Would you find it surprising if this article was typewritten on the laptop without using hands and fingers? Unfortunately, this article was written with the help of hands and fingers and a little bit of muscle memory for speed. Just think about how long it will take for the writer to finish typing this article manually without using the hands and fingers. It would be a feat.
The bottom line is, our hands play a crucial role in our lives, from the wrists to the tips of our fingers. Our day to day activities require us to use these significant body parts. Typing, writing, cooking, eating, and even playing instruments require strong and flexible hands.
Yet, many of us pay little attention to its health. And it will be a great inconvenience if we have it injured. Like any part of the body, our wrists, hands, and fingers also suffer several health conditions. That is why it is essential to visit a wrist specialist in Singapore to ensure the health of our upper limbs.
Overviews Of The Most Common Hand and Wrist Issues
There are numerous reasons why we feel pain in our hands, wrists, and fingers. Most of them are caused by conditions, while others are caused by injuries. The risk factors for these conditions vary depending on the actual issue. Learn more about them here.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in Singapore is a nerve disorder and condition where the hand and wrists experience pain, numbness, and tingling sensation. There are situations where the pain runs from the wrists to the arms.
CTS occurs when there is pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve is responsible for the motion control and sensation of the fingers except for the pinky finger. The median nerve runs from the palms to the forearm through the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is the tiny space located in the wrists.
Symptoms
People with carpal tunnel syndrome in Singaporemay experience frequent numbness; and tingling and burning sensations often felt in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger. The electric shock sensation may affect the arms as well.
People may also experience weakness of the hands, resulting in difficulty in gripping and holding objects. It is difficult to perform small tasks as well.
People with carpal tunnel syndrome in Singaporemay also lose the ability to feel the temperature by touching.
The onset of the symptoms of CTS is slow, but it usually occurs when the hands and arms are at rest. People with advanced CTS conditions experience the symptoms while their hands and arms are at work and rest.
Risk Factors
Several factors affect the progression of carpal tunnel syndrome in Singapore. It includes wrist dislocation and deformation due to injury or arthritis. The deformity of the wrist and hand structure can put pressure on the median nerve.
Women are more prone to developing carpal tunnel syndrome in Singapore. Women tend to have narrower carpal tunnel.
Complications from other existing conditions like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis affect the median nerve and the tendons around it.
Hands and wrists activities also increase the chance of developing CTS. People who frequently reflex can worsen the median nerve damage.
Treatment and Pain Management
The treatment for minor cases of CTS may include rest for a couple of weeks to relieve the symptoms. Your wrist specialist in Singapore may require you to use braces and splints to prevent you from moving, twisting, and bending.
Your doctor may also provide medications for pain relief and inflammation management; however, these drugs may have side effects.
A long-term treatment and pain management for carpal tunnel syndrome in Singaporeis carpal tunnel surgery. In this surgery, doctors widen or increase the size of the carpal tunnel to reduce the pressure on the median nerve.
For non-surgical treatment options, patients opt for physical therapy and exercise.
Arthritis
Arthritis is the inflammation and swelling of joints around the body. There are many types of arthritis, including degenerative arthritis, thumb arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. But the most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the joint linings that encapsulates the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis destroys the joints and the cartilage.
Meanwhile, osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, the joints become inflamed and swollen due to the degeneration of the cartilage. Old age is the cause of osteoarthritis.
Arthritis affects the joints found in the hands, wrists, and fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins in the hands, while osteoarthritis in the hands appears during senior age. For people with an autoimmune disorder like lupus are encouraged to visit awrist specialist in Singaporeto manage the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in hand.
Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in the hands have a slight difference when it comes to symptoms. People with rheumatoid arthritis often experience joint swelling, stiffness, and redness in the morning and may last throughout the day. The pain may be accompanied by weakness and loss of appetite.
The common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are sharp pain in the joint area and loss of mobility. There is a cracking or clicking sound when the joint is moved or bent and joint deformity.
Apart from a physical checkup, yourwrist specialist in Singapore may request an x-ray and blood test to diagnose osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
Risk Factors
Age is one of the main risk factors in developing arthritis. People tend to develop osteoarthritis, gout, and other types of arthritis due to degeneration. There are types of arthritis that run in the family, including rheumatoid arthritis.
Injuries like dislocation and joint trauma can open a leeway and vulnerability to the progression of arthritis.
People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop osteoarthritis, especially in the lower limbs area. The knees and ankles carry the weight of the body, and excess weight puts more pressure and stress on the joints located in the knees and ankles.
Consult your wrist specialist in Singapore if you think you have a high risk of developing hands and wrists arthritis.
Treatment and Pain Management
Technically, no treatment can cure or eliminate arthritis. However, some procedures and methods can help with pain and progression management.
Osteoarthritis in the hands and wrists treatment includes splints to avoid painful joint movement and ice or warm pack therapy for pain relief. There are oral anti-inflammatory medications and therapeutic injections that can help alleviate the pain and swelling of joints. Exercise and physical therapy can improve mobility and range of motion of the hands and wrists.
On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis has a similar pain management method as osteoarthritis, except that they use more advanced medication for the pain and inflammation. Consult your wrist specialist in Singapore for more information about non-surgical hands and wrists arthritis treatments.
Surgical treatment for arthritis becomes an option when there is already deformity and complete loss of motion. These surgeries include reconstructive surgery, joint fusion, and joint replacement. Visit your wrist specialist in Singaporefor surgical treatments.
Trigger Finger
Trigger finger or stenosing tenosynovitis is a condition where one of the fingers locks in a bent position while the others straighten. Commonly, the thumb and ring fingers are the most affected. Fingers in both hands can have a trigger finger.
A trigger finger occurs when the A1 pulley is inflamed. A1 pulley is located at the base of the finger. When it is inflamed, it makes the flexor tendons swell as well. The flexor tendon is responsible for the ability of the fingers to bend down. When the flexor tendon is inflamed, it develops a small nodule.
This nodule hits and interferes with the function of the A1 pulley, making it hard for the affected finger to straighten; therefore, locking the finger into the bent position. Visit your wrist specialist in Singapore for diagnosis and available trigger finger treatment in Singapore.
Symptoms
People with a trigger finger may experience soreness and pain at the base of the thumb and ring finger. Fingers tend to be stiff in the morning and are painful when you attempt to straighten or bend them. People with a trigger finger may feel a tender bump at the base of the affected finger. The affected finger often gets stuck in a bent position and produces a popping or clicking noise when moved. The trigger finger affects all the fingers but most commonly impacts the thumb and ring finger.
Typically, your wrist specialist in Singapore may do a physical checkup for diagnoses. X-rays may be needed for advanced conditions.
Risk Factors
Women mostly develop trigger fingers. People aged between 40 and 60 are also at risk of having one. People with underlying conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, gout, and tuberculosis, have a greater chance of obtaining trigger fingers. Injuries and trauma in the hand also weakens and makes the hand vulnerable to the condition.
Lastly, overuse and repetitive motion of the fingers may also result in the progression of trigger fingers. If you think you are at risk of having this hand condition, consult your doctor or wrist specialist in Singapore immediately for a checkup and assessment.
Treatment and Pain Management
For minor cases of pain management and treatment includes rest from repetitive hand activities for more than a month. The rest may be accompanied by the usage of braces and splints to restrict movement and motion. Ice or warm pack treatment can also help alleviate the pain as it relaxes the muscles and tendons. Simple stretching and physical therapy can also help improve the range of motion and mobility.
Yourwrist specialist in Singapore may also prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling and pain.
For the trigger finger surgical treatment in Singapore, your doctor can do open finger surgery. Percutaneous release surgery and Tenosynovectomy are also the other options. However, some trigger finger treatment surgeries in Singaporemay not be suitable for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Ganglion Cysts
A ganglion cyst is the growth of a benign or non-cancerous lump or mass at the tendons and joints located at the back of the wrist. They can also appear near the joints of the fingers. The cysts are round or oval and filled with fluid, giving their jelly-like characteristics.
Ganglion cysts change in size; they can start from a pea size and can grow one inch. Although they are typically harmless, they can interfere with joint movement and can cause pain. Ganglion cysts disappear on their own over time.
Ganglion cysts can affect everyone, from young to old. Its cause remains unknown.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of the ganglion cystis the lump that usually appears at the back of the wrists and finger joints. Cysts forming near the finger joint are typically smaller–pea-size than those found in the wrists.
People with ganglion cysts may feel pain, numbness, and a tingling sensation whenever the mass hits a nerve.
People ask their wrist specialist in Singapore to remove the harmless cyst if it causes them pain.
Risk Factors
People aged between 20 and 40 years old have a higher risk of developing ganglion cysts, especially women. People with osteoarthritis have a higher chance of having ganglion cysts near their finger joints. Repetitive motion and history of trauma and injury in the wrists may also cause ganglion cysts formation.
Treatment and Pain Management
Although ganglion cysts are harmless and disappear on their own, people usually seek treatment from a wrist specialist in Singaporeif the lumps cause pain or for aesthetic purposes. Your doctor may require an x-ray and MRI for the diagnosis.
Your doctor may also recommend using splints and braces to restrict hand movement and allow the mass to reduce in size. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be provided for pain relief.
Doctors can also do aspiration or the draining of the fluid.
Our hands play a very important role in the body, and it is hard to accomplish day to day activities without them. Touch more lives by keeping your hands healthy.
Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre provides diagnostic, treatment, and pain management of common hand, wrist, and nerve issues. Request an appointment with Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre today.
