What is Dupuytren’s Disease?

Have you ever heard of Dupuytren’s disease? Even though this hand problem is often painless, it can limit the mobility of your fingers and cause contraction of your finger joints. If you are experiencing the symptoms described below, you should contact the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas as soon as possible in order to get the condition treated at an early stage.

Symptoms of Dupuytren’s Disease

Dupuytren’s disease occurs when the layer of tissue underneath the skin of your palm, or palmar fascia, becomes diseased. This causes thickening of the skin and makes the skin lose its ability to support the hand. You may notice firm lumps or nodules in your palm. From the palm, the disease spreads to the fingers when the knots of tissue tighten and cause contraction of the finger joints. Your fingers will involuntarily bend and you may find it hard to straighten them. Primarily your ring finger and little finger may be affected.

Dupuytren’s disease is often painless. However, it may make some of the normal daily activities troublesome due to the difficulty to straighten the affected fingers. Therefore, it is necessary to visit a hand specialist as soon as the symptoms appear. Typically, both hands will be affected.

The cause of the disease is unknown. The link between Dupuytren’s disease and previous hand injuries or certain activities hasn’t been proven. Often the condition develops slowly over the years.

Treatment of Dupuytren’s Disease

Treatment for Dupuytren’s disease varies according to the individual situation of the patient. Some treatment options include Collagenase and Needle Aponevrotomy. Collagenase is an injectable medication and it is used to dissolve the nodules and thickening of the palmar fascia. Needle Aponevrotomy, on the other hand, is a minimally invasive procedure. It focuses on releasing the contraction of the finger joints by the insertion of a small needle on the palm.

If you’re experiencing difficulty straightening your fingers, don’t wait! Make an appointment with the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas today to get your condition treated as soon as possible.