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Month: June 2017

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Conditions General

Early Signs of Arthritis

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Arthritis doesn’t describe a single disease; it actually describes a group of joint diseases. There are over 100 types, and many are characterized by pain and stiffness in the joints. Some types affect other parts of the body like the skin, eyes or even the heart.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type. The symptoms can vary depending on which joints are affected and on the severity of the disease. It most commonly affects the joints in the arms, legs, lower back and hips.

Pain, stiffness and tenderness are the earliest symptoms of osteoarthritis. In the early stages of the condition, the symptoms tend to be worse when the patient is physically active. They then fade when the patient rests. As the disease progresses, the symptoms persist even when the patient is resting.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

This is another common type, and it is caused by an autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis most commonly affects the knees, elbows, hips, shoulders, hands and feet. In its early stages, it resembles other types of arthritis. Unfortunately, the disease’s most characteristic symptoms, like the formation of nodules or the erosion of joints, don’t develop until the disease is fairly advanced.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the smaller joints first, so patients will usually feel pain and stiffness in their hands before their shoulders are affected. Wrist joints are often among the first to be affected, so a patient has trouble bending their wrist backwards even during the early stages of the disease. The patient will also often feel tingling and numbness in their hands and/or fingers. Other early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include fatigue, weight loss and a low-grade fever.

Other Types of Arthritis

Some of the other types, as well as conditions that can be related to the disease, include:

  • Metacarpophalangeal joint
  • Thumb basal joint
  • Kienbock’s Disease
  • Psoriatic
  • Joint replacement surgery

Treatment Options

If you are dealing with this troubling condition, take a moment to get in touch with the team at Arora Hand Surgery. There are treatments available that can help to alleviate your symptoms. We have offices in West Bloomfield, Howell, Macomb, and Warren. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn about your treatment options.

Categories
General

Reasons to See a Hand Surgeon

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We use our hands, our wrists and our forearms all day long. They allow us to perform a wide range of activities. Our hands are a marvel of design. They are unbelievably flexible, but at the same time, they are strong. They allow us to grasp large and heavy objects, but they are delicate enough to allow us to pick up a small needle off the floor. Whether we are driving or working, we use our hands. As such, if you have an issue with your hands, it may be necessary to consult with our hand surgeon.

When the joints and the tendons in our hands are working properly, we can do complicated tasks without even thinking about them. However, when we are experiencing pain or when there is another source of injury in our hands, we are left with a limited range of motion that can make seemingly simple things challenging. Certain tasks become all but impossible.

When this is the case, it might be the right time to visit our hand surgeon. A lot of conditions that affect your hands can get worse if they’re not treated immediately. Some of the same conditions can be permanently corrected as long as they are caught in time.
So, what does a hand surgeon do? Well, a hand surgeon specializes in diagnosing and addressing problems of the hand. They also understand how your forearms and your shoulders work. This is because a lot of issues that might seem like they stem from your hands could actually be problems with your forearms or your shoulders.

Our hand surgeon specializes in surgery, and he is uniquely qualified for the work that he does. However, he is also skilled in using non-invasive techniques when it comes to treating the joints, tendons and muscles in your hands and in your arms.

If you feel pain in your fingers, your wrists or your hands that does not go away after a few days, you may want to speak with our hand surgeon. This is also true if you find it hard to do daily functions that you used to do with ease.

It is especially important to talk to our hand surgeon if you have pain in the joints of your hands that seems like it gets worse when you’re not doing anything. Or if you notice that your hands and your wrists are swollen, contact our office. Anything that limits the range of motion of your hands should be a cause for concern.

Certain symptoms such as redness, fever or inflammation could be a sign that you have an infection in your hand. This should not be taken lightly. The same is true for any injuries or cuts on your hands.

If either of your hands is causing you any trouble, get in touch with the team at Arora Hand Surgery right away. During a consultation at our office in West Bloomfield, Macomb, Howell, or Warren, our experienced and skilled hand surgeon can assess your condition and come up with a safe and effective way to treat it. He will only use surgery as a last resort. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to learn more!

Categories
Fingers General Treatments

Replantation of the Thumb

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Replantation is the medical term for the surgical reattachment of a body part that has been completely separated from the body. It differs from transplants, which also involve attaching a body part to the patient, in that the part comes from the patient. In a transplant, the body part comes from another person. Replantation of the thumb is a common procedure that has helped many people in various situations.

What Does Replantation of the Thumb Involve?

The patient will need to be stabilized and their severed thumb cleaned before it can be replanted. The thumb should be rinsed to remove dirt, grass, etc. In the vast majority of cases, replantation surgery needs to be performed as quickly as possible. Replantation of the thumb can involve several different techniques, and the techniques used will depend on the situation.

The surgeon may need to use grafts or tissue spacers during certain steps of the procedure. Afterwards, the patient will spend some time recovering while the surgical team closely monitors their recovery.

What Does the Recovery Involve?

The amount of use the patient regains depends on how well the nerves grow and reattach themselves. It typically takes about a month for a nerve to grow an inch. The number of inches between the injury and the tip of the thumb can, thus, provide a rough estimate of how long it will be before the patient regains sensation in their thumb-tip.

During the recovery process, the patient should do what they can to encourage circulation to the reattached thumb. Since smoking impairs circulation, they should not smoke. They should also keep their thumb elevated above their heart to boost circulation. It is important to follow our team’s instructions regarding healing for optimal results. The patient may need to undergo physical therapy to restore their range of motion, prevent the joints from getting stiff and keep their muscles from getting atrophied.

Learn More About Replantation of the Thumb

Replantation of the thumb has the potential to significantly improve a person’s quality of life. This is because the thumb is a very important part of the hand, as well as the entire body. Thumbs help us to perform everyday tasks.

Dr. Arora at Arora Hand Surgery in Howell, Warren, Macomb, and West Bloomfield is proud to offer replantation of the thumb. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!

Categories
General Hands Treatments

Treating Infections of the Hand

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Infections of the hand can range in seriousness from relatively minor to severe. They are most commonly suffered in the fingertips in the form of a pus-filled infection that keeps the finger from bending down all the way. If an infection of the finger is not taken care of in a timely manner, it can lead to a spread in the infection or even loss of the finger.

Common Types of Hand Infections

The most common kind of infections of the hand takes place in the fingertips, usually along the edges of the fingernail, and is called a paronychia infection. Paronychia infections often start slowly and build up to full-blown infections over the course of two to three days. Symptoms begin with redness and a slightly painful itchiness in the area as well as swelling. As the days go by, the swelling will become worse and there might be a greenish or yellowish bump in the skin on the side of the fingernail. This is the most common type of hand infection caused by bacteria.

Felon infections are somewhat similar to paronychia infections. The fingertips will hurt quite a bit and become swollen. As the swelling gets worse, the skin outside the infection will harden and become painful to the touch. Usually, there is a collection of pus on the bottom palm side of the finger. This pus is usually removed the same way as with paronychia infections. Whether the infection is caused by bacteria or a virus, the treatment for these kinds of infections are almost the same.

Treatment for Pus-Filled Infections of the Hand

In the case of a pus-filled infection like a paronychia infection, the most important part of treatment is to drain the pus in order to stifle the infection. The finger is irrigated with a special solution in order to remove the debris and keep the infection from progressing. The wound is wiped clean with alcohol pads and a topical antibiotic is applied to the wound and, most often, prescribed as well.

Complications Caused by Hand Infections

When the cause of the infection in a hand is not known, lab tests may be necessary to find the cause. Sometimes infections of the hand that tend to recur or move to different regions of the hand might be a sign of a more serious underlying condition.

Some people with pre-existing conditions such as those with a weak immune system, diabetes and peripheral arterial disease should get medical attention as soon as possible at the first sign of an infection in the hand. These health conditions might make the infection very serious, causing it to spread to other areas of the body.

At Arora Hand Surgery, we are proud to diagnose and treat various infections of the hand. If you suspect that you have an infection, contact us today to schedule a consultation at our office in Warren, Howell, Macomb Township, or West Bloomfield!

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Stories

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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.