Orthopedic surgeons specialize in surgical, minimally invasive, and therapeutic treatments for musculoskeletal system issues. The musculoskeletal system includes the body’s bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and related connective tissues.
While orthopedic surgeons are able to perform many different kinds of procedures, orthopedic hand surgeons specialize in hand surgeries. They have devoted significant time to studying, examining, and treating hand-related musculoskeletal issues.
This focused experience gives them expertise in practically all musculoskeletal injuries, conditions, treatments, and surgical procedures related to the hands.
What Types of Treatments Do Hand Orthopedists Perform?
While they are called orthopedic hand surgeons, they don’t only use surgery to treat hand conditions. In fact, most orthopedic hand surgeons attempt to treat hand conditions in other ways first.
When nonsurgical hand treatments fail, orthopedic hand surgeons will use invasive surgery or minimally invasive methods to improve the patient’s pain or debilitating issue.
Health Issues that Hand Surgeons Repair
Some of the most common hand issues that orthopedic hand surgeons treat are the following:
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common disease that affects the joints in the body, especially the hands. It can cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and immobility in the joints.
Between joints and adjacent bones, there is cartilage – a rubbery material that allows bones to glide around each other without a problem. Arthritis deteriorates the cartilage, thereby lessening the protective buffer between bones and joints.
While arthritis doesn’t always start in the hands, it can extend itself to the hands over time. Orthopedic hand surgeons treat arthritis in the hands through a variety of means: They may prescribe medications, recommend physical therapy, and/or perform surgery in severe cases.
Tendonitis
Orthopedic hand surgeons frequently treat tendonitis, which is an inflammatory condition affecting the tendons. When tendonitis occurs in the hand, it’s usually caused by overuse, injury, and diseases like arthritis or diabetes.
Orthopedic hand surgeons may use several treatment options to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with tendonitis, including medication, braces, physical therapy, and cortisone injections.
Dislocations
Similarly to dislocations in the shoulder and other joints, bones in the hand can become dislocated – which means they are dislodged from their proper positioning. Orthopedic hand surgeons frequently treat dislocated hand bones and joints.
Fractures
Bones in the hands and fingers are susceptible to fracture just like any other bone in the body.
Orthopedic hand surgeons usually treat fractures through casts, but surgery may be necessary in severe cases to reassemble the bone fragments so they can heal properly.
Sports Injuries
Orthopedic hand surgeons examine and treat sports injuries including wrist injuries, broken bones in and around the hand, sprains, strains, and finger injuries.
Infections
Hand infections can happen particularly when there is an opening in the hand due to an injury or surgical incision. Orthopedic hand surgeons examine and treat hand infections by prescribing antibiotics and other medications, and by performing surgery in cases of severe infections.
Hand Surgeon in Maryland
If you have a hand injury or a chronic condition that affects the mobility and use of your hand, we welcome you to schedule a consultation with the experts at Greater Chesapeake Hand to Shoulder. We specialize in medical issues and surgical needs of the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
Call the Maryland hand surgeons at (410) 296-6232 or request an appointment online at one of our Greater Chesapeake locations. We look forward to helping you regain a better and more pain-free hand function once again.
