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Month: February 2017

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Fingers General

Which Form of Trigger Finger Treatment is Right for Me?

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Trigger finger is a condition that causes the fingers, and sometimes the thumb, to have a tendency to lock in place when they are bent. It is sometimes accompanied by popping and cracking while attempting to bend or straighten the fingers. In addition, it can be very painful at times.

Running through the fingers, just like in other parts of the body, are tendons that serve the purpose of connecting muscle to bone. These tendons will slide through a sheath, which is tissue that covers the tendon. The sheath contains a lubricating membrane to help the tendon move more easily. Trigger finger can develop when these tendons become inflamed. When this happens, the tendons can become swollen. This makes it harder for the tendon to move through the sheath. When this goes on for a period of time, the sheath can develop scar tissue, the result of which is a narrowed opening for the tendon to slide through. The resulting difficulty can cause popping and cracking as the tendon is pulled through restricted space.

Trigger finger can be caused by one of several factors. Health conditions like gout, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis can lead to its development. It can also be caused by repetitive motion, especially if the motion is accompanied by forceful gripping. Sometimes, it becomes so hard to straighten the fingers that the other hand must be used to help.

If you suspect that you might have trigger finger, our team can perform a diagnosis rather easily. Once trigger finger is diagnosed, treatment may be done by a variety of methods. Usually, we will start with more conservative measures and progress to more extensive treatments only if the conservative methods do not work.

Trigger finger treatment may involve the use of a splint, anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections, among other things. Often times, a combination approach is taken. If these more conservative measures don’t get the job done, surgery may be the next step. Most people, however, will not need surgery, but this obviously depends on the situation. The recovery time and results depend on the severity of the condition.

If you suspect that you may be developing trigger finger, you should seek help from the team at Arora Hand Surgery sooner rather than later. This will improve your chances of having success with conservative treatments. Our offices are located in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, and Macomb. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

Categories
Fingers General

Getting Your Thumb Sprain Treated by a Hand Specialist

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Thumb sprains can be very painful. All you need to do is ask anyone who has experienced one, if you haven’t had one yourself. They commonly occur during sports activities. In fact, they are often referred to as “skiers thumb” because of a high occurrence of injuries while skiing. The combination of the way the hand is grasping the ski pole and the impact of the pole hitting the ground can easily jam the hand, causing a thumb strain. Sports like basketball create a high risk for these types of sprains as well. If the hand is turned in the wrong way while attempting to catch the ball, a strain can happen. Striking the thumb on the ground during a fall is another common cause of the injury.

A sprain is an injury to a ligament, which is what holds the bones together. In the case of a thumb sprain, the damage is usually to the ligaments that support the joint at the base of the thumb. It happens when an impact causes the thumb to move beyond its normal range of movement. It is usually a backward movement that causes the injury.

Symptoms of a thumb sprain include immediate pain at the time of the impact. This may be followed by things like swelling, and there may be some instability in the joint. It may be difficult to do activities that require gripping, like turning a door knob or holding a drinking glass.

Immediately after the injury, the thumb should be protected against further injury by taping it or using a support. Ice should be applied as soon as possible to help reduce swelling. These are immediate steps that are taken as basic first aid measures following the injury. In order to ensure that there is no permanent damage, and to make sure the best possible treatment is provided to promote healing, our experienced hand specialist at Arora Hand Surgery should be consulted.

One of the things that will be done when seeking treatment for a sprained thumb is the taking of X-rays. This will help to detect or rule out a fracture. If no fracture is present, our doctor will still continue to treat the thumb sprain.

Since your hands are necessary for just about everything you do, you will not want to take their care lightly when it comes to treating an injury. The hands, including the fingers and thumbs, consist of very complicated anatomy. For this reason, you deserve the best treatment you can get when you are trying to recover from an injury. The best way to receive this is to seek out a well-qualified hand specialist like Dr. Arora. It can make the difference in getting you back on the road to recovery.

Make an appointment at Arora Hand Surgery in Howell, West Bloomfield, Macomb, or Warren to learn more. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.

Categories
Elbows General

Addressing Cubital Tunnel Syndrome for a Better Quality of Life

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Cubital tunnel syndrome, or ulnar nerve entrapment, is a condition affecting the ulnar nerve. This is the nerve that extends from the forearm to the neck. Along the way, it passes through the cubital tunnel, which is near the inner part of the elbow. Muscles, bone and ligaments all form the tunnel. In cubital tunnel syndrome, the ulnar nerve gets compressed in the tunnel.

What are the Symptoms?

The most common symptoms of cubital tunnel syndrome are numbness and tingling in the hand and fingers. Such symptoms are most common in the ring and little fingers, and they tend to be intermittent. These symptoms are most likely to occur if the patient keeps their elbow bent during activities like driving or talking on the phone.

In some cases, the numbness wakes patients in the middle of the night. The patient may also feel as if their fingers are “falling asleep.” In severe cases, cubital tunnel syndrome can also impair coordination and weaken the muscles. The patient will start to have trouble performing such activities as typing or playing an instrument.

If the patient does not get treatment and/or the condition persists a long time, they may experience actual wasting of the hand muscles. Since this is not reversible, the patient should see our team if they have symptoms and/or have had symptoms for over six weeks.

How is Cubital Tunnel Syndrome Treated?

A person usually starts with various home remedies, many of which involve resting the affected arm. For example, they may avoid activities that require bending their elbows for a long time. Before going to bed, they may wrap a towel around their arm to make sure it stays straight while they sleep.

When such measures don’t work, our team at Arora Hand Surgery can come up with a customized treatment plan for you. This may involve the use of a splint, hand therapy and/or surgery, depending on the situation. Surgery is usually only recommended for severe cases of cubital tunnel syndrome. The patient will almost always need some type of physical therapy during their recovery.

During a consultation at Arora Hand Surgery, Dr. Arora and his team can assess your condition and come up with a personalized treatment that aims to give you a better quality of life.  Contact our West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb office today to schedule an appointment to learn more about your treatment options!

Categories
General Wrists

How Can I Treat My Fractured Wrist?

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A fractured wrist is not as simple as most people believe. A wrist fracture can be displaced or non-displaced. When you have a fractured wrist, you usually feel immediate and severe pain. You may also experience some numbness in your hand, your hands and fingers may change color and you might see the wrist bone protrude out of the skin.

Wrist fractures are relatively common. It is estimated that a quarter of a million people experience a fractured wrist every single year in the United States. One of the reasons why this injury is so common is because of the wide range of ways humans use their wrists. Injuries can come from car accidents, playing sports or work.

Depending on the location and severity of the injury, the treatment options vary significantly from case to case. Some simpler wrist fractures can be treated by just setting the wrist and casting it. Then you wait for the bone to heal in its proper position. However, other fractures may require you to get an operation, and you may need to endure a post-operative recovery. It all depends on the unique situation.

With most wrist fractures, you do not need surgery. All you need is to have a cast put on your wrist, and you need to have a little bit of downtime at home. The cast is used to keep your wrist immobilized while it heals. Other cases may require an operation.

You should expect to have some wrist stiffness, especially if your fractured wrist required you to have surgery. The stiffness will gradually improve. Our doctor may prescribe hand therapy as a way of helping you keep your strength.

As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for a fractured wrist. The treatment will depend on the extent of the injury, as well as your age, your occupation, your hand dominance and your overall health, among other things. During a consultation with Dr. Arora at Arora Hand Surgery, your wrist can be evaluated and a customized treatment plan can be created for you. The main goal is to fix the fractured wrist and then regain strength and function.

For your convenience, Arora Hand Surgery has locations in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, and Macomb. Contact us today to schedule a consultation regarding your fractured wrist.

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Dr. Aroras office from my first call to schedule my appointment was friendly. Walking in the first day, I felt like I was in a nice atmosphere. Dr. Arora was EXCELLENT in taking great care of my hand injury. He was gentle and very understanding to the concerns I had about my hand. His expertise was admirable and I would recommend anyone with an injury to their hand to his office to be under his care. Because of him, I have healed faster than expected and will make an 100% recovery! Thank you Dr.

Jackie S.

I first thought I was going to have to have painful injections or surgery, but Dr. Arora suggested physical therapy may do the trick. I was doubtful, but I agreed to do it. Now, my pain is gone, and with the help of an ergonomic keyboard at work to keep my hands in the correct position, I am virtually pain free. The therapy strengthened my wrists and shoulders, and built more flexibility into my wrists.

Jerry T.

My experience with this doctor was positive from the outset. Dr. Arora was kind and spent a great deal of time with me. Staff was friendly. The office was nice and bright.

Ariel G.

Very friendly and helpful Great staff!!! Doctor Arora was very professional and did great work. I was very happy with everything!

L B.