Wrist and hand issues like carpal tunnel and sprains are common in athletes and nonathletes alike. At Denver Sports Medicine and Spine, skilled physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists Yani C. Zinis, DO, and Raili Donnelly, PA-C, offer wrist and hand treatments that eliminate pain without surgery or drugs. Call the Denver, Colorado, office or book your appointment using online scheduling today.
request an appointmentWhat wrist and hand symptoms require medical care?
Wrist and hand symptoms that are acute or progressive almost always require medical care. Some symptoms that may indicate a potential wrist or hand problem include:
- Stiffness
- Difficulty moving hand and wrist
- Pain
- Swelling
- Pins-and-needles sensations
- Numbness
- Weak grip
Wrist and hand problems may come and go, or may intensify at certain times of the day or night or with certain movements and activities.
What causes wrist and hand problems?
Wrist and hand issues usually occur because of chronic overuse, age-related changes, or injury. Examples of the most common wrist and hand issues are:
Ligament injuries
Sprains are ligament injuries involving overstretching or tearing of the ligaments in the hand and/or wrist. Wrist and hand sprains can heal in time, but untreated sprains may become chronic injuries.
Arthritis
Arthritis can affect the joints in the wrists and hands. Osteoarthritis is common at the base of the thumb and ends of the fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis often affects the fingers, especially the bottom and middle joints. Some people develop post-traumatic arthritis (a form of osteoarthritis) in the wrist or hand following an injury.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs with repetitive motions or overuse, causing swellithat progressivey gets “trapped” within the tunnel of tissue in your wrist (the carpal tunnel) and leads to numbness, tinging and weaknesss from median nerve compression.
The Denver Sports Medicine and Spine team examines your hand and wrist, evaluates your symptoms, and diagnoses your specific issue.
How are hand and wrist issues treated?
Hand and wrist problems can be extremely disruptive, so the team makes every effort to provide symptom relief and a return to normal activities as quickly as possible. While every patient’s treatment plan differes, when indicated, many get optimal results from injections.
Other treatment options, like platelet-rich plasma(PRP) and allograft tissue injections*, stimulate the natural healing of damaged tissues in your hands and wrists.
Denver Sports Medicine and Spine also has a large referral network of top-ranked physical therapists and orthopedic hand surgeons. To learn more about nonsurgical hand and wrist sollutions, call the office to book your appointment today.
*Viscosupplementation is FDA-approved for treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
*Some tissue injections are FDA-approved only for the treatment of certain cancers, blood disorders, and immune disorders