The term hand surgery describes a branch of surgery
that deals with the care of the upper extremities. Thus, not only
the treatment of the hands , but also those of the arms, elbows and shoulders fall into
this specialist area.
However, not all hand surgeons offer every
procedure: Not everyone performs shoulder operations, for example. Other
medical professionals specialize in just that. redditbooks
If your doctors is not an expert on your exact hand
injury or illness, he can usually recommend a colleague with specialist
knowledge in your area.
Hand surgery: different therapies
Treatments for the hands and arms are varied: there
are both surgical and non-surgical forms of therapy. The
latter are often called conservative - maintenance - therapy because they do
not involve any intervention in the tissue. superhealthiness
The specialist can reliably assess which treatment
is the right one for your complaints. He will discuss the different
therapies with you and explain the respective advantages and disadvantages.
What interventions does a hand surgeon perform?
Specialists in hand surgery can perform numerous,
very different operations on the hand, fingers, thumb, joints and
arms. Here are malformations corrected bone, joint and tendon injuries supplied, operated hand
and arm fractures and various diseases alleviated
or cured.
The possibilities of plastic and aesthetic hand
surgeons are also considerable: They plan the skin incisions before an
operation and that on the smallest of surfaces, for example on the finger. In
addition, they reconstruct nerves and vessels, can sew severed fingers back on
and enable tissue replacement, for example through transplantation.
Find hand surgery nearby
The anatomy of the hands is
complex. Accordingly, you need a specialist for your treatment: When
looking for the right doctor, look for the title “hand surgeon” . Even
if your discomfort affects the wrists, arms, elbows or shoulders. Hand
surgeons treat all parts of the upper extremities.
In order to carry the additional qualification hand
surgeon, a three-year further education is necessary.
This can only be done by medical professionals who
have already completed training as a specialist, e.g. who are already
specialists in orthopedics.
You are in good hands with a specially trained hand
surgeon. In order to find this expert, your family doctor can
be the first point of contact : ask him which practice,
which hospital and which specialist he recommends. He will name a
competent hand surgeon in your area . tophealthfitnesstips
Hand
surgery: treatment
The causes of illnesses and injuries are
just as varied as the tasks of our hands are. Therefore, the first step in
treatment by the hand surgeon is a detailed examination and anamnesis ,
asking about the medical history .
This results in the diagnosis, the
findings. Your doctor will discuss this with you and explain whether
he recommends conservative or surgical treatment . A
combination of both is also possible.
Hand surgery: treat
hands and arms conservatively
If your illness or injury to the upper
extremities is treated conservatively , there is no
surgery, but usually drug treatment. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs and
ointments are often used. The affected area is also often
immobilized and protected.
Conservative treatment can also include
various forms of occupational or physiotherapy , for
example electrotherapy, massages or sensitivity training. If you are
interested, ask your doctor directly: Hand surgeons often work with therapists
and are the best point of contact to recommend the right hand therapist nearby.
Hand surgery: treat
hands and arms surgically
Not all complaints can be treated
conservatively; an operation is necessary. The hand
surgeon can reliably assess whether this is also the case for you. He will
advise you, explain different surgical techniques and explain the possible
risks of an intervention.
An operation is never without risk :
Complications such as infections, bleeding or abnormal scarring are rare in
hand surgery, but can never be completely ruled out.
Hand
surgery: areas of application
Hand
surgery can often help if hands are painful, powerless, numb or the joints are
stiff during movements that are otherwise taken for granted. The following
list of particularly common diseases and injuries of the hand gives you an
impression of the diverse areas of application.
It
also gives you information about when and for which complaints the hand needs
to be operated. However, only your hand surgeon can reliably assess this.
Carpal tunnel syndrome: surgery or
conservative therapy?
In
the case of carpal tunnel syndrome , the
metacarpal nerve has too little space in the
so-called carpal tunnel on the wrist and is trapped in the tube-like
tunnel. Typical symptom: hands falling asleep .
Experts
assume that the bottleneck is already created at birth, so it is not a result
of an injury. As a treatment, anti-inflammatory drugs and splints, which
are also worn at night to relieve the hand, help in the early stages.
If
the carpal tunnel syndrome progresses, the hands no longer just fall asleep,
but can tingle and become numb - longer and longer. In some patients,
symptoms persist. Now an operation is often necessary: To make room for
the nerve in the hand, the carpal ligament is severed during an operation. A
tape that closes the carpal tunnel. This gives the metacarpal nerve, in
the truest sense, more air upwards and it is no longer pinched.
The
syndrome is widespread: According to the German Society for Neurosurgery
(DGNC), every tenth person in Germany could be affected. Every year hand
surgeons in this country perform around 300,000 carpal tunnel syndrome
operations. Most of them, around 90 percent, are outpatient.
Schnappfinger: When does an
operation make sense?
The
snap finger, often also called the spring finger or snap finger, affects the
flexor tendon on the finger. This is held close to the bone by the
so-called ring band. If the tendon becomes inflamed, it becomes thick,
gets stuck on the ring ligament and only jerks through it. The middle and
ring fingers or thumb are particularly often affected.
Typical
symptoms of a snap finger: If the affected finger is bent , it can
only be
straightened up with difficulty . It can not be stretched in a
controlled manner , but snaps back
with a jerk ,
which can be painful.
The
cause of a snap finger is usually overload . The tendons can become
irritated and inflamed, especially during monotonous movements, for example
during monotonous gardening or manual work. Hence, the first conservative
measures are discharge and anti-inflammatory medicine.
If
the inflammation has progressed, hand surgery can help if the finger is fast:
The ring ligament is cut to make room for the swollen tendon. The doctor
usually does this on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia.
Tendonitis: surgery or
conservative treatment?
Tendon
sheaths encase the tendons of the hand. They are like a hose that conducts
water, only tendons slide in them. With inflamed tendon sheaths ,
pulling, stabbing pain, especially when moving, is a
typical sign.
Regardless
of whether the tendon sheaths of the hand, wrist or arm are affected, the cause
of the inflammation is usually overload . This occurs mainly
with unfamiliar movements, such as dragging boxes when moving, or with very
monotonous movements, for example when working on the computer.
A tendonitis is usually treated conservatively: The important thing is
protecting . You can immobilize the affected area
with a splint or bandage. In addition, anti-inflammatory drugs, cooling
ointments and pain gels are beneficial.
In
the case of chronic tendinitis, thickened, inflamed tissue can also be
surgically removed. But: chronic courses are the exception. The
inflammation can usually be treated well conservatively. fashionglee
