ordered?
I have pain in my wrist when I put any pressure on it. For example, if I was doing a push-up or lean up against a wall, I would have a lot of pain. This pain has been around for more than 6 months. I first went for carpal tunnel testing and results were normal. I then was sent for a bone scan of my hand and the results were normal. Now the dr is sending me for blood work. What are they looking for? Why would blood work be issued?
Thanks in advance for any and all information!!
They are looking for arthritis. This is a question you should have asked your doctor BEFORE you consented to the test.
“Hey doc, what is this test for?” sounds very reasonable before they take your blood.
Did you ever hurt the wrist before? If you ever fell and put your hand out to catch yourself, thought you sprained that wrist… have them take a closer look at the scaphoid bone. You might need a hand specialist. The scaphoid can get broken and the bone tissue dies (becomes necrotic) the pain gets worse overtime as the bone dies. It is frequently missed on x-ray exams and will not show up on a bone scan because they are looking for areas of increased growth to show up on those.
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