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Conditions General Hands

Signs of Something More: 11 Health Conditions that Show Symptoms in the Hands and Arms

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Many health conditions show signs in the hands and arms, such as arthritis, heart disease, and migraines.

A majority of our patients come in due to broken bones, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, nail bed injuries, cysts, arthritis, sprains, fractures, and similar concerns. In some cases, however, pain or numbness in the hands or arms may be indicators of underlying health conditions that require further treatment.

We’re not trying to scare anyone here. It’s important not to become overly concerned about the symptoms you’re feeling in your hands, as there likely is a relatively straight-forward explanation and effective solution.

However, you should always get examined by our hand surgeon or your family physician to evaluate the source of your pain. Arthritis, for example, is one condition commonly associated with numbness and pain, but there are many other health conditions that frequently show symptoms in the hands and arms. Following are some of these conditions.

1. Cardiovascular Disease

Diseases of the heart and arteries make it difficult for the heart to pump blood efficiently, possibly leading to weakness in the limbs. Cardiovascular diseases also may lead to blood clots in arteries anywhere in the body.

2. Parkinson’s Disease

If you’re not moving and have tremors in your hands, this could possibly be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease. There may be many other explanations for these tremors, but this is one possible reason. Your symptoms should be evaluated by a physician before you can rule out this possibility. In addition to tremors, symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include:

  • small handwriting
  • a diminished sense of smell
  • trouble sleeping
  • trouble walking or moving
  • masked face
  • soft or low voice
  • constipation
  • stooping or hunching over

3. Blood Clots Due to PVD or PAD

Peripheral venous disease or peripheral artery disease can lead to blood clots, poor circulation, and other symptoms that may be visible in the arms.

4. Impending Heart Attack

Pain from a heart attack may spread to the arms. If you experience pain in your chest and believe it’s due to a possible heart attack, call 911 for emergency care.

5. Impending Stroke

Remember the acronym FAST: Face, Arms, Speech, Time. Signs of a stroke include facial drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulties. If you see this, Time is of the essence. Call 911 immediately; the sooner you get help, the less likely it is for the individual to experience permanent disability.

Conditions such as lymphedema show signs in the hands and arms. In this image, a medical care practitioner wraps a patient's hand and wrist as a form of lymphedema therapy.
Lymphedema is one of the many health conditions that shows signs in the hands and wrists. Therapy for lymphedema may include wrapping the arm.

6. Lymphedema

A very rare condition, lymphedema leads to swelling in the arms and legs due to a buildup of fluid.

7. Raynaud’s Phenomenon

Also known as Raynaud’s diseases, this condition is characterized by the discoloration of the fingers or toes in particular situations, such as being in the cold or having specific emotions. Despite its name, it’s a relatively common disease with approximately 200,000 cases being diagnosed per year.

8. Buerger’s Disease

Commonly associated with smokers, Buerger’s disease is a rare disorder characterized by narrowing or blockage of the veins and arteries of the extremities. This results in reduced blood flow to these areas, as well as pain, sores on the arms, discoloration of the hands, and leg cramping.

9. Hemiplegic Migraines

During an attack, individuals who have hemiplegic migraines experience weakness on one side of the body. This may involve a feeling of numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the face, arm, and leg.

A woman is shown in bed trying to fight off a headache. Individuals who have hemiplegic migraines experience weakness on one side of the body, including the arm.
Individuals who have hemiplegic migraines experience weakness on one side of the body.

10. Herniated Disk or Other Spine-Related Concerns

A herniated disk or other diseases of the spine can lead to pain or numbness in the arms due to pinched nerves.

11. Peripheral Neuropathy

A general term for several disorders, peripheral neuropathy results from damage to the body’s peripheral nervous system. The peripheral nervous system connects the nerves running from the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to the rest of the body, including the arms and hands. Peripheral neuropathy occurs when nerves are damaged and don’t function as they should, leading to numbness and pain in the extremities.

If you are experiencing pain in your hands, wrists, or arms, make an appointment to see Dr. Arora. We will evaluate your symptoms to determine the source of the discomfort.

If you experience an urgent medical concern, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

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Categories
General Hands

Hand Arthritis Solutions: Tools, Equipment, and Tips for Completing Tasks Easier

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Hand arthritis solutions include using ergonomic kitchen tools, hands-free phone devices, and more.

Simple tasks such as opening a condiment container, tying shoelaces, or even holding a phone can be challenging and frustrating for someone with hand arthritis. But there’s help. In addition to seeing our hand doctor for remedies, individuals who have arthritis can take advantage of tools and equipment that can help them complete daily tasks a little easier.

12 Tool and Equipment Modifications for Hand Arthritis

Following are a few modifications of common household items that can help make your life easier if you cope with the daily frustrations associated with hand arthritis.

1. Prescription bottles

If there is no chance that a child will get a hold of your container and there are no other potential dangers, you don’t have to use a childproof cap on your prescription medications. Ask your pharmacist to give you non-childproof caps.

2. Hands-free phone options

Rather than constantly holding a cellphone or struggling to tap on the keys, use talk-to-text, take advantage of the virtual assistants, and use headphones. You may even wish to invest in a household virtual assistant that will allow you to play music, make phone calls, and look up information without ever reaching for your phone at all.

3. Automatic toothpaste dispenser

Twisting open the cap of a tube of toothpaste and then squeezing toothpaste onto the toothbrush can be extremely challenging, or even impossible, if you have hand arthritis. A wall-mounted automatic toothpaste dispenser will do the work for you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF ARTHRITIS

4. User-friendly lights

If you need lamps or night lights in your home, purchase touch lights. For a more significant home modification, consider installing motion sensing lights.

5. Automatic/electric openers

Automatic or electric openers for cans, jars, and wine are readily available at local grocery stores and home goods stores. They are available in multiple styles, such as one from Black & Decker that allows you to place the can in the center of the appliance and touch a button to have the appliance open the container for you.

Opening a can or jar can be difficult for someone with hand arthritis, but many electric or manual tools on the market can help.
Opening a can or jar can be difficult for someone with hand arthritis, but many electric or manual tools on the market can help.

6. Laundry pods

Tossing a pod into the wash is easier than lifting a container of liquid laundry detergent, twisting the cap, pouring the detergent into the cap, and then emptying the contents of the cap into the washer.

7. Handrails

Place handrails on both sides of a stairwell. Gripping a handrail can be challenging if you have arthritis in your hands, so having one on both sides can provide added support. You can take it a step further and install a stairlift, which is especially helpful if you also have arthritis in your back, hips, knees, or ankles.  Don’t forget to do the same for outdoor steps, or consider installing an outdoor ramp.

8. Lighter kitchen equipment

As your pots and pans wear away, replace them with lighter versions of themselves. Lighter pots and pans are easier to carry and maneuver.

9. Ergonomically designed kitchen tools

Kitchen equipment manufacturers understand the plight, so they offer several options for kitchen cookware that is easier for individuals with arthritis to use. Consider a rocker knife and utensils with larger grips, for example.

10. Seat belt handles

Fumbling for a seat belt can be awkward. The solution? Seat belt handles that reach out several inches, enabling you to buckle up with ease.

EXPLORE THE MUSCLES OF THE HAND.

11. Button hook

The Good Grip Button Hook makes buttoning your clothes easier. Simply place the hook through a button hole, use the hook to grab for the button on the other side, and pull the button through. It may take some practice, but it’s easier than it looks.

12. Portable grabber tool

A portable grabber tools allows you to grip items you might need. Many have magnets on the ends as well and can be three feet long. Think of it as a combination of a trash pickup tool and a pair of tongs.

Using online apps can help someone with hand arthritis reduce the heavy lifting involved in grocery shopping.
Using online apps reduces the heavy lifting involved in grocery shopping.

Additional Tips for Living with Arthritis in the Hands

In addition to managing pain and avoiding injury, it’s important for people who have arthritis to conserve energy, helping to ensure that they can complete the tasks they need to complete later. Following are a few additional tips for conserving energy and moving with relative ease.

  • Keep items you commonly use, such as cookware and appliances, accessible and at counter level to avoid bending or reaching for them.
  • Pay attention to when and where arthritis pain might peak, and plan your day around it. For example, if hand arthritis is worse in the evening, consider prepping dinner earlier in the day.
  • Buy pre-chopped fruits and vegetables and pre-sliced bread.
  • Ask the butcher to cut and trim the meats for you.
  • Take advantage of grocery delivery apps to avoid the heavy lifting. (Keep in mind, however, that some appropriate exercises can improve arthritis symptoms, so don’t give up on physical activity.)
  • Use other parts of your body and other muscles when you can’t use your fingers or hands. For example, if you need to stir something, hold the utensil in a manner that allows you to comfortably use your shoulder or elbow to make the motions rather than your wrists, palms, or fingers.

For additional tips about living with hand arthritis, see Dr. Arora by making an appointment online or by calling (248) 220-7747.

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General

What are the Muscles in the Human Hand?

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Muscles in the human hand control the fingers through tendons. Fingers have no muscles.

Pop quiz: How many muscles do you have in your fingers? If you said, “Zero! That’s a trick question,” you’ve got our number. Your fingers contain no “muscles” at all. They’re actually controlled by muscles in your hands and arms that are connected to your fingers by tendons. So what are the muscles in the human hand?

Following are some of the basics you might want to know, especially if you’re experiencing pain in your hands, wrists, or fingers.

Muscles in the Human Hand

1. Interossei (Dorsal and Palmar)

You know the old trick of determining how many days are in a month by counting on your knuckles and the grooves between them? Well, the shorter months land in the area of the interossei muscles. All these muscles serve the same purpose, which is to bend the joints. The “dorsal interossei” muscles, however, allow us to spread out fingers, while we close them together with the “palmar interossei” muscles.

2. Lumbricals

The lumbrical muscles in the human hand can be found under each finger. They allow us to straighten our fingers and bend the joints.

3. Hypothenar

The hypothenar muscle group is located on the small finger side of the hand. This muscle group enables the small finger to bend and pull away from the ring finger. It also allows us to make a fist, as well as bring the small finger toward the thumb.

The muscles within this group are:

  • Abductor digiti minimi
  • Flexor digiti minimi
  • Opponens digiti minimi

4. Thenar

The thenar muscle group is located in the bulky area under your thumb. The muscles enable the thumb to move in multiple directions, bend, and rotate. Without these muscles, we couldn’t grasp items.

Muscles in this group are:

  • Abductor pollicis brevis
  • Flexor pollicis brevis
  • Opponens pollicis

The Thumb Exception

Although there are no muscles in the fingers, two muscles can be found near the thumb: the adductor pollicis and the abductor pollicis longus.

The first is located between the index finger and thumb, and the second passes through the wrist. We couldn’t pinch without them.

Seeking Treatment

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, or other hand or wrist conditions, they can cause pain in and around any of these muscles.

If you are experiencing pain or swelling in your hand, wrist, or fingers, make an appointment to see our hand surgeon in Macomb Township, Howell, Warren, or West Bloomfield.

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Categories
Conditions Elbows General Hands

Cellphone Overload: How to Avoid Hand and Elbow Pain

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It's important to give your hands a break from cellphone use in order to avoid hand and elbow pain. If you are experiencing pain in your hands, wrists, or fingers, make an appointment to see hand surgeon Dr. Avery Arora.

Have you ever used your cellphone for so long that your hands became numb, your fingers stopped functioning properly, and you gave up on mentally blaming autocorrect? If so, it was probably slightly comical at the time. If this happens repeatedly, however, soon enough it won’t be funny anymore. If you do use your phone frequently, it’s important to know how to hold your phone to avoid hand and elbow pain.

If you don’t, eventually you could be dealing with something worse than just sore thumbs, uncooperative fingers, and a really hot ear.

Ways to Avoid Hand and Elbow Pain when Using Cellphones

1. Try using text-to-speak, at least every now and then.

2. Use a cellphone stand so you can set the phone on a table or desk instead of holding it. When you do, you can use any finger you want to play those games and give the other fingers a break.

3. Make a conscious effort to regularly stretch and flex your fingers, wrists, and elbows.

4. If you talk on the phone for long periods of time, holding the phone up to your ear can cause discomfort at your elbow. To avoid this problem, try using:

  • A headset
  • The speaker option
  • A video calling app like FaceTime
  • Internet calling options such as Skype

What Could Happen: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

You might believe that the tingling in your hands due to cellphone use is just a temporary sensation, and it probably is. But if you don’t make conscious efforts to avoid hand and elbow pain when using cellphones, you could end up facing some very real issues.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of swelling and pressure in a “tunnel” in the wrist, which consists of nine tendons and a median nerve.

Causes of this very common condition are unclear, but improper use of keyboards, tools, and even cellphones can increase CTS. Other examples of activities that can increase carpal tunnel syndrome include driving a motorcycle and playing a violin.

Individuals with CTS can experience tingling, a weaker grip, numbness, a tendency to drop things, and pain in the hand and wrist.

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Ever wonder why it’s far from funny when something hits your “funny bone”? To the contrary, it’s extremely painful. The truth is that what you feel comes from a nerve that runs behind a bone in the elbow through the “cubital tunnel.”

Pressure on the nerve can affect the blood supply to the nerve, causing arm pain and weakness in the hand. Direct pressure, such as leaning on your elbow, can compress the nerve and cause some of your fingers to “fall asleep.”

Both cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome are painful conditions that may lead you to seek medical treatment.

Contact Arora Hand Surgery for More Information

For more information about how cellphone use affects your hands, fingers, wrists, and elbows, explore the Procedures & Conditions pages of our website to learn more about symptoms you may be experiencing. If you’re regularly feeling pain or numbness in your hands or arms, contact one of our Arora Hand Surgery offices by phone or request an appointment online.

Categories
General Hands

What Is Causing Your Hand Pain? – Arora Hand Surgery

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Hand pain can occur for a wide variety of reasons. Some people may have a physical injury to their hand, while others might suffer from hand pain because of a disease, such as arthritis.

Tendonitis

When the tendons start to swell in the hands and along the wrist, it can cause a lot of pain. In some patients, the pain starts gradually and builds over time. In other patients, the pain seems to come on suddenly, and it can extend and radiate from the site of the swollen tendons to other areas of the hand and arm. This can make it difficult to do a number of normal tasks, as it can be hard to hold objects, and you may lose mobility in the hand.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Another common cause of hand pain is carpal tunnel syndrome, affecting up to 3% of the people in the United States. Those who suffer can experience pain in their hand and fingers, as well as the wrist and the forearm. The swelling in the carpal tunnel places pressure on the median nerve, which causes these symptoms to emerge. In addition to pain, it can also cause the sufferer to feel weakness and tingling in their hands.

Fractures

It is possible to break bones in the hand, wrist, and forearm, and it may be easier than you want to believe. Even a small fracture can cause swelling, pain, stiffness, and an inability to move the affected area. Complex fractures and compound (open) fractures are even more dangerous.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of hand pain. The cartilage in the joints begins to deteriorate, which can happen with age and with repetitive use. This eventually causes painful swelling that will limit the persons ability to function properly. Many different types of arthritis exist, and all of them can be difficult to treat and manage.

Trigger Finger

Someone who suffers from trigger finger has a finger or thumb that becomes locked in an angle. This can be annoying, and it can be painful. It can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, for the sufferer to straighten their digit without a substantial amount of pain. This can occur when there is injury or irritation of the flexor tendons.

Finding Treatments to Deal With Hand Pain

As you can see, there are a number of causes of hand pain, which means that the treatment that works for one will not necessarily work for another. When you are suffering from any type of hand pain, you will want to speak with hand specialist to get to the root cause of the problem. You can then discuss a good and workable course of treatment, which could include physical therapy, medication, and surgery to help eliminate your hand pain.

Always make sure you are going to a specialist in the field who has experience dealing with the hand, wrist, and elbow. While a general practitioner can be helpful, getting a referral to a specialist is generally your best bet.

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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.