What to Expect During Your Orthopedic Appointment
Even minor hand or wrist pain can greatly affect your quality of life.
Think about it: you use your hand and wrist for virtually every action throughout the day. That applies to small things like brushing your teeth to more complex actions such as driving a car and cooking. You can see why dealing with something like hand or wrist pain might be a bit of a nuisance. When you feel it – you feel it in everything.
So, what are the possible solutions?
How exactly does one combat the discomfort of hand and wrist pain?
Fortunately, orthopedic doctors are specially trained to help patients overcome hand and wrist pain by getting to the root cause of the issue. Their ability to diagnose pain and devise a comprehensive treatment plan makes orthopedic doctors uniquely qualified to help patients with pain and wrist problems. This process usually breaks down into four main steps.
Step #1 – Getting Your Diagnosis
The typical first step to overcoming hand and wrist pain is by getting a diagnosis from an orthopedic doctor. During your first appointment, your orthopedic doctor will gather a detailed medical history in addition to performing an examination. Depending on your specific condition, your orthopedic doctor might even order an MRI or x-rays.
The end goal is to discover the root cause of your hand and wrist pain so that a personalized treatment plan can be developed for you.
Step #2 – Wave One of the Treatments (Non-Surgical)
Treatments for your hand and wrist pain will vary depending on your specific condition. Having said that, most orthopedic doctors start with non-aggressive treatments. If indeed you need surgery, this will be performed as a last resort.
At-home treatments of hand and wrist pain include getting plenty of rest, heat/ice therapy, and over-the-counter pain medications. Other methods that may be helpful include the usage of hand and wrist splints, acupuncture therapy, and hand therapy.
In some cases, your orthopedic doctor may suggest prescription pain medications and the use of cortisone injections to help with inflammation. These are usually only suggested in cases where prior treatment methods have failed.
Step #3 – Wave Two of Treatments (Surgical)
In the event all prior methods of treatment have not proven beneficial, your orthopedic doctor may suggest surgery as a permanent way of resolving your pain symptoms. It’s important to know that your orthopedic doctor will try to go with the surgery that involves the least amount of pain and recovery time. This is referred to as minimally invasive surgery. It uses a small incision along with small and precise instruments to perform the procedure.
However, there are some cases in which invasive surgery may be required. Some examples include complicated fractures or when a realignment of a bone is required. If that’s the case, your orthopedic doctor will give you a detailed recovery plan to minimize your discomfort while you heal.
Step #4 – Recovery
In the same way that treatment is different for every patient, so too is the recovery plan. If you are one of the few that require invasive surgery, you should expect to be in recovery for several months. Your orthopedic doctor will likely prescribe you medication to deal with the pain in addition to setting you up with a physical therapist.
The healing process can be tricky sometimes, so physical therapy is a great way for patients to regain their mobility in a safe and supportive environment. With issues involving the hand and wrist, it’s important not to jump right back into your normal everyday routine. Attempting to handle too much weight or bending your wrist in a way it’s not equipped to handle could hinder your recovery.
Making an Appointment with an Orthopedic Doctor
You now know what orthopedic doctors do. The question you may be asking yourself is “when is the right time to make an appointment?”
If you are experiencing hand and wrist pain and typical at-home treatment methods have failed, it’s probably a good idea to make an appointment. This gives you the opportunity to have the area looked at by a professional so that they can get to the root cause of the issue. Your orthopedic doctor will then give you a detailed treatment plan to help overcome your symptoms.
In the event that your hand and wrist situation cannot be resolved, your orthopedic doctor will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for a more aggressive form of treatment.
