Hand Doctor in Orange County
The hand is an important part of your body. It is made up of joints, bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, skin, blood vessels, and nerves. All these elements must be in perfect working order for your hand to function well. The components are dependent on each other to accomplish tasks that we might easily take for granted. Our hand doctor in Orange County has undergone additional specialized training in the treatment of hand ailments beyond their specialty training in general surgery, plastic surgery, or orthopedic surgery.
The relationship between the structures in your hands is refined and delicate. Injuries or diseases may affect any or all of the structures and impair the functionality of the hands. Whether you are lending your hand at your workplace or extending your hand in friendship, you highly depend on this pair of limbs. You will require coordination and flexibility to position your thumbs and fingers to play instruments, utilize the keyboard, or carry out various fine motor skills. The strength of the muscle makes you straighten or bend your wrists and to hold objects.
What a Hand Doctor in Orange County Does
Hand surgery is a field of medicine which deals with problems associated with the shoulders, arms, and elbows. Hand doctors have various specializations, and they devote their time to studying, treating and examining the hand. This means that these doctors are specialists in hand care. Some of them specialize in treating children, others treat adults only, and some can treat both. The common problems dealt with by these doctors include:
- Tennis elbow
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Wrist pain
- Fractures of the wrist, hand, and forearm
- Trigger finger
- Sports injuries of the wrist and hands
Other problems may include tendon and nerve injuries, arthritis, and disabilities such as congenital limb differences. Note that not all problems handled by a hand doctor require surgery. The doctors often suggest non-surgical treatments including splints, medication, injections and therapy.
Qualifications of a Hand Doctor
For one to be a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, they have to undergo a full year of the additional specialized training. After that, the specialists will need to pass the rigorous certifying exam. The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) offers information and programs regarding all stages of becoming a hand doctor. The career commences by acquiring a high school diploma, a four-year medical degree, and completion of a four to five-year medical school program. After attending medical school, the specialists participate in the residency program at any given hospital. The program offers clinical training in the doctor's area of specialization.
Hand surgery training begins with any of the ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) accredited residency programs below:
- Plastic surgery (5-7 years)
- Orthopedic surgery (5 years)
- General surgery (5 years)
After finishing the residency, hand doctors complete another one-year fellowship in hand surgery, which is also ACGME accredited. The programs cover the following specialties:
- Congenital differences
- Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis surgery
- Micro-vascular surgery
- Trauma surgery and replantation of body parts
- Peripheral nerve surgery
- Reconstructive wrist surgery
Qualities of a Good Hand Doctor
Skilled hand specialists and gifted trainees are said to have a 'good pair of hands'. Your hand doctor in Orange County possesses these attributes:
- Open mindedness – For hand doctors to perform a successful treatment, they have to begin by making an accurate diagnosis. It is important for the physician to conduct a thorough evaluation of each case without making mere assumptions. The specialist should be open to embracing new developments in the field of medicine as they emerge.
- Excellent eye-hand coordination – this is important when carrying out procedures such as joint replacement. Such procedures require precise and sure movements of the hand. This attribute is also essential when performing laparoscopic surgeries as the doctors will need excellent coordination to synchronize their hand movements with the display on the screen.
- Empathy – Sensitive and tactful surgeons take their time to explain every detail to their patients so that they can understand the diagnosis and treatment schedule. The hand doctor should assist the patient to accept the need for treatment while at the same time considering the feelings of the patient.
If you are experiencing pain in your hand, fingers, arm or wrists, or if you have any upper-extremity concerns, you may need to consult a hand doctor in Orange County. The doctors are recognized nationally and regionally for their expertise in both surgical and non-surgical treatment of wrist and hand disorders. The fellowship-trained specialist will work to enable you get back to your day to day active life.
