I have chronic pain in my left wrist. How do I fix it?

@ruthclayton6 Ouch! I have inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis and have had tendinitis and several hand surgeries, so I can sympathize.
First, let's start with the obvious - find another way to manage your phone when you run - pocket, fanny pack, armband...this will remove one stressor. Also, it's good for your hands and wrists to limit the amount of time you spend scrolling and texting on your phone - those tiny devices can cause an amazing amount of pain.

Second, I was the ergo-maniac for my staff years ago when people transitioned to spending hours at the keyboard every day. Tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain and many other woes were rampant. I
worked hard to be sure my employees were using correct posture & taking breaks.

To get to the root cause, you need to look closely at your phone and keyboard use as well as piano playing. Make sure you are using proper posture and body mechanics and taking frequent breaks (literally every 20-30 minutes) to flex and stretch your fingers, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck and back.

A visit or two with a hand therapist (usually an specialized occupational therapist) for evaluation can help. Also, there are exercises and braces that may help you. And Kinesio-taping for day long use. All of these are tools that a hand therapist has.

During an acute flare, you might be advised try anti-inflammatories - ibuprofen if you tolerate it or topical voltaren gel. You can also try icing, but it makes some people's hands feel worse.

Have you seen anyone about this issue?

we simply can't afford less music in the world, especially piano music. https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Cell-Phone-Armbands/zgbs/wireless/7073962011
Protect those tendons from overuse.

My daughter developed wrist tendinitis after a long kayak ride. She did all the things mentioned above, plus a prefabricated splint. When that didn’t work saw a hand surgeon who did a steroid injection, which didn’t help. That led to am MRI which clearly showed the tendinitis and the surgeon performed a steroid injection under fluoroscopy into the sheath covering the tendon, followed by more PT. That did the trick. So my advice is to keep following up with your doctor, see a hand surgeon if necessary and persevere with the recommendations. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

One more thing, the benefits of a well placed cold pack, especially ones that give and mold to your hand, cannot be overstated

Good advice!

I wanted to clarify one thing about therapy. Best not to see a generic occupational therapist. My advice is a certified hand therapist, especially since you play piano.

I moved frequently during my many years of hand reconstruction surgeries. Every time I needed a new therapist, I would insist that the receptionist confirm I was to see a certified hand therapist. I can’t tell you for sure it made a difference, but I felt secure I was getting the most appropriate care for my condition.