Hand Doctor in Santa Ana

How can you know for sure that you have developed an illness or suffered an injury to one your hands, however? You can decide to make an appointment with a hand doctor in Santa Ana by learning what symptoms merit immediate medical attention and proper treatment.

Pain and Numbness

Pain and numbness in your hands could signal that you are suffering from an illness or injury that should be treated right away. These symptoms often accompany osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, two illnesses that commonly afflict sufferers' hands.

However, the pain and numbness may also be the result of carpal tunnel syndrome, a progressive injury that affects about three percent of the population most notably people who frequently use their hands to type, write, or carry out other routine tasks. Other symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:

• Burning sensation in the fingers
• Tingling
• Itchy sensations
• Swelling
• Stiffness in the upper to middle fingers

If you experience pain, numbness, or any of these other symptoms, you should make an appointment with a skilled hand doctor in Santa Ana today. Your physician can perform minor surgery or administer other treatments that can give you back the normal range of motion in your hand and relieve the pain and numbness that impede your normal routine.

Lumps and Bumps

It is normal for people to be able to feel their bones and tendons under the skin of their hands. However, if you feel bumps or lumps anywhere on top of your hand or fingers or in your wrist or palm, you should immediately call a hand doctor in Santa Ana for an evaluation.

These lumps and bumps could actually be ganglion cysts, which are benign growths on a tendon or in a joint. The cysts are balls of fluid that develop when there is a small tear in the tendon or joint tissue. The cysts are not overly dangerous; however, they can become painful and limit your ability to use your hands normally.

Surgery is the most recommended treatment for ganglion cysts in a patient's hands. The surgery can typically be done on an outpatient business. The recovery time is likewise short, allowing you to resume your normal routine quickly.

Fractures and Dislocations

Finally, you should seek out the care of an experienced hand doctor if you fracture or dislocate any of the bones in your hand. Some people mistake a dislocation for a sprain or strain. The symptoms of a dislocation in your hand can include:

• Swelling
• Misshapen appearance
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Intense pain
• Limited to no mobility in your hand or fingers

A skilled hand doctor in Santa Ana can manipulate the dislocated bones back into place and perform surgery to stabilize the area if needed.

Likewise, if you fracture a bone in your hand, it is crucial that you remain under your hand doctor's care until the break is fully healed. If you stop your treatment prematurely, you could jeopardize the bone's ability to heal itself. The injury could become infected, and you could lose some or all of your normal range of motion in your hand.