How Smoking Can Affect Your Hands

Mar 15,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Due to the chemical nicotine – which is present in cigarettes, cigars and pipes – smoking can affect many parts of the body other than the lungs. This includes the hands and upper extremities. First, nicotine can make existing hand conditions worse. Two examples of this are:

Broken bones: A broken bone (fracture) can have more trouble healing in people who smoke. If you break your hand, wrist or arm, the fracture may not even heal.
Dupuytren’s Contracture: This is a common condition that causes fingers to permanently bend into the palm, making it impossible to straighten the fingers. It may be more common in smokers.

Hand Hand Surgeon Hand Surgery

Best Hand Surgeons in the U.S.

Mar 8,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) includes a membership of more than 3,800 prestigious hand surgeons in the United States and around the world. Hand surgeon members of ASSH are required to meet rigorous standards. They are required to:

Pass the Certification in the Subspecialty of Surgery of the Hand, a difficult exam that tests their hand surgery knowledge
Be certified in general, orthopaedic or plastic surgery by their Board
Be of high moral, ethical and professional standing
Have made worthwhile contributions in areas of hand surgery

Video: Wide Awake Surgery

Dec 26,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

During wide awake surgery, rather than being put asleep, you are only numbed in the area of the body on which surgery is being performed. You will be awake during the procedure. But, don’t worry, you won’t be able to see the procedure being performed. There will be a blue sheet blocking your view. For example, if you are having a hand surgery, only your hand/arm will be numbed. This procedure is fully sterile as a normal surgery is.

Watch our short, 3-minute video above to hear from a surgeon and patient about wide awake surgery. Or, keep reading to learn about the benefits of wide awake surgery.

9 Things You Need to Know About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Dec 21,2017 / By The Hand Society / 1 Comment

from SELF

Think of carpal tunnel syndrome as pins and needles on steroids. This health condition can cause persistent numbness, tingling, and burning in your fingers, wrists, and even your arms. Luckily, carpal tunnel treatment is precise enough that it has the potential to completely resolve the problem that fuels this syndrome in the first place. So here’s everything you need to know about carpal tunnel syndrome, including how to treat it if you’re experiencing symptoms.

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome all comes down to a single nerve.

The median nerve, which runs from your forearm into your thumb, index, and middle fingers, along with part of your ring finger, is nestled inside a canal known as the carpal tunnel. “When the median nerve doesn’t get enough blood flow, it makes your hand hurt and feel like it’s tingling and numb,” Leon S. Benson, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with the Illinois Bone and Joint Institutewho specializes in elbow, hand, and shoulder issues, tells SELF.

Read the full story.

Hand Hand Surgery Replantation

What is Replantation?

Nov 17,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Replantation is a procedure during which a surgeon will reattach a finger, hand or arm that has been completely cut from a person’s body. Replantation, however, isn’t always an option. A surgeon will only perform this procedure if the limb is still expected to function without pain. Sometimes, the body part is too damaged to perform a replant.

This procedure takes a number of hours to complete. The steps include:

Step 1: Damaged tissue is carefully removed.
Step 2: Bone ends are shortened and rejoined with pins, wires, or plates and screws. This holds the part in place to allow the rest of the tissues to be restored.
Step 3: Muscles, tendons, arteries, nerves and veins are then repaired. Sometimes grafts or artificial spacers of bone, skin, tendons and blood vessels may be needed, too. The grafts can be from your own body or from a tissue bank.

Giving Back Hand Surgery

Random Fact: Giving Back

Nov 17,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Did you know? Studies have shown that giving to others actually increases our health. Learn about how you can help adults and children who need life-changing hand surgeries around the world by visiting www.TouchingHandsProject.org.

Hand Hand Surgeon Hand Surgery

Find a Hand Surgeon Near You

Jul 16,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Need a hand surgeon? We have more than 3,000 for you in the Find a Hand Surgeon tool by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). Our tool, powered by Google Maps, allows you to search by city, state, zip code or doctor all around the world.

Here’s what else you should know about our tool:

Our database is limited to surgeon members of ASSH, which means they’ve completed a rigorous application process, demonstrating high moral, ethical and professional standing in hand surgery.
All of the surgeons in our database are either board-certified or on track to become board-certified.
Our tool will provide you with a photo, office address, website and phone number of each surgeon.
You can pinpoint each surgeon on our map, powered by Google.

Search for a hand surgeon today. Learn more about hand surgery and what a hand surgeon does by visiting www.HandCare.org, the patient site from ASSH.

Hand Hand Surgery Hand Therapy

What is a Hand Therapist?

Jun 5,2017 / By the American Society of Hand Therapists / No Comment

I have been told to see a hand therapist, but am unsure what that means. Who provides “hand therapy”?

A hand therapist is an occupational therapist (OT) or physical therapist (PT) who has specific training and expertise in treating hand and arm conditions. Typically, this person has spent many additional years gaining expertise with hand and arm injuries and treatment. When an OT or PT has reached this higher level of experience, they often become a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT).

So I can see anyone that is a PT, OT or CHT to take care of my problem?

You will want to ensure that the therapist you see, whether it is an OT or a PT, is qualified to treat your condition. If they are a CHT, it means they have had extra training and passed a rigorous exam to demonstrate their skill. If they are an OT or a PT, they may still treat hand and arm conditions, but you should ask questions to ensure they have spent extra time after their formal education learning about the hand and arm. To find a hand therapist near you, click here.

Category : Hand Surgery

Did you know? Studies have shown that giving to others actually increases our health. Learn about how you can help adults and children who need life-changing hand surgeries around the world by visiting www.TouchingHandsProject.org.