Hand and upper extremity care
Orthopedic doctors specializing in hand and upper extremity care diagnose and treat issues related to the hands, wrists, arms, elbows and shoulders. They may provide surgical procedures for bone and joint injuries or non-surgical treatment for conditions like arthritis or tendonitis.
Hand and upper extremity specialists in Virginia
Our highly-skilled orthopedic specialists bring you relief from chronic pain in your fingers, hand and elbow.
You use your hands every day, whether texting a friend, preparing dinner or just brushing your teeth. Persistent discomfort or restricted movement in your fingers, hand or arm can severely limit your everyday life. HCA Virginia Health System's hand and upper extremity centers provide care for conditions that affect everything from your fingertips to your shoulders. Our goal is to work with you to find the answers and solutions you deserve.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Hand and upper extremity orthopedic conditions we treat
The joints, ligaments and muscles in your arm are complex and sometimes very delicate. Our specialists are committed to providing effective care for a wide range of conditions that can affect your hands, arms and elbows, including:
- Bursitis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Contracture of hand tissue
- Deformations of the hand
- Fractures and dislocations
- Ganglion cysts
- Ligament injuries
- Nail bed injuries
- Nerve damage in the hand and arm
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Rotator cuff damage
- Tendon damage
- Tendonitis
- Trigger finger
- Tumors
Our upper extremity treatment options
Our hand-to-shoulder specialists are committed to bringing your quick, accurate answers and the best nonsurgical or surgical treatment options available.
Nonsurgical treatments for the upper extremities
Whenever possible, we use nonsurgical methods to address your specific conditions to make sure that you recover as quickly as possible.
Our noninvasive treatments include:
- Custom splinting to protect, support and correct healing of a variety of conditions affecting the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders
- Injected medicines to reduce pain and swelling
- Nerve stimulation techniques to deliver low-voltage electrical current to relieve pain, as in trans-cutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation to improves function and strength with a certified hand therapist and other professionals experienced in upper extremity conditions
Our arm and hand surgery options
In some cases, surgery can be avoided through medical and physical therapies as well lifestyle changes. Often, though, surgery is the best treatment option. When needed, our orthopedic surgeons use their extensive expertise to address and correct the issue causing you discomfort.
Some of the procedures we frequently perform include:
- Arthroscopy — involves inserting a tube with a tiny camera and a light into the wrist, elbow or shoulder joint to diagnose and repair a variety of conditions affecting the ligaments, bones, cartilage or tendons
- Carpal tunnel surgery — an open or minimally invasive procedure that releases pressure on the compressed median nerve in the wrist
- Closed reduction and fixation — realigns and holds broken bones in place with internal fixtures, such as rods or wires
- Joint replacement — replaces joint surfaces with artificial implants and may use any of a variety of shoulder replacement techniques, depending on your condition
- Ligament and tendon repair and reconstruction — repairs sprains and strains in the fingers, hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders
- Microsurgery — repairs compressed or severed nerves and blood vessels in the hands and wrists, including finger replantation (reattachment)
- Rotator cuff shoulder repair — reattaches the tendon to the upper arm bone after a complete tear, or trims and smooths the tendon and bone after a partial tear
- Tommy John surgery (TJS) — replaces an injured ulnar collateral ligament in the elbow with a tendon taken from another part of the body
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