Dealing with a hand injury can be truly debilitating. If you are struggling with daily tasks that you used to do without a second thought, it’s time to see someone who can help you. That’s where a hand surgeon can come in.
What is a hand surgeon?
Technically, a hand surgeon is a hand and upper extremity surgeon, and they specialize in treating problems with your hands, wrists, and forearms. Their primary aim is to reduce or completely eliminate pain and restore hand movement and function. According to Dr. Michael Smith, a hand and upper extremity surgeon for Southlake Orthopaedics, in the past, orthopedic specialists would just stick mainly to working on bones, but because the hand has such a delicate balance between the bones, the tendons, the blood vessels, and the nerves, the field of hand surgery was developed to include the whole hand.
What does a hand surgeon do?
According to Dr. Smith, hand surgeons do a little bit of everything when it comes to the hand and the upper extremities, including addressing nerve injuries, soft tissue injuries, or blood vessel or vascular problems. Oftentimes, the main things hand surgeons treat include hand arthritis—of which Dr. Smith sees many cases—carpal tunnel syndrome, and cubital syndrome, which are also all very common. He adds that hand surgeons also treat trigger finger and Dupuytren’s contracture, which he tends to frequently address in his own practice.
What can you expect during hand surgery?
Hand surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis. “Most patients are awake during their procedures, though many opt for sedation to remain calm and comfortable,” says Dr. Smith. After the surgery, Dr. Smith notes that patients don’t have to go home with the big, bulky dressings of yesteryear that forced them to keep their hand still for a month. “Now patients are encouraged to try and get their hand moving and get people back to using their hand as much as possible and as quickly as possible. I will often have patients start using their hand either the next day or after two or three days, enabling them to get back to driving, typing, lifting, and those sorts of activities,” he explains. The main restriction he has for his patients is to keep the incision relatively clean and dry, which means staying out of pools, hot tubs, lakes, or oceans while the incisions are healing. Every other activity or function is okay with Dr. Smith and is actually encouraged so that the patient can speed up their healing process.
How do you know if you should visit a hand surgeon?
“The key way to know if you need to visit a hand surgeon is if you’re experiencing pain in your hand or upper extremities, or if you notice a mass, lump, or bump on the skin,” says Dr. Smith. If you are worried about your hand or upper arm, it’s a good time to visit your primary care provider so that they can refer you to a hand or upper extremity surgeon who can then dive a little deeper into the issue you’re experiencing.
Dr. Smith explains that many of his patients are pleasantly surprised to find that hand surgery is not as daunting as they had previously believed. So, if you are dealing with hand issues, don’t delay seeking the care you need to get better! The team of experts at Southlake Orthopaedics is always prepared to assist you in returning to the activities you enjoy most in life! Fill out our contact form today to take the first steps to getting your hand healthy again.
