Comprehensive Hand & Elbow Care

From eating a sandwich to getting dressed, from driving our cars to taking a sip of coffee, we rely on our hands, fingers, and all-important opposable thumbs to perform essential tasks in our daily lives. For athletes and active people, proper movement in the joints of the hands and pain-free functioning of muscles and tendons determine the quality of a putt on the green and the steady stroke of an oar while paddling in the river. No matter the activity, pain or lack of movement in the hand can make even the simplest daily tasks difficult or impossible.

Are You Suffering With These Symptoms?

Joint pain in the hand, wrist or fingers
Pain on top of the hand or between your knuckles
Tingling, numbness, weakness or pain in the hand or thumb
Increased hand, finger or wrist pain from repetitive motions like typing, gaming, crocheting or sports-related activities

If you’re struggling to hold and object, open and close your hand, or complete another natural hand motion, you may have pinched nerves, strained tendons or swelling that can be treated effectively. We recommend that anyone who is experiencing chronic or acute pain that is interfering with daily activities make an appointment to see one of our specialists.

Effective Treatment

Because we rely on them for so many things, our hands are susceptible to a wide range of injuries and debilitating conditions leading to a wide range of options for treatment and care. That’s why CSMO offers comprehensive hand care from our team of fellowship trained specialists.

Dr. Arnold and Dr. Smith understand that surgery is only one option to remedy a hand injury or problem. Non-surgical treatment options like hand therapy may help to restore movement and reduce or eliminate pain. When non-surgical methods prove ineffective, however, the CSMO team has a track record of successful hand surgeries to help patients return to normal activity.

Carpal tunnel is a common condition involving swelling around the wrist tendons that puts pressure on nerve and tendons that run to the fingertips. This swelling cuts off blood flow, causing a pain in the hand that can range from “pins and needles” sensations to sharp, shooting pain. Common non-surgical solutions include steroid injections, use of a wrist brace and occupational behavior modifications. If these non-surgical options don’t provide relief, then carpal tunnel surgery can relieve pressure on the nerve causing pain in the hand.

Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, trigger finger is a painful condition resulting from a finger or thumb stuck in a curled position. Pain may persist even if the sufferer is using the afflicted digit. Surgery for trigger finger increases space for the flexor tendon to move, allowing flexibility and relief. Similarly, mallet finger or “baseball finger” involves an inability to straighten the end of the finger, usually due to impact on the end of the finger by an object. Nonsurgical treatments for each condition can include rest and elimination of repetitive motion or use of a splint to straighten the finger. In the case of trigger finger, steroid injections are commonly used to reduce inflammation.

Basal joint osteoarthritis or arthritis of the thumb involves deterioration of cartilage at the base of the thumb in the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. Thumb arthritis often causes severe pain, decreases grip strength, and reduces range of motion. In a normal thumb joint, cartilage covers the ends of the bones — acting as a cushion and allowing the bones to glide smoothly against each other. With thumb arthritis, the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones has deteriorated and its smooth surface roughens. Nonsurgical treatment options may include a combination of steroid injections, medication and splints, while severe thumb arthritis may require surgery.

Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition where one or more fingers bend toward the palm of a person’s right or left hand. No matter how hard you try, you can’t get the affected fingers to straighten completely. This disease affects the palmar fascia, which is the fibrous layer of tissue that lies just underneath your palm’s skin, above the tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. Knots of tissue form under the skin. Eventually these knots create a thick cord, which pulls the fingers into a bent position. In almost all cases, this condition affects the two fingers farthest from your thumb.

Unfortunately, the disease tends to worsen with the passage of time but may remain mild enough, so you don’t require any treatment. However, in moderate or severe cases, the disease makes it difficult to straighten the digits. If this is the case, treatment may be necessary to assist in reducing the contracture and improving motion in the affected fingers. Please note, as contraction progresses, involvement of the fascia will become more severe, and treatment is not as likely to deliver a successful result.

Learn More

Advanced Hand, Wrist & Upper Extremity Care

Conditions affecting the use of your hands can negatively impact even the most basic activities necessary to get through your day. Lack of sensation from nerve compression due to carpal tunnel syndrome can cause you to drop a cup of hot coffee, a plate from the cabinet, an ink pen while you’re writing a note. Pain at the base of your thumb makes it difficult or impossible to use a kitchen knife, turn a screwdriver, or hold your steering wheel. The disruption of such fundamental daily activities negatively affects the quality of almost every aspect of our lives at work and home – but lessening movement in your hands is not a normal part of aging!

Fortunately, CSMO’s comprehensive hand care offers relief from this broad range of potential hand problems. Our team of hand specialists are here to discuss your particular condition and develop a personalized treatment plan to help restore normal, pain-free function in your hands, wrists and upper extremities. Talk with our hand specialists Dr. Arnold, or Dr. Smith about how you can improve your quality of life.

Call (423) 624-2696