Hand Conditions
FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow offers conservative, non-surgical treatments to the latest state-of-the-art surgical procedures for hand conditions. Patients of all ages and activity levels are seen for simple for complex conditions.
Your hands are constantly in motion and therefore vulnerable to injury. Repetitive motion or overuse injuries such as tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) are among the most common hand conditions. Your hands can also be affected by normal wear and tear on the joints, resulting in arthritis.
The following are just a few of the common hand conditions.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand that houses the median nerve and the tendons that bend the fingers. The median nerve provides feeling to the palm side of the thumb, and to the index, middle, and part of the ring fingers, but not the little (pinky) finger. It also controls some small muscles at the base of the thumb.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The nerve becomes compressed as a result of thickening from the lining of irritated tendons or other swellings that narrows the tunnel. This compression can cause numbness, weakness, or pain in the hand and wrist, or in the forearm and arm.
Dupuytren’s Contracture
Dupuytren’s contracture is a condition that affects the nodules and cords of connective tissue, or palmar fascia, to the palm. The fascia contains strands of fibers, like cords, that run from the palm upward into the fingers. In Dupuytren’s contracture, the tightening of the tissue causes the fingers to become bent down, which may become permanent if not treated. The tightening usually starts on the pinky finger and then travels down to the thumb as time goes on. This can make it difficult to grasp large objects and make simple movements like washing your face or putting on gloves. Because the thumb and index finger aren’t usually involved, the condition usually doesn’t affect your ability to write and grasp small objects.
Thumb Arthritis
Thumb arthritis is arthritis that affects the joint at the base of the thumb (the basal joint). Thumb arthritis or osteoarthritis of the thumb causes wear and tear of the joint cartilage and underlying bone over time. As the cartilage wears away, bone rubs against bone leading to joint damage and more pain.
Thumb arthritis or basal joint arthritis is caused by a combination of many factors such as age, weight (obesity), hobbies or jobs that stress the thumb joint, computer work for extended periods of time, diseases affecting the cartilage, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and previous injuries.
Trigger Finger
Trigger finger or sclerosing tenosynovitis is a condition that affects the movement of the flexor tendon through the tendon sheath in one or more of the fingers.
Normally, the flexor tendon passes through the tendon sheath (a tunnel in the palm and fingers), allowing it to glide smoothly as the finger bends and straightens. Bands of tissue called “pulleys” located along the tendon sheath hold the flexor tendons closely to the finger bones. The tendons pass through the pulleys as the finger moves. The pulley at the base of the finger is called the “A1 pulley,” and this is the pulley that is most often involved in the trigger finger.
Hand Treatment in Fremont, California
Whether your hand condition is urgent as a result of an injury, painful because of overuse, or keeping you from doing everyday things, we welcome you to our practice.
Please call FORM Hand, Wrist & Elbow at (510) 480-3700 to schedule a consultation. For your convenience, you may also request a consultation online. We offer same-day or next-day appointments.
Dr. Basil Besh is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in Hand, Wrist, and Elbow conditions. He is one of the few hand surgeons in Silicon Valley that has the Subspecialty Certificate in Surgery of the Hand and has over 15 years of experience focused on orthopedic hand conditions.
Dr. Besh is an expert in his field in both surgical and nonsurgical interventions. He provides thorough and accurate diagnoses and recommends the best treatment for your condition to assure maximal recovery.