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Fingers General

A Look At Thumb Sprains

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Our thumbs are one of our greatest assets, and they allow our hands to perform an almost endless array of tasks and functions. Thumb sprains or other thumb injuries can immediately jeopardize our ability to use our hands to the fullest extent possible, and so there is no such thing as an insignificant or minor injury to the thumb. This is why you must never hesitate to head to a hand doctor if you feel you have sustained injury to any part of the hand, but especially the thumb.

We are often told that sprains are a minor issue, and so we don’t panic if someone says, “it is probably just a sprain.” This is not the best advice when it involves any part of the hand. The hand and wrist are a delicate balance of bones, nerves, cartilage, tendons, and other tissues, and if one small area is damaged, it offsets the rest of the hand. When you sprain your thumb, it is a very serious matter and should be dealt with immediately – even if it does not seem like a major issue.

Of course, we should understand what is meant by a “sprain” to better understand why a thumb sprain is serious.

Sprains Explained

Sprains are simply a tearing or over-stretching of the ligaments or tendons that connect muscle to bone. They happen when that limb or digit is put under extreme force or pressure, and is bent to an unnatural degree. In the case of the thumb, a sprain is often due to falling or sports injuries.

For example, we may fall and jam the thumb into the ground or another resistant surface. This forces the thumb into an unnatural position, often an extreme one. Not only do we feel immediate pain, but it also usually puts too much pressure on two main ligaments in the thumb – the ulnar collateral and/or the radial collateral ligaments.

These stabilize and support the movement of the thumb joint and when they are sprained, they prevent you from moving the thumb comfortably, smoothly, and without pain. There is often immediate swelling, and this is a key indicator that you must get to a doctor. (Med-Health.net, 2015)

Diagnosing and Treating Thumb Sprains

Your hand doctor is going to X-ray the hand to be sure that there are no broken bones, and they will then do a few tests to determine which ligaments are damaged, and to what extent.

The treatment can range from casting or splinting, but if the ligaments have been torn, they tend to require surgery to reattach them properly, and in some cases a reconstruction may be required. Should you delay in seeking treatment, surgery is often the only remedy for what is known as a “chronic” sprain injury. This is often accompanied by weakness of the hand and pain when attempting to use the thumb.

Don’t delay if you sustain a sharp force or falling injury to your thumb. The faster a sprain is dealt with, the better the long-term outcome for this essential digit.

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Fingers General

How Arthritis in the Thumb is Treated

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You know how much you depend on your thumbs, and so it becomes important to deal quickly with any mobility issues that impair movement of this vital limb. However, many people do not notice the slow progress of arthritis in their thumbs, and so it becomes necessary to work with a hand doctor, should it develop to the point where movement, flexibility, and function are impaired.

To begin with, arthritis in the base of the thumb is a bit more complicated because it often strikes the CMC joint or the thumb basal joint. This is a joint that lets your thumb enjoy that amazing range of motion that tends to make it such an essential digit. Without it, you cannot form “pincers”, make a fist, and/or grip tightly.

Diagnosing and Treating Arthritis of the Thumb

How can you know that it is arthritis developing at the base of the thumb and not something else? First of all, more women develop this type of arthritis than men, and it is more common in people over the age of 40. It can present after injury to the joint – including a dislocation as well as a fracture.

One of the first signs is not, as many suspect, stiffness but is instead pain at the base of the thumb. Generally, pain is encountered after use of the thumb in everyday movements such as turning doorknobs, writing, or opening a jar. The pain tends to progressively increase, even when the hand is at rest.

If allowed to develop, it can often move the metacarpal bone out of joint, leading to a bump developing at the base of the thumb. This is immediately followed by a weakening of the grip and a loss of range of motion. Hyperextension of the joint above the thumb joint also commonly occurs as arthritis worsens.

At the first signs of this condition it is important to get in touch with a hand doctor. They will take your medical history and perform a basic examination that often identifies the condition. Confirmation may be done through an x-ray of the hand, as well, though this may only provide confirmation of the worst cases.

Treatment is then chosen based on the extent of the condition. Less serious cases are often treated with some splinting and therapeutic exercises meant to help retain the strength in the hand. Medications or steroid injections can also help with inflammation, and day or evening splinting is not unusual.

Those whose arthritis of the thumb cannot be addressed with non-surgical remedies will often need to be considered for surgical treatments. The main focus of any procedure is to eliminate pain while also reconstructing the joint for functionality. There are several ways this can be done, and it is important to speak with your hand surgeon about your lifestyle and needs before choosing the most appropriate surgical remedy.

The good news is that the faster you act when you suspect arthritis in the thumb, the better your outcome. Consult your hand doctor immediately and get this condition treated quickly for the best results.

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Fingers General

Understanding Mallet Finger and Treatment Options

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There are tendons located in your hand and fingers that are designed to straighten those digits. These tendons, called extensors, connect to muscles on each end so that you can have full control of your hands. If the extensor tendon becomes damaged, then it cannot properly do its job and may even be torn away from the bone and muscle. If this happens, you could develop mallet finger, which is often also referred to as baseball finger.

The common manner in which this injury occurs is if the finger is straightening and then forcibly hit by an object such as a ball, a hammer, or something similar.

The main symptom of mallet finger is a dropping fingertip that cannot straighten out. There could be other symptoms associated with the injury, including pain, swelling, and bruising. If the finger bone was fractured at the same time, more swelling and pain will be evident.

Diagnosing the Condition

Generally, the doctor will look at the finger first and then order x-rays. When the tendon was damaged, it may have forced a fracture and pulled a piece of the finger bone loose. It will be important to diagnose this properly so that the bone can be repaired.

Treatment of Mallet Finger

There are essentially two paths for treatment of this condition: surgical and nonsurgical. If the damage was only partial and no bones were broken, then the tendon may heal on its own. To help this happen, you will need to wear a splint for at least eight weeks. This will allow the tendon time to heal without experiencing any stress.

In many cases, the finger will go back to normal after it has been given healing time. However, some patients find that they are never able to fully extend their finger after such an injury. To help avoid this, your doctor or surgeon will go over therapy exercises you can do to regain full use of your finger and fingertip.

If the tendon is completely torn, or if bone is broken, then surgery will be needed in order to repair the injury. Pins and wires may be used to repair the bone fragments and get everything aligned back in place. Surgery on the tendon may be used to stitch it together. Additionally, the tissues may need to be fused in order to regain use of the finger. Your surgeon will go over the options you have when you are diagnosed with mallet finger.

Mallet finger is often called baseball finger simply because it is a common injury associated with this sport. If a player attempts to catch a ball and the ball hits the back of outstretched fingers, then this could cause the injury. However, it is not limited to the diamond. There are numerous different ways someone could injure the extensor tendons in their hand. If you suffered an injury and you have trouble extending your finger or it droops, then it is important that you visit a doctor as soon as possible. In fact, to avoid further complications, it is best to see a doctor within a week of the injury.

Resources:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00018

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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.