Hand Specialist

Coastal Empire Orthopedics

Orthopedic Surgeons & Sports Medicine located in Savannah, GA

You take well-functioning hands for granted until they give you problems such as stiffness and pain. At Coastal Empire Orthopedics, board-certified orthopedist Dr. Jonathan Shults and his sports medicine team diagnose and treat a variety of hand conditions that result from dysfunction in the bones or soft tissues. If you’re in the Savannah, Georgia, area, call the office or book an appointment online to have your hand conditions evaluated.

912-221-4098

Hand Q & A

What types of orthopedic conditions affect the hands?

Your hands contain 27 bones. Soft tissue, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments, connects these bones. This complexity makes for great range of motion and dexterity but puts your hands at risk of injury and pain. Orthopedic conditions that affect the hand include:

Carpal tunnel syndrome

This condition occurs when pressure on a nerve in the wrist affects sensation in the hand. You may experience tingling, weakness, pain, and numbness as a result.

Dr. Quervain’s disease

When you have swelling and inflammation of the tendons in the hand and you experience pain and dysfunction, you may be diagnosed with this condition.

Tendon pain

Tendinosis or tendinitis of the hand occurs when you have a series of very small tears in the tissue of the tendons or around the tendon, resulting in decreased strength, movement, pain, and tenderness.

Trigger finger or thumb

This condition is diagnosed when tendons in a finger or thumb thicken and swell, causing serious dysfunction.

Writer’s cramps

You can develop cramps from consistent overuse, often due to writing or typing.

Other repetitive motions can also cause pain and dysfunction in the hand. Coastal Empire Orthopedics can also address issues of the hand such as lacerations, fractures, and arthritis.

What tests diagnose hand conditions?

Coastal Empire Orthopedics offers in-house X-rays and MRIs to help diagnose orthopedic problems of the hand. Physical exams, a thorough medical history, and the team’s experience in dealing with hand issues also inform diagnosis.

What is the treatment for orthopedic hand problems?

Treatment of your hand condition depends on the diagnosis. If you have minor overuse, you may benefit from splinting or ergonomic adjustments of your workspace. Rest and physical therapy can also be successful treatments.

If these minimally invasive strategies fail to offer relief, the doctors at Coastal Empire Orthopedics may offer pain medications, cortisone injections, and surgery. Surgery may free up the nerve causing carpal tunnel pain, for example, or repair bones damaged in a fracture.

To learn more about conditions causing pain and dysfunction in your hands, call Coastal Empire Orthopedics or book an appointment online.

What we offer