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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
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.

Categories
Fingers

Removing a Ring from a Swollen Finger

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Removing a Ring from a Swollen Finger

Over the years, your hands change due to factors such as aging, pregnancy, and injuries. Fingers can become swollen versions of what they once were, and conditions like arthritis only make those symptoms worse. No matter the reasons why your fingers are just not the size they used to be, you may be finding it difficult to remove a ring that once fit comfortably. In this blog, we’ll explore different ways of removing a ring from a swollen finger.

So, what do you do if you need to remove a ring? There are a few different things you can try.

The Basic Method

This method will work in some cases if the finger is not severely swollen and before it’s turned purple or discolored. Here are the steps to this method:

  • Raise your hand above your head and keep it raised for several minutes. This will allow the blood to drain from your hand and allow for some swelling to decrease.
  • Apply ice to the finger while keeping the hand raised. You can use indirect ice (ice wrapped in a towel) for 20 minutes or direct ice for 10 minutes.
  • Use a lubricant on the finger to make the ring more slippery on the skin. Two of the best options are Windex and mineral oil. Soap can work if you have nothing else, but keep in mind that it can dry out or irritate the skin making things more difficult.
  • Slowly work the ring upwards and over the knuckle. Do not irritate the skin or pull too hard. If you work on the ring and are too rough, your finger will swell even more and the problem will become much more difficult.
  • Continue icing the finger off and on while you try to remove it from your finger. Do not leave direct ice on your finger for too long.

If you’re lucky, may not even have to follow through with all of these steps, and you may discover that elevation, icing, or using a lubricant respectively will be enough to let you slide the ring off your finger safely. If these methods do not work, though, then you can try the dental floss trick.

The Dental Floss Method

Removing a Ring from a Swollen FingerYou will need a large amount of dental floss to do this. Start by threading it under the ring so you have a “pull” handle of floss facing the wrist. The rest of the floss will be facing your fingers.

Begin wrapping the floss tightly around your finger close to the ring itself. Wrap the floss over and over all the way to the joint or over the joint if the joint itself the problem. Make sure to wrap tightly so that you compress the tissue of your finger.

Now, tightly grab the end of the floss that is dangling on the other side of the ring. You will now want to start unwrapping the floss. As you do, it will force the ring downwards, sliding with the floss. This should allow the ring to slide over the joint and hopefully set you free.

If you don’t have dental floss, other things you can use are thin string or a rubber band. You will just need to use the same method of wrapping and then unwrapping.

If none of these methods work, then it may be time to have the ring cut off. Jewelry stores, fire departments, and emergency rooms will have appropriate cutters available, and this will get the ring off quickly and easily, even if it is not your ideal option.

If your finger is turning purple, becoming discolored, or losing feeling, then you should visit a doctor as soon as possible for removal and hand injury treatment. If you don’t have the ring removed quickly, you could lose your finger in some extreme cases.

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

 

Categories
Hands

Yard Work and Gardening Shouldn’t Be Painful. Here’s What’s Happening if You’re Doing Them Wrong.

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Yard Work and Gardening Shouldn’t Be Painful. Here’s What’s Happening if You’re Doing Them Wrong.

There are two types of people in this world: those that look forward to spring and summer yard upkeep and those who dread it like the plague. It probably goes without saying why it’s dreaded by some; the activity itself can be draining and sometimes even leave you in pain. Yard work and gardening shouldn’t be painful, though. Aside from investing into helpful tools such as garden kneeling pads and wireless weedwhackers, here are some other ways to avoid pain during yard work and gardening.

 

The gardening and yard work actions that are causing pain.

When you’re working in the yard and garden, the aches and pains are exacerbated by the bending, crouching, grasping, and repetitive one-handed tasks. The problem with these actions is that you begin doing them incorrectly because the incorrect way feels “easier” – at least, it does in the beginning. Some examples of incorrect ways of movement are:

 

  • Exclusively twisting to the left if you’re right-handed (and vice versa)
  • Raking or digging with only the dominant hand
  • The ever-popular action of lifting heavy weight with the back instead of the legs

 

Ways to prevent gardening and yard work pain.

The trick to completing a weekend’s worth of outdoor upkeep and only feeling the satisfying dull ache of a hard day’s work without the pain is to learn the proper way to use your body and to know your limits. Our very own Dr. Avery Arora, a hand surgeon in the Detroit, Michigan area, says, “Your body will feel so much better when you fix the way you’re working. We encourage you to train the mind to do it correctly, and then you’ll find the body will follow suit.”

Yard Work and Gardening Shouldn’t Be Painful. Here’s What’s Happening if You’re Doing Them Wrong.

 

It’s all about examining the cause of the problem and then stopping it. Some tips that may help reduce future pain include:

 

  • Replace crouching and kneeling with the “armchair” position, pictured above.
  • Take breaks regularly. During your break, walk around and stretch your whole body, including your hands.
  • Engage all muscles by rotating arm and leg work. If you favor working one side of your body, slowly try completing the work with the other side. The non-dominant side may work a little slower, but that’s okay.

 

Gardening and yard work is, without a doubt, a workout. If you consider a three-to-four-hour workout pretty extensive, remember to apply that same thought to your outdoor tasks as well. Work your body’s limit just the way you would in a gym, and then start again another day.

 

Here at Arora Hand Surgery, we care about your health. If you feel as if you’ve suffered a hand, wrist, or elbow injury due to gardening or yard work, visit Dr. Avery Arora at one of his southeast Michigan offices located in West Bloomfield, Warren, Macomb Township, or Howell.

 

 

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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.