Orthopedic Hand, Wrist and Elbow Conditions We Treat
The board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Colorado Advanced Orthopedics can address just about any hand, wrist or elbow condition you may have.
We treat the following hand conditions:
- Hand nerve entrapment – A condition occurring when a nerve in the hand is stretched or compressed by a bone or muscle, resulting in sharp, aching or burning pain. Muscle weakness or sensations of “pins and needles” are often common as well.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome – A condition caused by a pinched median nerve, resulting in numbness or tingling in the thumb and fingers. Pain may travel up your arm and possibly cause weakness.
- Cubital tunnel syndrome – This condition is caused by a compressed ulnar nerve. It results in a “pins and needles” sensation in your ring and pinky fingers, especially when you bend your elbow. You may experience a weakened grip or loss of finger coordination.
- Radial tunnel syndrome – This condition is caused by a compressed radial nerve. It results in aching pain along the top of your forearm, especially when you straighten your wrist or fingers. You may also experience arm and wrist weakness.
- Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) – A condition caused by fractured bones of the upper extremity.
We also treat a variety of tumors and cysts in the hands, wrists and fingers. These terms are often used interchangeably, and refer to an abnormal lump that grows on one of these structures. The lumps may be solid or filled with fluid. We treat the following hand cysts and tumors:
- Ganglion cysts – These are fluid-filled and typically grow on the back of the wrist. They may also form at the base or top of a finger joint. These are the most common type of upper extremity cyst.
- Giant cell tumors – These solid, slow-growing masses are often painless. They are the next most common type of upper extremity cyst or tumor.
- Epidermal inclusion cysts – These cysts form right underneath the skin, often near the site of an old wound. They are filled with keratin, a type of protein found in skin cells.
Arthritis commonly develops in the hands, wrists and fingers. This condition refers to a group of more than 100 related disorders that cause joint inflammation, pain, stiffness and swelling. The most common types of arthritis we treat are:
- Osteoarthritis – This degenerative joint disease occurs when cartilage breaks down and wears away, causing bone to rub against bone. Osteoarthritis often gets worse with age can result in pain, swelling and other symptoms. While it most commonly occurs in weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees, it can also affect smaller joints in the fingers.
- Rheumatoid arthritis – This condition occurs when your body’s immune system begins to attack itself. It often results in joint inflammation.
- Thumb arthritis – This condition occurs when cartilage in the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint wears away. This is a common ailment and typically comes with age, developing when cartilage wears away from the ends of the bones that form the joint at the base of the thumb.
Other hand, wrist and elbow conditions we treat include:
- Fractures and dislocations – These are two of the most common bone and joint injuries. A dislocation occurs when two bones slip out of place at the joint that connects them.
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) – This disorder causes lasting pain, usually in the arm or leg, and typically presents itself after an injury, stroke or even a heart attack.
- Tendon conditions – These medical conditions prevent your tendons from functioning normally. Tendinitis, the most common tendon issue, occurs when a tendon becomes inflamed or irritated. Elbow tendonitis often develops from repetitive motion activities which cause overuse of this joint.
- Ulnar nerve compression – This condition can cause pain, numbness and tingling in the forearm, as well as the fourth and fifth fingers. In severe cases, ulnar nerve entrapment can cause weakness in the hand and loss of muscle mass. The condition occurs when the ulnar nerve becomes compressed as it passes through the wrist or elbow.