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Month: March 2017

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General Wrists

Signs That My Wrist is Fractured

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The wrist is made up of eight small bones that connect to the ulna and radius in the forearm. The connection between these bones makes it possible to freely move your wrist. Breaking any of these 10 bones near the hand will be classified as a fractured wrist. The pain and discomfort caused by a fractured wrist usually makes the condition very easy to diagnose. However, there are some common signs to look for when your wrist is fractured.

Recent Traumatic Accident or Fall

If you have strong and healthy bones, then it is very hard to fracture your wrist without a traumatic accident or fall. Fractured wrists are extremely common in automobile accidents because your instinct is to put up your hands before crashing. This puts your wrist in the perfect position to break after colliding with the steering wheel or air bag. It is also entirely possible to break your wrist by falling on the ground. The bones in your wrist break because they are unable to support your body weight as you attempt to stop the fall. If you are experiencing pain in your hands and wrist after an accident or fall, then there is a very good chance that your wrist is fractured.

Severe Pain and Bruising

Severe pain and bruising is the biggest sign that you have suffered a serious injury. If your severe pain gets worse as you attempt to extend or flex your wrist, then you likely broke one of the bones near your wrist. The pain will also intensify if you attempt to grip or squeeze an item. Some people think broken bones make it impossible to move the injured area, but that is not true. You will likely be able to move your wrist while it is fractured, but this movement will be limited and painful.

Deformity of the Wrist

Breaking one of the bones in your wrist will commonly make your wrist look odd and deformed. The trauma that caused the fractured wrist will create a lot of swelling in the area. This can make the wrist appear much bigger than normal. A bad injury to the wrist can also knock a bone out of place. This will make the wrist look bent or crooked. Something is seriously wrong with your wrist if it starts to look deformed, so you will want to get it checked out by our doctor as soon as possible.

Numbness and Tingling in the Fingers

It is possible for a fractured wrist to damage the nerves in your hand. If this occurs, then you will likely experience numbness and tingling in your fingers throughout the day. The fingers can also become pale in appearance if the fractured wrist is limiting blood flow to the hand. The nerve issues are only going to get worse over time, so repairing the fractured wrist in a timely manner is the only way to prevent a long recovery process.

Treating Your Fractured Wrist

If you believe your wrist is fractured, make an appointment at Arora Hand Surgery in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn about your treatment options.

Categories
Elbows General Treatments

Which Treatment for Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis) is Right for Me?

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Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) is a painful medical condition that is caused when the tendons in your elbow become inflamed and overworked. Despite its name, many people get tennis elbow without ever playing the sport. Any repetitious motion of the arm and wrist that is performed almost every day can potentially cause tennis elbow. This condition is also commonly called lateral epicondylitis.

It is very easy to know if you are currently suffering from tennis elbow. The pain will radiate on the outside of the elbow, and it may also travel down the forearm to the wrist. This will make it very difficult to turn doorknobs, shake hands and hold round objects. Painters, plumbers, cooks and recreational racket sport players are at a much higher risk of developing tennis elbow because of the repetitive stress placed on the hand, wrist and forearm.

Treating your tennis elbow in a timely manner is the best way to quickly eliminate the pain. Ignoring your painful symptoms will only make the problem get worse over time. If you are suffering from tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) or if you suspect you may have the condition, then it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible.

In the vast majority of cases, we start with conservative measures. These may include changes in certain activities, anti-inflammatory medications, a brace, steroid injections, shockwave treatment and physical therapy. The exercises used in physical therapy may gradually strengthen and stretch the muscles in your forearm. Our doctor can give you recommendations on how to perform your necessary job tasks without harming your inflamed elbow tendon.

If conservative measures do not work, surgery may be the best option. Generally speaking, in order to qualify for surgery, you must have not responded to conservative treatments, and you must have had symptoms for at least six months. Surgery is considered to be the last resort for tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) sufferers. During this procedure, the problematic tendon tissue is skillfully removed. The techniques used during surgery will depend on the unique situation, but it is always an outpatient procedure and requires months of rehabilitation and physical therapy to fully recover.

During a consultation at Arora Hand Surgery, our doctor can assess your condition and come up with a personalized treatment for you that aims to relieve you of your symptoms. Contact us today to schedule an appointment at our office in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb.

Categories
Conditions General Treatments

Diagnosis and Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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Carpal tunnel syndrome is when the median nerve that runs through the wrist becomes compressed. This can happen when the tunnel that houses the nerve and tendons that connect to the fingers becomes irritated and causes the passageway to narrow. This leads to symptoms like numbness and tingling of the hand and fingers. It will eventually lead to weakness too, making it more difficult to grip items or do things like holding onto a steering wheel.

A number of factors can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. One of them is the repetitive motion that frequently takes place in the workplace. Using the same hand motion over and over can eventually take its toll. Other factors can include diabetes or simply the individual’s hand anatomy. Some people’s tunnel is naturally smaller than most, making them more susceptible to the disorder.

If you are having symptoms that are consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome, our doctor can perform a series of tests in order to make a diagnosis. He may start by asking you about the symptoms. For example, the little finger is usually not affected by the problem. Numbness and tingling there may indicate a problem other than carpal tunnel syndrome.

Next, a physical examination of the hand may be conducted by checking the feeling in the fingers and testing the strength in the affected hand. Our doctor may even order an X-ray of the hand and wrist to rule out other problems like arthritis. More complex tests that check for electrical impulses may also be done, in some cases.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that is easier to treat when it is detected early. Mild cases of it may be cured by simply avoiding the motions that produce the symptoms as much as possible and taking more frequent breaks.

If these measures do not help, or if the problem has progressed too far before the individual seeks help for it, our doctor may recommend the use of a splint to immobilize the wrist for a while. This may be accompanied by the use of steroid injections, depending on the situation.

If the condition continues to get worse, more extensive treatments like surgery may become necessary. The purpose of these surgical procedures is to relieve the pressure on the median nerve. This may be done by targeting the ligament that is pressing on the nerve.

If you are having symptoms that could be caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, you should have them evaluated by our doctor at Arora Hand Surgery as soon as possible. Diagnosing the problem sooner means it has a greater chance of being successfully treated with conservative measures. Contact us today to schedule a consultation at our office in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb.

Categories
Conditions General

Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms, Signs & Treatment

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It’s important for patients to recognize psoriatic arthritis symptoms in order to seek proper treatment, which can be very effective in reducing the effects of the condition.

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that seems to be linked to skin psoriasis. This is an inflammatory type of arthritis that leaves sufferers with joint swelling and joint pain. It can eventually lead to permanent damage if steps are not taken to control the inflammation. Most people are able to prevent long-term joint damage by sticking to a regular routine of medication.

Psoriasis is a disease that causes your skin to turn scaly and red. Lesions can be seen throughout the body, but especially on the knees, elbows and scalp. This form of arthritis is usually diagnosed when a rheumatologist examines your clinical history, does an exam and looks at X-rays.

At times, individuals may develop the symptoms of the arthritis before psoriasis is visible on the skin. It is estimated that somewhere between 15 and 30 percent of individuals who are battling with psoriasis will eventually develop this form of arthritis.

Psoriatic arthritis is often seen in individuals between the ages of 30 and 50. However, there are examples of individuals suffering from this disease early on in childhood. Unlike other diseases that may favor men over women or vice versa, this type of arthritis affects men and women equally.

Both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune disorders. Your body mistakes certain tissues as being dangerous, and so it tries to protect itself by causing these tissues to become inflamed. In skin psoriasis, the inflammation appears on your skin. However, in psoriatic arthritis, it is seen in your joints.

Like many other autoimmune disorders, this form of arthritis can range from a mild condition to something that is very severe and debilitating. There has been some link between the severity of a patient’s skin psoriasis and the severity of the arthritis in their joints.

Psoriatic arthritis symptoms can be seen in any and every joint in the body, or it may just affect one area. For example, it can affect all of your fingers or just one. When your fingers and toes are affected, they will look swollen. You may notice that your nails become thick and start to pit.

The good news is that psoriatic arthritis treatments are beneficial to the majority of sufferers. For example, there are certain anti-inflammatory drugs that may help in milder cases. Anti-rheumatic drugs may be prescribed as well. In some cases, drugs can be used to address both the skin condition and the joint disease.

Dealing with arthritis can be a challenge. Thankfully, it does not have to be a challenge that stops your ability to live life. Make an appointment at Arora Hand Surgery in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb to learn about your treatment options. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.

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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.