Wrist injuries and discomfort are on the rise, with (for example) around 50% more people over the age of fifty suffering from wrist fractures in recent years than 25 years ago, according to recent studies. However, there are ways to avoid such difficulties, with a range of hand and wrist care available from a specialized wrist doctor, such as the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas (HSST).
It is essential to understand the options available, and such orthopedic wrist treatment can help prevent further injury while enabling a greater range of motion. So, read on to learn more about:
- Non-surgical treatments
- Innovative wrist injury solutions
- Personalized rehabilitation plans
- Focused forms of pain relief for wrists
Discover how comprehensive treatment from HSST can offer long-term benefits, such as the relief you need and greater confidence during daily activities. We’re here to help.
Comprehensive Diagnostic Services
The following options are methods by which a wrist pain specialist can determine the likely cause of any discomfort. You may need to undergo one or more diagnoses before a wrist doctor can carefully select a treatment based on the information available.
1. Patient History Assessment From a Wrist Doctor
A wrist doctor will start by requesting a record of any previous issues related to your wrist, including the potential of:
- Existing chronic conditions
- Occupational injuries
- Family history of wrist or joint issues
- Previous doctors’ visits
The doctor will likely also use standardized questionnaires to help compare your issues with others’ and create a foundation of data from which to work. Completing this will speed up your first appointment and help you receive results faster.
Together, these create a complete medical background that the specialist can use to help diagnose you.
2. Thorough Physical Examination of the Wrist
They will then ask for more details about your current wrist discomfort, including:
- Pain triggers
- Frequency of pain
- Duration of discomfort
- Physical changes during discomfort
- Level of discomfort
- Range of motion in the joint
- Strength of the wrist muscles
- Existing swelling or deformities in the wrist
Some of the issues they will look for include arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome, both widespread problems that have well-trodden therapy steps. With this full collection of information, they can then determine whether they need to continue on to imaging the wrist or if they have all the insights they need.
Finally, once this process is finished, they can start to formulate a treatment plan while involving you in many of the decisions to give you control over your own therapy.
3. X-Ray Imaging
If the specialists suspect a fracture or several other issues related to the musculoskeletal system, they may request an X-ray. These can identify issues such as:
- Dislocations
- Fractures
- Breaks
- Early signs of arthritis
- Bone density issues
- Structural problems
The X-ray can support a more accurate diagnosis alongside other physical exam data. As the results are also very fast, clinicians can use X-rays to make plans for treating the wrist quickly. They do not need to wait for the images to transfer to a lab like they would with many other processes.
4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
An MRI scan can capture very detailed images of not only hard structures, such as with an X-ray, but also soft tissue structures, such as:
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Cartilage
- Blood vessels
The MRI can display subtle inflammation that may not be visible on an X-ray or after a physical exam. It can often offer a warning should the individual be likely to suffer from degenerative conditions in their wrist.
As the process is non-invasive, these diagnostic tools are also powerful methods of avoiding harm coming to the patient while the specialist searches for the best way to help them.
5. Ultrasound Diagnostics
Diagnosing issues with the wrist using ultrasound involves using high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the soft tissues in the wrist. It is less involved than an MRI but can often detect issues easier, especially if the user has sensitivities to an MRI, such as the existence of ferrous metal in the body.
Using ultrasound has been so successful in diagnosing the causes of wrist pain that the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation has even described its use with nonverbal patients to gain a comprehensive understanding of their situation.
One of the benefits of ultrasound is that it can also offer images as you move your wrist. Thus, the doctor can see more details of how your body reacts in real-time to your movements and offer tailored advice that suits your needs.
Non-Surgical Treatment Options
Once a specialist pinpoints the issue, they can look into the various available responses and offer guidance on moving forward. These include both invasive surgical options and personalized non-surgical treatments.
6. Customized Physical Therapy Programs
The clinician can work with you to design individual exercise programs that can help you build up your:
- Wrist strength
- Flexibility
- Functionality
- Relief from discomfort
These will often involve stretching and resistance exercises, targeting specific muscles and muscle groups to help stabilize the wrist and reduce issues when using the limb. Over time, you can continue to discuss the exercises you perform, adjusting the intensity of the therapy as your recovery progresses and your personal circumstances change.
You can practice these exercises at home and then use them as at-home routines. These will help you maintain a higher level of consistency during your treatment long-term instead of switching between different methods. If they are difficult, you can discuss them with your consultant at your next appointment to ensure you personalize them to your limitations.
7. Prescription of Anti-Inflammatory Medications
A certified clinician can prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to lower the inflammation in your wrist and alleviate any pain you feel in the area. They can offer a dosage based on the severity of your condition, your medical history, and how well you react to NSAIDs, meaning that they may need to increase or decrease it slightly over time.
Combining these medications with physical therapy and other options is likely to offer the best pain relief and physical improvements over time. Remember, however, to ask about both oral and topical options, as the most effective delivery method may be direct to the area in question rather than ingestion.
8. Using Wrist Splints and Braces
A specialist can recommend custom-fitted wrist support, such as splints, to help immobilize your joint and to help the area heal by resting it. Doing this can be especially useful during an acute flare-up, which can otherwise cause significant problems for you.
Similarly, they may offer braces that help support the alignment of the wrist and reduce strain on it, even during daily activities or your typical working day.
Regardless of the option, they can offer information on how best to use these tools to:
- Help your wrist recover
- Prevent over-restriction
- Allow for everyday daily life
- Avoid increasing discomfort
Make sure that you book follow-ups after you receive these tools. Over time, you may need to increase or decrease your use of them, especially around sudden changes in your life or recovery, so get the best advice you can at every step. Access high-quality support as a part of a comprehensive care plan to ensure you progress in your healing.
9. Therapeutic Ultrasound Procedures
In addition to ultrasound for diagnostic purposes, an alternate use of this technology is to deliver sound waves that can promote tissue healing in damaged areas of the wrist. The procedure can act as a form of non-invasive treatment targeting a specific location, reducing inflammation and pain by increasing circulation in the area to help support the natural healing processes in soft tissue.
Combining ultrasound procedures such as these with other forms of physical therapy and potentially medication as described above can give you the best chance of faster, more effective recovery and a return to an improved level of functionality.
Minimally Invasive Procedures
When surgery may be required, a clinician can discuss the options with you to ensure your progress occurs in a way that avoids further discomfort. It is vital that any action taken takes your preferences into account.
10. No-Stitch Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release
One option on offer is the use of advanced endoscopy to perform minor surgery on the affected area. This procedure involves passing a thin, flexible tube into the wrist via a small incision. The tube has a small camera on it to visualize the area and allow the doctor to see your internal wrist in detail, then take action to relieve pressure on the wrist’s nerves.
The process will include making minor incisions to decompress areas of the wrist causing issues such as carpal tunnel, to reduce numbness and pain while avoiding scarring the area. Such a minor surgical procedure is much less impactful than traditional open surgery and can be much more precise, avoiding a long recovery time.
The World Journal of Surgery and Surgical Research even describes how this form of carpal tunnel release has a success rate of over three-quarters. It is the “preferred approach” among even minimally invasive procedures.
11. Arthroscopic Surgery for Other Wrist Conditions
Like endoscopy, this process uses a small camera to examine internal wrist structures and discover issues. However, many other joint abnormalities can receive treatment over and above carpal tunnel surgery, by using arthroscopic surgery, including:
- Ligament injuries
- Cartilage damage
- Joint debridement
- Ganglion cyst excision
The procedure is also perfect for removing loose bodies that may remain in the area following other injuries, such as bone fragments or pieces of cartilage. While these will tend to be resolved following other treatments, the clinician can also handle them if they are discovered during physical therapy.
12. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Many people are now turning to PRP to help the body concentrate its healing efforts in one area by giving it the nutrients it needs through platelet-rich plasma.
The first step in this process is to harvest your platelets from an area of your body that has an excess, after which our specialists will process them to create a specific PRP solution. We do this because platelet-rich plasma can stimulate the healing of many parts of the body, including various parts of the wrist.
Once we have created the PRP, we can inject it into the injured area to help reduce inflammation as your body uses the nutrients in the solution as a part of its natural processes. Often, this can accelerate your recovery without needing a more involved effort by applying natural growth factors directly to the site of the injury or discomfort, tailoring the treatment to your specific issues.
Specialized Surgical Intervention
We can also offer more involved surgery in extreme cases, especially when your wrist has more significant damage. However, doing this will not be the final step in your journey and will often require additional therapies due to the techniques involved.
13. Repairing Torn Wrist Ligaments
If your wrist has received significant damage, specialists can reinforce your ligaments with internal braces should it be necessary. While we prefer minimally invasive procedures, this process is sometimes required to the extent of the damage.
14. Stabilization of Fractures
If your bones have received fractures, a doctor can use screws or pins to fix the bone in place and avoid them from shifting and delaying healing. These will require monitoring over time to reduce the risk of complications and confirm long-term recovery.
15. Post-Treatment Rehabilitation
After significant surgery, we can create a bespoke rehabilitation program matching your injury’s severity and personal recovery needs. The steps are likely to include:
- Exercises that progress with recovery
- Structures movement routines to help you get used to movement
- Frequent re-evaluation to reassess your progress and adjust routines
- Information on how to receive lasting benefits
- Details on how to improve your home and habits to protect your wrist
Comprehensive Care Ensures Effective Relief
Every method described above works together to help restore functionality and quality of life to every one of our patients. The Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas can use these alongside other cutting-edge techniques to offer personalized care to everyone who visits us.
For more information, contact us today to book an appointment and learn more about why a wrist doctor from HSST is among those celebrated for their expert handling of issues like yours.
