Arthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common form of arthritis that many people develop throughout the course of their lives. This degenerative joint disease is caused by the natural wear-and-tear that occurs during the aging process, or as a result of an infection in a joint or due to an injury. Individuals suffering with arthritis experience pain due to the inflammation around their affected joints as well as because of the damage that the joint has sustained. OA occurs as the cartilage that helps keep the joints moving fluidly and covers the bone begins to wear down. As this cartilage breaks down, the bones begin rubbing against one another, causing pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as median nerve compression at the wrist, is frequently caused by highly-repetitive movements of the hands or fingers. Some common examples of these highly-repetitive movements are typing, manipulating a computer mouse, and manufacturing processes such as sewing, driving screws, nuts and bolts, and painting. However, wrist anatomy and underlying health conditions may also contribute to the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome in individuals who do not perform manual, highly-repetitive tasks.
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome occur when the tendons in the wrist swell and begin to put pressure on the median nerve, restricting its ability to properly convey nerve signals to and from the hand and wrist. Individuals may experience numbness, tingling, pain and/or clumsiness of the hand (especially at night), and weakness of the hand and/or wrist.
Wrist Strains and Sprains
A sprain is a ligament injury that can range from a small tear to a complete rupture, or an overstretching of the ligament itself. An individual with a wrist sprain may experience bruising, pain, inflammation, warmth and tenderness around the injured area, and a feeling of instability (i.e., a tearing or popping sensation) in the wrist.
A strain refers to a damaged tendon, which connects bones and muscles to one another. It is these tendons that allow for flexible movement of the limbs. When a tendon sustains an injury, through overstretching, micro-tears or a rupture, an individual experiences tenderness, swelling and pain that increases when the affected hand or wrist is used.
A sprain or strain can occur due to a variety of reasons, including falling on the wrist, placing extreme pressure on the wrist and then twisting it, or by being hit on the wrist.
Request Consultation
If you are suffering with lingering or unexplained hand and wrist pain, contact Dr. Joshua G. Hackel to schedule an initial consultation. Dr. Hackel provides patients with non-surgical and minimally-invasive procedures for pain relief and regeneration. He specializes in musculoskeletal ultrasound for the diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal injuries.
Dr. Hackel is a dedicated physician who concentrates on providing his patients with the most innovative diagnostic and pain relief treatment options available. Each patient receives a custom-tailored treatment plan that is specifically designed to meet his or her needs. The caring staff and medical professionals at the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida, work together to create coordinating multidisciplinary rehabilitative treatment programs utilizing a variety of procedures and techniques.
Treatment programs may include bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem-cell therapy, platelet-rich plasma injections, and ultrasound-guided diagnostic and/or therapeutic injections to the tendon sheaths, muscles, joints and/or the bursae. Dr. Hackel also offers detailed physical rehabilitation plans, prescriptions and can recommend nutritional supplements to maximize your health and wellness. To schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Joshua G. Hackel at the Andrews Institute, please call 850-916-8783. The address for Dr. Hackel’s office at the Andrews Institute is 1040 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Suite 200, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32561.