Hand and Upper Extremity

Your hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders are essential tools that allow you to work, play and perform everyday activities. In fact, how well the hands, wrists, arms and shoulders interact depends upon the integrity and function of the related ligaments, tendons, muscles, joints and bones. Problems in any of these can affect upper extremity function - from the fingertips to the shoulder blades - causing major disruptions at home and at work and negatively impacting quality of life.

BayCare Health System's Hand and Upper Extremity Orthopedic Teams provide specialized care for the hand, wrist and elbow.  Our areas of expertise include:

• Injuries or diseases of the bones, joints, nerves, tendons
• Congenital abnormalities
• Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Work-related injuries
• Wound management

Following evaluation, our patients receive comprehensive care plans designed to eliminate pain, improve range of motion as well as strength, and restore function of the hand and arm.

Non-surgical treatments include:

• Heat, ultrasound, paraffin and cryotherapy (application of extreme cold)
• Resting the joint by avoiding any movement that causes pain. Occasionally, the joint may need to be immobilized.
• Whirlpool treatment
• Medications to control pain and inflammation. Cortisone, an anti-inflammatory medication, may be injected directly into the affected joint. Cortisone can be an extremely effective medication for inflammation and pain relief.
• An individualized rehabilitation program for pre- and post-operative patients

If other treatments have not proven effective, surgery may be an option. Our highly qualified surgical teams have helped hundreds of patients with serious joint injuries to get back to normal daily activities.

For more information or a physician referral, call (855) 546-6297 or find a doctor near you.