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What to Expect at a Michigan Hand Surgery Consultation

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What to Expect at a Michigan Hand Surgery Consultation

You suspect you may need hand surgery and have decided to speak with a specialist. Before we begin, may we just commend you for taking the first step in bettering your health? We want to assure you that hand surgery is not always the only option after a diagnosis and that good hand surgeons like Dr. Avery Arora will always keep your best interest in mind. Here’s what to expect at a Michigan hand surgery consultation.

“What Types of Questions Will the Doctor Ask?”

It’s vital you know that open transparency of your medical background is of the utmost importance. Your doctor will want to know:

  • if you have had any other medical conditions
  • if you are presently going through any other medical treatments or prescribed any medications
  • if you have ever had any other surgeries
  • if you have any known drug allergies
  • about tobacco use, alcohol, and other drugs

 

“What Should I Tell the Doctor About My Hand?”

The short answer? Everything. Be prepared to share the full medical history of the condition in question. The doctor’s office may require images of the hand, such as x-rays, to help paint a clearer picture of the problem.

During the consultation, the doctors will determine your overall health status and whether you have any risk factors or conditions that may prevent you from being a good candidate for surgery.

They will discuss the available options you have that will give you the best chance of restoring function of your hand and returning to a normal quality of live. If you decide to proceed with the procedure, the doctor will explain what happens from start to finish and will let you know of any potential risks involved.

What to Expect at a Michigan Hand Surgery Consultation

“What Questions Should I Ask?”

We empower you to ask questions, too. While it might seem as though it’s the doctor’s role to ask questions during the consultation, patients need to make their voices heard as well. Some questions a patient should ask their hand physician could include:

  • If surgery is the best option, what could the potential complications mean for me in my day-to-day life?
  • How long will it typically take someone to recover from this particular type of procedure?
  • What type of therapy would be useful to help recover faster?
  • What else can I do in my day-to-day life to help the recovery process?

You can find more recommended questions in one of our other blogs.

During your hand surgery consultation, we can’t stress enough how important it is for local patient to feel empowered to vet if that particular Michigan hand doctor is right for them. If you have any reservations about the doctor, do not feel as though you are “locked in.” Speak with other Michigan hand specialists to get second opinions and feedback.

Your hand surgery consultation is the chance to learn everything you need to know about the procedures that could help improve or restore function to your hand. Pay attention, ask questions, and get peace of mind before surgery.

If you’ve been putting off speaking with a hand doctor about a hand, wrist, or elbow issue that has been bothering you, it may be time to get in touch with top MI hand surgeon Dr. Avery Arora. You can schedule an appointment at one of his four offices in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb, or Howell, Michigan.

 

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General Hands

Keeping Your Hands Safe When Using Power Tools

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power tool safety

Injuries related to power tools are on the rise, largely due to the increase in DIY aficionados who take on projects after the holiday season. Things have slowed down and it’s too cold to go outside, so out comes the good ol’ “honey do” list. Before you get started, let’s talk about keeping your hands safe when using power tools this winter so that you can avoid hand injury treatment.

Professionals, although not immune to accidents, generally know that keeping their hands safe when using power tools comes from in-depth training and experience. However, an ambitious yet inexperienced person whose optimism may overshadow his or her risk assessment, may encounter dangers that are important to be aware of.

Table Saws

The table saw is probably the most dangerous power tool you can use. Equipped with a ten-inch blade spinning at 3500 revolutions per minute and an edger operating at over a hundred miles per hour, improper use of this tool can be a recipe for disaster. Always keep your hands away from the saw blade and edger. When feeding a piece of wood through the saw, push it using another piece of wood – never your hand. The momentum of your sawing movement may inadvertently and unexpectantly lead your hand toward the saw and then it’s too late to correct the mistake.

In any given year in the United States, approximately 60,000 injuries are due to table saw use. 3,000 of them result in amputation. We hate to paint such a grim picture of you, but we cannot stress how important it is to be careful when using this tool.

 

Nail Guns

Nail guns work by using compressed air to deliver a nail into a piece of wood at a pressure of approximately 120 pounds per square inch. Even a small nail gun can be very dangerous. About 42,000 injuries are reported annually, and 40% of those injuries are incurred by well-meaning do-it-yourselfers. In addition to puncture wounds to the hands and wrists, nails have often been delivered to other parts of the body too.

When using a nail gun, you should always make sure that it is in sequential mode as opposed to contact mode. This does add another step to the process since you need to pull the trigger instead of just depressing the muzzle but doing so can prevent injury. And obviously, keep your hands away from anywhere that a misfire could cause a nail to exit unexpectedly from the wood.

 

Chainsaws

power tool safetyWe probably don’t have to tell you the kind of damage that a chainsaw can do to your hands, arms, or other parts of your body. A chainsaw is very dangerous when used improperly and without the use of protective gear.  Over 30,000 chainsaw injuries are reported yearly in the United States, and the typical injury requires over a hundred stitches.

Now, if you’re thinking you can forego the protective gear, because after all, it is expensive, think about those 100+ stitches. Now, think about the fact that a pair of protective chaps costs about as much as one stitch in your hospital emergency room. Invest into proper gear, such as heavy duty gloves, so that you won’t have to be Googling “hand doctor near me” after a failed log cutting attempt. Here’s a helpful video on other chainsaw safety tips.

 

Circular Saw

It seems as if practically everybody owns a circular saw, but most people have no idea how to properly it. Most injuries are caused by people bracing a piece of lumber against their knee which is the most common method for injury that we see here in our offices. Other injuries are caused by using the saw with one hand while holding the wood with the other. You should always clamp the wood, so that you can keep both hands on the saw. We also highly recommend using a sawhorse for further insurance.

Power tools are among the greatest conveniences of modern life, but when handled improperly, they can be dangerous one-way tickets to hand and wrist injuries.

Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we care about your health. If you are feeling hand, wrist, or elbow pain, visit Dr. Avery Arora, Michigan’s top hand surgeon, at one of his southeast Michigan offices located in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb Township, or Howell.

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General Hands Treatments

Scar Removal & Treatment: How Dr. Arora Minimizes the Appearance of Hand Scars

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The type and extent of a scar will determine the best hand scar removal and treatment options, as represented by this image of a scar on a man's hand.

Most patients ask us about any potential scarring on the hands or wrists prior to undergoing surgery, and their concerns are understandable. The truth is that most hand surgeries may result in some minor scarring. In most cases, however, we find that dramatically better than having to live with the pain, discomfort, and appearance of the initial condition, and most patients definitely agree.

The good news is that most hand scars after surgery are very minor, almost unnoticeable. Even when they are slightly more pronounced, our hand doctor offers scar removal and treatment options that can minimize their appearance.

Dr. Arora can also minimize scars due to injury or minor burns, as well as some skin imperfections that were present at birth.

Why Scars Form

Most of us know what scars are and likely have one or more. Before we get into how scars are treated, however, let us talk about why scars form in the first place. We think it’s rather fascinating, actually, and it just goes to show how smart our bodies really are!

Scars are essentially the body’s natural Band-Aid or stitches. They form as a part of the healing process after your skin has been cut, burned, scratched, or otherwise injured. The skin repairs itself by growing new tissue in gaps, and that tissue pulls the wound together. Without the body’s natural ability to grow this new tissue to “stitch” the skin back together, your body would be at risk of infection, expansion of the injury, permanent damage, or worse.

Scar Removal & Treatment Options at Arora Hand Surgery

The type and extent of a scar will determine the best scar removal and treatment options, especially in the case of burns. If a scar is associated with damage to tissues beneath the skin, including the nerves and tendons, other treatment options may be necessary. If the scar is superficial, meaning it’s only on the surface of the skin, treatment can be effective.

Several different procedures are commonly used to minimize the appearance of scars.

Scar Massage or Vibration

Massaging the area with petroleum jelly, cocoa butter, or hand lotion can loosen the skin. The area should be massaged in the direction of the scar for 10 minutes twice a day. After about 3 months, you should start to see some results.

Exercises

We know. … Suggesting controlled exercise programs for scars seems counterintuitive. You’re trying to reduce the scars, after all, not beef them up or give them more endurance!

But think of it as telling your body, “Hey, you don’t have to panic and build up all this extra tissue. I’m taking care of it in a different way. See what I’m doing to help you?”

And of course, we’re not talking about weightlifting or cardio. The exercises are based on stimulating nearby joints and tendons to keep them gliding smoothly under the skin.

Pressure Therapy

Pressure therapy is typically used right after surgery or after a burn. Applying a pressure garment over dressings to a wound while it’s healing can minimize the appearance of scars, or at least help keep them flatter.

Silicone Gel

Placing a thin layer of silicone gel over the area serves as a bandage, and the gel can remain on the hands throughout the day. If Dr. Arora recommends this scar treatment remedy for you, the gel should be used for at least 12 hours per day for a minimum of three months.

Injections or Surgery

Burn scars or other injuries may require surgical treatment. (Serious, high-degree burns may need to be treated at specialized burn centers, such as those at the University of Michigan and the Detroit Medical Center’s Detroit Receiving Hospital.)

Treatment options include:

1. Collagen injections/fillers

Some skin care professionals can inject collagen into the area to create a smoother appearance.

2. Scar revision surgery

Scar revision surgery attempts to minimize a scar to make it less visible as well as blend in with the surrounding skin.

3. Skin grafts

Natural skin or a synthetic material can be used to fill skin at the area, or the surgeon would remove the scar and then replace the skin with the synthetic material.

4. Excision

Scars are cut out and removed during a surgical procedure, although this may leave a smaller scar in this place.

5. Laser surgery

Unlike excisions, laser surgery does not involve cutting out the scar. Instead, a fractional laser light is used to break down scar tissue and trigger healthy new tissue to form at the site.

6. Dermabrasion

Offered by some dermatologists and plastic surgeons, dermabrasion is an exfoliating technique that uses a rotating instrument to remove the outer layers of skin.

Not all these injections or surgeries are available through Arora Hand Surgery, although we can recommend other skin care professionals who may be able to assist you. These techniques are also not ideal for every patient; it depends on the types of scars you have and how deep they are, as well as a combination of your preferences and Dr. Arora’s recommendations. Talk with Dr. Arora, a dermatologist, or a plastic surgeon to see if any of these options are suitable for you.

If you want to know more about wrist and hand scar removal and treatment options, make an appointment to see the hand specialist at his West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb Township, or Howell office.

Categories
Fingers General

First Aid Tip: How to Wrap a Broken Knuckle

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It's important to know how to wrap a broken knuckle properly, as shown here, for proper first aid treatment.

Some people let a broken knuckle heal on its own, but we urge you not to do that.

Getting treatment as soon as possible for a knuckle injury is essential to proper recovery. If you don’t get a broken knuckle treated professionally, your finger may never look or function the same as it did prior to the injury.

For that reason, knowing how to wrap a broken knuckle until you can get in to see a doctor can help the bone set properly, reduce the possibility of further injury, and minimize pain.

How to Wrap a Broken Knuckle

Before wrapping a broken knuckle, examine the injured area to make sure the finger is likely broken, yet not bleeding, burned, or extremely swollen. All of these would require additional or other forms of first aid treatment, including possibly a visit to the emergency room.

Signs of a broken knuckle include:

  • Pain that is typically instant and severe, although you still may be able to bend the knuckle
  • Increased pain when you try to move the finger
  • Swelling, which typically begins about 10 minutes after the initial injury, of the affected finger as well as possibly other fingers, the palm, or the back of the hand
  • Inability to move your hand or affected fingers
  • Bruising that may be visible right away
  • Numbness as swelling increases
  • Finger compression
  • Difficulty making a fist
  • A sunken knuckle, which is the clearest sign of a broken knuckle

A common do-it-yourself first aid treatment in this case is to “buddy wrap” the affected finger with the one beside it.

Cut enough tape to wrap around both fingers, and place a piece of tape between the first and second joints and another piece between the second and third joints. Do not place the tape on the knuckles, but try to use pieces of medical tape that are wide enough to cover significant areas between the joints.

The tape should be firmly secured but not so tight that it causes the fingers to swell or become numb.

Alternatively, you can purchase a finger splint from a local pharmacy or other general retailer.

Make an Appointment with a Hand Doctor Afterward

The above recommendations regarding how to wrap a broken knuckle are intended for general first aid. Our blogs are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.

After first aid treatment, it’s important to see Dr. Arora in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, or Macomb Township for proper treatment of the broken knuckle. Make an appointment to see the hand specialist through our website or by calling our office.

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General Uncategorized

Looking for a Hand Surgeon in Michigan? Here are a Few Tips that May Help

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Searching online is one step toward finding the best hand surgeon in Michigan near you, as represented by this image of a woman's hands near a computer.

As you are looking for a hand surgeon in Michigan, you may find yourself overwhelmed with questions. Knowing what to look for is the first step toward finding the best hand specialist in Michigan for you.

Following are a few factors you should look into as you are researching your options.

6 Factors to Consider When Searching for the Best Hand Surgeon in Michigan for You

  1. Review your options online.

You can find many hand doctors near you by completing a simple online search, but it’s important to then narrow down your options. Review each physician’s website as well as the reviews on sites like Facebook, Google, and Yelp.

  1. Ask for word-of-mouth referrals.

As noted by Invesp, 88% of consumers placed the highest level of trust in word-of-mouth recommendations from people they know. And there’s a reason for that. Word-of-mouth is genuine and real, and there’s no need to wonder about the integrity of the individuals who are providing the input. For that reason, one of the best ways to find the best hand surgeon in Michigan to treat your particular concern is to ask people you trust about doctors they may have seen in the past.

  1. Make sure the hand specialist can address your specific concerns.

As you are reviewing a physician’s website, make sure the doctor has experience in treating what you believe is your particular condition. For instance, if you are experiencing pain in your wrists and suspect it might be carpal tunnel syndrome, look for a hand surgeon in Michigan who has expertise in carpal tunnel syndrome treatment.

  1. Find a hand doctor who accepts your insurance.

Take some time to contact each potential hand doctor’s office and/or your insurance provider to find a doctor who accepts your insurance. If you need a referral to see a hand specialist, consider your primary care physician’s suggestions. Your primary care provider likely has plenty of knowledge regarding nearby hand surgeons’ expertise and patient care standards.

  1. Look for a hand specialist near you in southeast Michigan.

While distance is far from the most important factor in finding the best hand surgeon in Michigan for you, it’s still important. If you expect that you will need surgery, you will likely need someone to drive you to and from your appointment. You may have follow-up appointments as well. Most importantly, in some cases you will need physical therapy after your surgery, so finding a hand specialist near you is convenient.

  1. Research a specialist’s credentials to ensure he or she is qualified and experienced.

When you are trying to find a hand doctor, the physician’s level of experience matters. The more experience a physician has, the more likely he or she has identified what works and what doesn’t, and that means more optimal treatment for your hand, wrist, or elbow condition.

Schedule a Consultation with Dr. Arora

Once you have completed your search for the best hand surgeons in Michigan for you, we have no doubt that Dr. Avery Arora will appear at the top of your list. With offices in Oakland County, Macomb County, and Livingston County, Dr. Arora treats virtually any conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow.

For diagnosis and treatment of your condition, schedule an appointment to see the doctor in Warren, West Bloomfield, Macomb Township, or Howell.

Categories
General

Charley Horse in Your Arm? How to Treat Muscle Cramps

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A woman lifting weights at the gym has a charley horse in her arm.

“Ooh! I got a charley horse!” your buddy exclaims as he jumps out of the pool, holds onto his arm, and starts to flail it around.

With a laugh, you say, “You’re funny. You can’t get a charley horse in your arm! Those are only in your legs.”

Not so! They’re most common in your legs for sure, but you definitely can get a charley horse in your arm, hand, or anywhere on your whole body while you’re at it.

The muscle cramp sensation is usually the same no matter where it is, and luckily it’s only temporary.

But when you have it, you want it gone, and fast. So what do you do? And how do you stop it from happening?

Well, we have a few tricks up our sleeves, but first, let us fill you in on what it is.

What Causes Muscle Cramps in Your Arms?

Most muscle cramps are harmless. Some of the day-to-day causes of muscle cramps include:

  • Overuse of a muscle, such as in the case of running, playing sports, or swimming
  • Dehydration, which depresses blood volume and creates less blood flow
  • Muscle strain
  • Holding your arm or leg in the same position for too long, such as when driving, watching a movie, or flying in an airplane

In some cases, muscle cramps may be caused by underlying conditions. These include:

  • More serious inadequate blood supply, caused by narrowing of the arteries
  • Nerve compression
  • Vitamin deficiency or use of certain medications

Treating a Charley Horse in Your Arm or Leg

The first thing most people do after getting a charley horse is panic. That reaction is not their fault. It’s almost instinctive. Your arm or leg buckles up, causing the rest of your body to react accordingly. It can seriously be painful sometimes, and may even be dangerous if you’re driving, swimming, or operating machinery.

Self-care and awareness can help you avoid muscle cramps. Following are several muscle cramp prevention tips that we recommend to our patients:

  • Make sure you’re hydrated, and not only in the summer or when you’re exercising. A charley horse can kick in at any moment.
  • Gently stretch your arm muscles before participating in strenuous or repetitive activity. Stretching will stimulate blood flow, which can help prevent muscle cramps. (Some fitness trainers recommend that you warm up your muscles a bit before you stretch so as not to shock those muscles. Do what makes you feel comfortable, as long as you do it safely.) Remember to stretch after the activity as well.
  • Get the necessary vitamins into your body. Talk with Dr. Arora and your primary care provider to determine which nutrients you may be lacking.
  • Maintain a healthy diet and regular exercise routine.
  • To prevent nighttime muscle cramps, stretch before going to sleep and keep sheets and blankets loose around your legs if you’re concerned about leg cramps. If arm cramps are your primary concern, avoid sleeping on your hands or placing your arms over your head while you sleep.

Despite your best efforts, you may experience a charley horse in your arm or leg anyway, and your knee-jerk reaction is to stop it as soon as possible. If you do get a sudden charley horse, following are a few ways to treat it:

1. Gently stretch the muscle, but don’t over-exert yourself.

2. Gently massage the area.

3. If it’s a persistent muscle cramp, try applying a heating pad or warm towel.

4. For a toe or leg cramp, walk around carefully, but avoid straining the muscle or your other leg.

If you have muscle cramps in your hands or arms often and can’t relieve them through these remedies and prevention tips, make an appointment to see our hand doctor in Howell, Warren, Macomb Township, or West Bloomfield.

Categories
General Hands Uncategorized

Smoking & Your Hands: 16 Statistics, Factors, and Facts You Might Not Realize

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Smoking affects your hands in numerous ways, including premature aging of the skin on your hands and a slower ability to heal after cuts. This is an image of a smoker's hands with a lit cigarette.

Even though cigarette smoking has greatly declined in recent years, nearly 40 million U.S. adults still smoke, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. We don’t need to rehash all the dangers of smoking as it relates to your overall health, as we’re sure you have heard them time and time again. What the media might not talk about as much, however, is how smoking affects your hands.

Some of the effects of smoking on your hands are obvious, such as the scent and the stains. You almost couldn’t ignore those if you tried.  And then there are the effects you might certainly feel but not associate with smoking at all.

Consider the following facts, according to sources such as the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

1. Studies show that smokers have decreased blood flow in the skin of their fingers as compared to non-smokers.

2. Smokers have increased vascular resistance, which means the vessels are tighter, most likely because smoking increases the amount of adrenaline in the body.

3. Scleroderma patients who smoke have a four times higher chance of having vascular problems in the fingers.

4. Skin wounds heal slower in fingers exposed to cigarette smoke and nicotine.

5. Smokers are twice as likely have wounds that will not heal.

6. Smokers are twice as likely to have wound infections.

7. Smokers are almost twice as likely to develop infections in the hands.

8. The skin of your hands may wrinkle and age prematurely. This is because the chemicals in cigarette smoke damage collagen and elastin, which are responsible for making the skin look supple, firm, and healthy.

9. Hand fractures may take longer to heal in smokers vs. non-smokers.

10. Smoking can lead to general tingling, numbness, and pain in your hands.

11. Smokers who have conditions such as diabetes may have even greater tingling, numbness, and pain in their hands.

12. The flame from a cigarette lighter may accidentally burn the tips of your fingers.

13. Congenital hand problems such as extra fingers or fused fingers are more common when the child’s mother smoked while pregnant.

14. Dupuytren’s contracture is more common in smokers.

15. Complex regional pain syndrome may be more likely in smokers.

16. Smoking is a risk factor for psoriasis.

In addition to all these possible effects on your hands, elbow pain may also be more common in smokers.

But here’s the good news: When you stop smoking, many of these effects can be reversed, minimized, or prevented. At the very least, quitting smoking may stop the progression of these effects on the hands.

If you do experience chronic hand pain for any reason, make an appointment to see Dr. Arora in Warren, Howell, Macomb Township, or West Bloomfield.

Categories
General

Looking for a Hand Doctor in Warren? There’s a New Man in Town

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Dr. Avery Arora, a hand doctor in Warren, Michigan, is pictured here.

Are you looking for a hand doctor in Warren?

Although we’ve been in practice for many years, we’re new to this Macomb County community, so we thought we would tell you a little more about us and the services we offer.

Let’s start with the basics: the lowdown on our fearless leader. … OK, maybe we can’t dish it out here, but we’ll tell you when we see you.

We say that with nothing but respect, of course. We think he’s the best, and we bet you will as well. And, fortunately for us, he has a great sense of humor too.

Dr. Avery Arora: The Newest Hand Doctor in Warren, Michigan

Dr. Arora has been recognized as a top hand surgeon in Michigan year after year. Other medical professionals chose Dr. Arora as an HOUR Detroit Magazine “Top Doc” in 2013 and 2015 through 2020. And now, he has been recognized with the honor for 2021 as well.

So that makes seven consecutive years and counting, plus one. Yup, you’ll need two hands to keep track.

Dr. Arora has lived in Michigan since 2005. His wife is from Saginaw, and they have three children.

Dr. Arora has hospital privileges at top hospitals throughout the state, including Ascension Macomb-Oakland, located in Warren. He also has privileges at the following:

  • Ascension St. John
  • Ascension St. John Hospital Health Center at 23 Mile
  • Ascension St. John Hospital Health Center at 12 Mile
  • Ascension Providence, Southfield and Novi
  • Novi Surgery Center
  • Joseph Mercy Oakland
  • Waterford Surgical Center
  • DMC Huron Valley-Sinai

He obtained his doctoral degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, and he has specialty training in the following areas:

  • Hand treatment and surgery
  • Wrist treatment and surgery
  • Elbow treatment and surgery

He is certified in Surgery of the Hand from the American Board of Surgery and is Board Certified in Surgery from the American Board of Surgery.

In other words, he can perform many types of surgeries, but treating the hands, wrists, and elbows is his favorite. If you have any issues from the tips of your fingers to your elbows, you’ll be in good hands here in our Warren office, located on Schoenherr Road between 12 Mile and I-696, as well as at our locations in Howell, West Bloomfield, and Macomb Township.

Dr. Avery Arora, a hand doctor in Macomb County, Michigan, is shown here with three members of his team.

Hand, Elbow & Wrist Treatment at Our Warren, Michigan Office

As a leading hand doctor in Warren, West Bloomfield, Howell, and Macomb Township, Dr. Arora treats a wide variety of conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and elbow.

Whether it’s a temporary finger sprain or a chronic condition that requires ongoing treatment, you can rely on Dr. Arora and the rest of the team to diagnose and treat your condition with compassion, integrity, and skill.

Some of the many conditions we treat include:

Contact us if you want to know more about our new office or any of our services.

Categories
General Hands

Claw Hand Deformity: Causes and Treatment Options

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A claw hand deformity can be treated in a number of ways.

A claw hand deformity can result in many physical and emotional challenges. Feeling insecure about the appearance of the hand, experiencing pain and stiffness, and being unable to complete certain everyday tasks can take their toll on the individuals.

Treatment for claw hand deformity may be possible if it is truly negatively affecting someone’s quality of life. In some cases, surgery for a claw hand may have more negatives than positives, so it’s something you should talk about with Dr. Arora. Make an appointment to speak with the hand doctor in Macomb, Howell, West Bloomfield, or Warren to better understand your options.

In the meantime, following are answers to a few questions you may have about claw hand deformity.

What is a Claw Hand Deformity, and What Causes It?

A claw hand is a deformity in which one or more fingers are bent into a position that makes the hand look like a claw. The condition may affect one or both hands.

It is considered a complete hand deformity when it involves all the fingers due to conditions such as ulnar and median nerve palsy. A partial deformity that affects the two fingers controlled by the ulnar nerve is known as an isolated ulnar nerve palsy.

The condition occurs when there is weakness or paralysis of hand muscles that are responsible for straightening the fingers. It is usually related to damage to a nerve that starts at the neck. However, there are many possible causes of claw hand deformity, which may be present at birth or appear later in life. They include:

  • Nerve damage in the arm, such as ulnar palsy or cubital tunnel syndrome
  • Congenital birth defect
  • Specific genetic diseases
  • Certain bacterial infections
  • Trauma to the hand

A claw hand deformity is sometimes referred to as an “ape hand deformity,” although that term is very insensitive and politically incorrect.

Signs and symptoms of this condition include weakened muscles, numbness along the applicable nerve, and inability to move the thumb outward, straighten the fingers, or move the ring finger and pinky and other fingers that may be affected.

Diagnosing the Condition

Several other conditions have similar signs and symptoms. When you see the hand doctor, he will make efforts to eliminate the other possibilities in order to properly diagnose your condition. Other possibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Dupuytren’s contracture, which can cause lumps and pits in the palm of the hand and force the fingers to bend into the palm.
  • Cervical radiculopathy, which is an umbrella term to describe several conditions related to the inflammation or damage of a nerve root in the neck/cervical spine.
  • Klumpke paralysis, a rare birth injury to the nerves around a newborn’s shoulder.
  • Lower brachial plexopathy, which occurs when a group of nerves in the neck and arms do not operate correctly, resulting in a lack of movement in the arm and shoulder.

In order to diagnose a claw hand deformity, the hand doctor may recommend an electromyography and nerve condition studies.

Claw Hand Treatment Options

Claw hand can be treated through physical therapy, splinting, or surgery, such as a tendon transfer/graft.

Physical therapy has been shown to be highly effective in minimizing the effects of the condition. These include specific types of stretches as well as hand strengthening exercises.

Surgical options may be suitable if they would treat the underlying condition that is causing the claw hand deformity. If the condition is due to a serious burn or injury, for example, treating the burn may help.

However, if the condition was present at birth, surgical options could have negative effects, so talk with Dr. Arora to see if he would advise surgery in this case.

To discuss your options, schedule an appointment to see the hand surgeon at the southeast Michigan location closest to you.

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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.