Hands are made up of a complex network of tiny bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves, and other tissues and structures. Any injury or pain in these areas can interfere with your ability to perform your daily activities, even small movements can be difficult.
Some hand injuries can heal on their own, but lasting pain or a debilitating injury warrants an evaluation and possible treatment by a skilled hand doctor. If nonsurgical treatment options fail to work, hand surgery becomes the best solution to bring back your hand to its normal functionality.
At Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder, our orthopedic surgeons have a profound understanding of the complexity of the hand and we offer state-of-the-art non-surgical and surgical treatments. Let’s talk about why your hand may need to have medical treatment, why and when surgery may be in order, and where you can go across Maryland to see a world-class hand surgeon.
Hand Conditions that Warrant Medical Care
It is in your best interest to see a hand surgeon if:
- Your symptoms are not improving with ice therapy and resting the hand
- The range of motion of your finger, hand, or wrist has been reduced
- You feel pain or discomfort even when your hand is in a resting state
- You experience tingling and numbness regularly
- You are unable to move your hand
- You have excruciating hand pain
Your hand surgeon at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder will first likely recommend that you try noninvasive or minimally invasive treatments, such as a physician-administered cortisone injection in the painful area of your hand. If those treatments no longer work to alleviate the issue, you may want to consider hand surgery.
Most Common Hand Surgeries
A few of the most popular types of hand surgery that are performed at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder include:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery
In this surgery, more space is created inside the tunnel through the wrist which houses the median nerve. The surgery is performed to help reduce compression of the median nerve and thereby alleviate pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and wrist area.
Trigger-Finger Release Surgery
In trigger finger, your finger or thumb is stuck in a bent position; if you are able to straighten the finger or thumb it causes a snapping “trigger” action. In surgery, to repair the problem, your orthopedic surgeon will make a tiny incision in the palm of your hand where the tendon sheath is widened and expanded. The goal is to help you regain normal motion and function in your finger or thumb.
Fracture Correction Surgery
For a fractured bone in your hand, surgery is often necessary to ensure that the bone heals properly. If the bone heals in a crooked shape, you may need to have a hand doctor essentially re-break the bone in order to correctly repair it (while you are under general anesthesia of course). Therefore, it is best to be proactive and have it medically addressed as quickly as possible. If you have a bone that heals in a crooked manner and is not addressed by a doctor, it can result in permanent disability.
To correct a broken bone in your hand, your hand surgeon will realign the bone by fastening the bone fragments together so they heal properly. The fastening is accomplished via tiny metal plates, screws, pins and/or rods to help keep the bone in place while it heals.
Hand Surgeries in Maryland
The orthopedic team at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder is here for you if you have chronic hand pain or a hand injury. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons can help restore the function of your hand with the least-invasive and most efficient procedures.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our hand surgeons in Maryland, call us today at (410) 296-6232 or request an appointment now via our online form. We look forward to helping you get your hand back in good working condition!
