A hand specialist is a physician or surgeon who concentrates on treating disorders and injuries of the hands and arms. The specialty dates back to World War II when Dr. Sterling Bunnell, a consultant for the US Army, began training his fellow surgeons in how to treat soldiers with arm and hand injuries.
Since a hand specialist is a medical doctor, they begin their training at medical school. They then serve a residency specializing in Plastic, Orthopedic or General Surgery at a hospital. After finishing their residency, they need to take and pass an exam administered by the relevant board. At this point, they are now a board-certified surgeon.
In order to become a hand specialist, the surgeon needs to complete a “Hand Surgery Fellowship,” which is a special program devoted to diagnosing and treating hand disorders. Upon completing the fellowship, the surgeon must pass another exam to earn their Certificate of Added Qualifications in Hand Surgery (CAQ).
Common conditions that our talented hand specialist can treat include the following:
- Fractures
- Wrist pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Trigger finger
- Arthritis
- Birth defects of the arm and/or hand
- Sports injuries
Our doctor can treat both adults and children. He provides non-surgical treatments like splints, injections, medication or therapy, as well as surgical treatments.
A patient should see our hand specialist if they have suffered any kind of trauma to their hand, wrist or arm. They should especially get in touch with us if the injury resulted in severed fingers. Our experienced specialist will be able to perform the needed reattachment procedures.
A patient should also see our hand specialist if any of the following are true:
- They think they have a ganglion cyst
- They have recurrent pain, tingling or numbness in their hand, arm or wrist
- Their hands turn colors when exposed to cold
A ganglion cyst is a benign tumor that most commonly develops on the hand or wrist. It contains a clear, jellylike substance, and it may feel spongy or firm. It can appear as one big cyst or a group of small cysts attached to one another by a stalk under the skin.
Are you dealing with issues in your hand or wrist? Talk to Dr. Arora and his team at Arora Hand Surgery, with locations in West Bloomfield, Howell, Warren, and Macomb, and have your condition evaluated. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get started!
