Our specialty-trained wrist doctors at North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic are experts in providing experienced care for patients’ wrist injuries and conditions.

When a wrist doctor diagnoses a patient, that medical professional uses their specialized skills to determine the source of the wrist pain and how it is uniquely affecting that patient. Next, the wrist doctor draws on their depth and breadth of knowledge to map out a treatment plan that is best suited for the individual in their care. Since the wrist is comprised of many structures, including eight small bones and surrounding tissues, people with wrist issues should seek out a doctor who has expertise in the wrist.

An example of a common issue that wrist doctors treat is a repetitive stress injury known as carpal tunnel syndrome. Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include tingling or numbness in the fingers. People with arthritis also commonly experience wrist pain, and wrist doctors work with them to find relief from their symptoms

A person can have a perfectly healthy wrist one day and fall and catch their fall with their hand and wrist the next day, which often results in hyperextension, or a wrist sprain or fracture. Wrist doctors can expertly treat injuries like this as well.

When It’s Time to Seek Wrist Care

Take note of the symptoms you are experiencing and communicate those to your doctor so they will have a better understanding of what may be happening. Here are just some of the symptoms that people with wrist problems typically have:

• Impaired thumb and finger dexterity
• Instant pain when injured
• Numbness
• Pain that radiates from the wrist to the elbow
• Swelling
• Symptoms are worse at night
• Thumb pain that extends into the wrist area
• Tingling
• Unable to move the fingers without pain
• Unable to rotate the wrist
• Wrist appears unstable
• You can feel a lump on your wrist

If any of these symptoms describe your issue, it’s possible that you may have one of these wrist conditions or injuries:

• Carpal hyperextension injury
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• De Quervain’s syndrome
• Ganglion cyst
• Gout
• Kienbock’s disease
• Nerve or tendon damage
• Osteoarthritis
• Tendonitis
• Wrist fracture

Wrist pain can have a negative effect on your life, leaving you unable to complete everyday tasks. If the pain and underlying condition remain untreated, there is a risk of further injury or damage occurring, which is why it’s imperative to contact one of our wrist specialists and set up a consultation.