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General

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.

 

Categories
Elbows

What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

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What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

Although many elbow injuries, including tennis elbow, can be treated without needing surgery, sometimes it is the best option. Doctors such as Dr. Avery Arora, a hand surgeon in Michigan, will suggest surgery when other treatment methods do not work or when the patient is in a substantial amount of pain that diminishes their capacity to work and to enjoy life. If elbow surgery has been recommended for you, you may be wondering, “What happens after elbow surgery?” This blog aims to clarify the process for you.

 

Before Elbow Surgery

You and your doctor will initially discuss the different types of surgical options and what those options entail; everything from the procedure itself to the recovery period will be clarified for you. Those who undergo arthroscopic surgery, which requires a smaller incision, will still need to have plenty of time to heal and rehabilitate their elbow, just as those who have open surgery. However, the difference between those two surgeries lies with the length of recovery time and when you can start rehab.

 

Immediately After Surgery

For many patients, the rehabilitation part of your recovery will start very quickly, often while you’re still at the hospital. The early stages of the physical therapy are very gentle and can help to relax the muscles of the arm. You will likely be required to have your arm in a splint after the surgery, and as a means to keep the swelling down, the doctor and nurse will often put an ice pack in the splint.

After the surgery, you can expect to experience pain at the surgical site. You will be prescribed medication that can help to control the pain along with various types of exercises that you will need to do during the recovery period at home.

The amount of time you have to spend in the hospital will vary, but it is not usually more than a day or two. Your doctor may remove the bandages and stitches before you leave or they may want you to return a few days later so they can remove them at that point during your follow up.

What Happens After Elbow Surgery?

 

At Home

When you are at home, you need to be very careful with the incision site so that you do not open it up or get an infection. In addition, you have to be willing to put in the time needed each day to work your elbow and to perform the therapeutic exercises. This will ensure that you are getting stronger and maintaining mobility in your elbow. Don’t skip the exercises, but do not overdo them either. Listen to and follow your doctor’s orders.

As you start to heal, you will begin to feel even stronger and more like your old self. However, this does not mean your elbow has properly healed yet. You still need to take it easy or you could risk more injury. Get plenty of rest, eat right, hydrate, and follow all of the instructions provided when you left the hospital. This is the best way to ensure that you heal properly. If you have any issues, you will want to contact the medical staff as soon as possible so they can make sure you are healing properly. In time, your elbow will be fully healed; just don’t rush it.

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

 

Categories
Conditions Treatments

How to Treat Tendinitis

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how to treat tendonitis

The tendons are the connective tissue that joins muscles in the body to bones. They help to facilitate movement, and many people never give their tendons a second thought. However, it is possible for the tendons to become inflamed, which is known as tendinitis. This condition causes pain, and it can make it hard to move the joint, which severely limits a person’s ability to move freely the way they did before. While all joints could suffer from the condition, some are more prone to tendinitis than others are, namely the elbow and the wrist. Here’s some more information on how to treat tendinitis.

 

Common Causes of Tendinitis

Many times, tendinitis is the result of repetitive actions. This causes the tendons to be used too much, and some people develop tendinitis as a result. It can occur because of actions from sports, as well as different types of actions performed at work or at home. It is also possible to suffer from tendinitis due to an injury, as well as aging. As people get older, their body begins to break down, and the tendons can be some of the first parts to have trouble. Those who have certain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, can also be afflicted with tendinitis.

 

What Are the Symptoms?

When someone has tendinitis, they generally complain of an aching feeling around the joint. The pain will increase when they try to move the joint, and it can even cause pain if someone bumps or touches the joint. In some cases, particularly after trying to use the afflicted joint, people will also notice some swelling.

how to treat tendonitis

 

Getting a Diagnosis

When some people feel the onset of tendinitis, they do not realize what it is. They may believe that they are just tired and sore from doing too much, and hope that rest will alleviate the problem. While rest may be able to help, it is always a good idea to speak with a doctor, such as Michigan-based hand surgeon Dr. Avery Arora. A specialized doctor can look at your medical history and examine the joint to determine the problem. Part of the exam will be to test your range of motion. They will want to know what types of activities you do as well, as this can give them a clue as to the nature of the injury. They may also order imaging tests.

 

Treatment Options

In the cases where tendinitis is relatively mild, there are some simple treatments your doctor can try. They will want you to rest, and they may advise you to use cold or heat on the affected area. They may also recommend taking pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs. In addition, they could provide you with exercises you can do to strengthen the area.

In some cases, the doctor may also recommend surgery. They are able to remove the inflamed tissue, which can help to reduce the amount of pain the patient feels, and this can provide them with more mobility and range of motion. Each patient is different, and you will want to talk with your doctor about the best options to try when treating your tendinitis.

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

Categories
Hands

Protecting Your Hands: The Most Dangerous Ingredients in Your Kitchen

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The Most Dangerous Ingredients in Your Kitchen

When you think about avocados, what comes to mind? Healthy eating? Delicious guacamole? To hand doctors, we see a hand threat that we’ll never be able to unsee again. You may be surprised that avocados (and bagels!) cause thousands of hand and finger injuries every year. That’s why we’ve decided to address the issue of identifying the most dangerous ingredients in your kitchen and how you can protect your hands when preparing food.

The avocado-slicing fiasco.

As popularity in America of this fruit has sky-rocketed over recent years, so have hand injuries related to it. According to a 2019 article in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, there were over 27,000 avocado-related knife injuries between 2013-2017.

If you’re reading this and realizing you’re not sure what the safest way is to cut an avocado, watch this video.

 

The bagel plague.

Similar to avocados, bagel injuries are also common in the kitchen. In 2008, a study found that nearly 2000 emergency room visits a year resulted from reckless bagel cutting techniques and cream cheese spreading techniques. The worst accidents were from eaters holding the bagel while cutting it in half, resulting in slashing open the palm (ouch!)

Here’s another video, this time, showing you how to safely handle bagels in your kitchen.

 

Other dangerous injury-evoking foods.

There are many other common ingredients that can also be finicky to prepare, so exercise caution with:

  • Slicing and peeling carrots, potatoes, and onions.
  • Cutting chicken or any thicker meats.
  • Hot water or hot oil that can easily splash and burn you.

The Most Dangerous Ingredients in Your Kitchen

We recommend replacing unstable cutting boards, dull knives or knives that are loose within their handles, and any other kitchen utensils that are no longer in their best form.

Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we care about your health. If you have injured your finger, hand, wrist, or elbow in the kitchen, visit an emergency room immediately. After recovery, if you feel there is a need to meet with a hand specialist, 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. We are here to help.

 

 

Categories
Fingers Hands

Is My Finger Permanently Bent? | Dupuytren’s Contracture: What You Should Know

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Dupuytren’s Contracture

If you have fingers that look as if they bend permanently toward your palm, there’s a strong chance you have Dupuytren’s Contracture, a rare type of hand disorder that tends to take a number of years to develop. Many individuals mistake this condition for trigger finger, but the main difference is that Dupuytren’s Contracture affects the tissue while trigger finger involves the tendons. If you’re wondering “Is my finger permanently bent?” then continue reading to learn more about this condition.

Dupuytren’s Contracture has many names, some of which are:

  • Vikings disease
  • Contraction of palmar fascia
  • Dupuytren disease
  • Dupuytren’s contracture
  • Familial palmar fibromatosis
  • Palmar fascial fibromatosis
  • Palmar fibromas

This condition causes the layers of tissues that lay beneath the skin on the palm of the hand to begin to form knots. These knots thicken and can cause one or more of the fingers to bend, creating difficulty to perform normal, day-to-day tasks such as putting on gloves or grasping larger objects.

Dupuytren’s Contracture

In most cases, only the ring finger and the pinky are affected. In very rare cases, though, the condition can also affect the thumb and the index finger. An interesting fact is Dupuytren’s Contracture tends to affect older men who have a Northern European heritage.

 

What Is the Cause of Dupuytren’s Contracture?

Currently, the cause of Dupuytren’s Contracture is unknown. Researchers have not been able to find any evidence that it is related to hand injuries or any occupations that have repetitive stress issues from vibration. However, they have found a number of factors that can increase the risk of developing the condition.

  • Men, as mentioned before, are the most likely to develop the contracture, and it typically affects those who are 50 and over.
  • The condition also tends to run in families, indicating it could be genetic.
  • Those who have diabetes are also at an elevated risk.
  • Smoking can increase the risk of developing Dupuytren’s Contracture, as can alcohol.

 

Is My Finger Permanently Bent?

Once your fingers are bent from Dupuytren’s Contracture, it will no longer be possible to straighten them back to how they were before. Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we understand that this fact may be hurtful and jarring to hear.

However, we want to assure you that there are ways to reduce the effects of this condition through Dupuytren’s Contracture hand therapy, collagenase injection (a special enzyme that can soften and weaken larger lumps), needle injections that break up the hard tissue, or even Dupuytren’s Contracture hand surgery.

Speaking with a doctor is the first step in understanding how to proceed so that the condition can be reduced or even eliminated for several years.

 

Talking with a doctor.

You will want to speak with a hand specialist about this condition, so refer to your primary care physician who will then refer you to a local specialist. A hand specialist such as Dr. Avery Arora will want to know more about your medical history and how you have been dealing with the condition. Some questions Dr. Arora would ask would be:

  • Is a history of Dupuytren’s Contracture in your family?
  • Have you tried any Dupuyren’s Contracture treatments?
  • What medications are you taking?
  • When did the symptoms first start?
  • Are you experiencing pain?
  • Has the condition been getting gradually worse?
  • How does it affect your lifestyle?

Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we care about your health. If you are feeling finger, 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.

 

 

 

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.

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Patient

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.