The wrist and hand are made up of several bones, joints, tendons and ligaments that all work together giving us the great ability to manipulate all types of objects – both large and small.

Tendons that move our fingers to open and close the hand are attached to muscles in the forearm.

The tendons that close the hand pass thorugh a semi-rigid tunnel at the base of the hand. And this tunnel is known as the carpal tunnel.

To open our hand, the tendons do not have to pass through a tunnel, but through several smaller canals on the back of the wrist.With so many joints in the hand and wrist, there are many places where we can begin to develop painful arthritis.

The thumb is usually the first joint affected by painful arthritis.

There are also several tendons that can become inflammed from over-use of the hands.

Tendons may also tear or completely rupture, leading to more severe pain as well as hand weakness.

Along with the joints and tendons, there are nerves that pass into the hand to control the small muscles and allow feeling in the palm and fingers.

These nerves can become “pinched” as they pass through the wrist. This can cause severe pain, numbness and weakness in the hand. The first step to reducing pain is to first determine where the pain starts.

This is typically accomplished by your physician listening to how your pain started and recognizing what makes your pain worse as well as with thorough physical examination of your painful area.

X-rays, MRI, and special nerve and muscle testing may also be used to take a better look at your condition.

Once the main problem is identified, then a treament plan can be started to treat it at its source.

Surgery is not always needed to treat wrist or hand pain.

There are certain situations where surgery may ultimately be needed. However, you want to be fully evaluated and try all means of conservative treatment before undergoing an operation on your hands.

Removable wrist and hand braces are often very useful in helping reduce pain. It is just a matter of choosing the right brace for your condition.

There are also many types of minimally invasive wrist and hand injections we offer that we may be able to use that may be able to to reduce your pain quickly.

Injections are typically used when the pain is so severe that it prevents you from working, performing any type of exercise program, or if you cannot progress through the exercise program because of the pain.

Very often, all that is needed is the right treatment plan, persistence, teamwork and dedication to your health to help reduce or eliminate your pain.

If surgery is ultimately needed, we will match you with an excellent surgeon who can help with your condition.

Make an appointment today so that we can help you start on your road to recovery.