Hand Conditions

Conditions affecting the hand and fingers, and how each is assessed and treated.

Conditions we treat

Carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition characterised by symptoms of numbness, pins and needles and sometimes pain affecting the fingers and thumb. The little finger is usually spared. The symptoms are often intermittent, at least at first, and in many cases are worse at night. Activities during the day which involve flexion of the wrist (e.g. driving, holding a telephone, holding a newspaper) can also provoke or exacerbate the symptoms. Occasionally, but not commonly, there is evidence of weakness of muscles at the base of the thumb, which can impair the thumb's ability to oppose against other fingers in the hand.
Cubital tunnel syndrome Cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common "nerve compression syndrome" in the upper limb, after carpal tunnel syndrome. In this case, the ulnar nerve is compressed as it passes behind the medial epicondyle of the elbow (also known as the funny bone) en route from the arm to the forearm.
Dupuytren’s disease and contracture Dupuytren's disease is a common benign condition that mostly affects people of northern European and Scandinavian descent. The disease is characterised by thickening of the palmar fascia, a specialised and intricate network of fibres in the palm of hand that sits just beneath the skin.
Osteoarthritis of the thumb Osteoarthritis refers to a process of degradation and degeneration of the cartilage lining a joint, and subsequent changes in the bone adjacent to that joint. The joint at the base of the thumb, between the thumb metacarpal and the trapezium, is the most commonly affected joint in the hand to be affected by 'wear and tear' or osteoarthritis. This joint is variably named the thumb carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) or the Trapeziometacarpal joint (TMJ). It is unusual in that it is 'saddle-shaped', allowing the versatile range and planes of motion of the thumb ray. Unfortunately this mobility also predisposes the joint to degenerative change. This condition generally affects people over the age of 50, and affects women more often than men.
Rheumatoid arthritis of the hand and wrist Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the synovium (the lining of the joints) that causes symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness. The hands are often significantly affected. It often comes on relatively early in life, in the 30's or 40's, affecting women more frequently than men.
Trigger finger A condition affecting the flexor mechanism of the fingers, characterised by "triggering" of the affected finger(s), and pain. The thumb may also be affected. It is sometimes called "stenosing tenosynovitis".

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Overview

Hand Conditions

Wrist Conditions

Hand Injuries

Wrist Injuries

Hand Conditions

Conditions we treat

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