Coping with Chronic Health Conditions: Tips

Find Relief For Your Hand And Wrist Pain By Visiting An Orthopedic Doctor

25 November 2014 by Freddie Cox

Do you suffer from wrist and hand pain that seems to be getting worse? If so, you may want to take time out of your busy day to seek help from an orthopedic doctor. Pain in your wrist and hand can be caused by a number of different things, but an orthopedic doctor will be able to diagnose the cause of the pain and offer treatment options.

What Is An Orthopedic Doctor?

An orthopedic doctor is a bone, joint, and nerve specialist. This type of doctor specializes in problems that affect any of these parts of the body, and he or she is able to diagnose and treat all types of conditions that may cause pain, mobility issues, or other problems of the bones, joints, and nerves.

If you are having wrist and hand pain, it is best for you to find an orthopedic doctor that specializes in these particular parts of the body. While most orthopedic doctors can treat all body parts, there are many that limit their services to certain parts of the body.

How Does A Doctor Determine The Cause?

Aging and use cause normal wear and tear on body parts, and these two reasons alone account for many problems people face with their hands and wrists. When you seek help from an orthopedic doctor, there are a number of things that he or she will do to find out what is causing the pain you are having.

The first thing the doctor will ask about is symptoms. The problems you are having might include:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Sharp pains
• Stiffness
• Changes in color of the skin
• Swelling

The doctor might then want to take x-rays or complete other tests (such as an MRI) to find out if there is bone, nerve, or joint damage. From there, he or she will most likely be able to find out what the problem is.

What Causes Wrist And Hand Pain?

While there are many different conditions that cause hand and wrist pain, here are some of the common ones:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Repetitious use of the wrist and hands often leads to carpal tunnel, and this can cause you to experience pain and numbness in your fingers, wrist, and hand. These symptoms are caused because of the pressure placed on your median nerve, which is located in the wrist.

Carpal tunnel is often treated by wearing a wrist splint and by resting the wrist. There are also surgical options available to relieve the pressure caused by this common disorder.

Arthritis

According to Mayo Clinic, arthritis is another cause of wrist and hand pain in many people. There are two main types of arthritis that can cause pain and a lack of mobility, and these are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Doctors often treat arthritis with medication, physical therapy, and steroids, but there are numerous surgical procedures that can also be used for people suffering from arthritis.

Dupuytren's Disease

A third possibility is that you have Dupuytren's disease. This condition causes thickening of tissue in the hand, and doctors often diagnose it by finding lumps on a person's fingers or hands.

According to Medicine Net, there are numerous treatment options available for this, including:

• Ultrasound treatments
• Cortisone injections
• Surgery to remove some of the hardened tissue

Orthopedic doctors can find out exactly what is causing your pain and mobility issues in your hands and wrists, and this is the first step for finding relief. If you are tired of dealing with the pain and other symptoms, make an appointment with an orthopedic doctor like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates. This will help you find out what is causing the symptoms, and you will learn more about your options for treating the condition.

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