Hand & wrist surgery in Droitwich

Your hands and wrists are incredibly complex parts of your body. Each hand alone contains 27 bones as well as numerous muscles, nerves, tendons and ligaments.

Together, your hands and wrists carry out a wide range of movements and actions each and every day. Whether you’re washing the dishes or typing a text message on your phone, buttoning a shirt or brushing your teeth, your hands and wrists make each of these activities and functions possible. 

As a result, anything that causes pain or stiffness in them can have a significant effect on your daily life. You may find yourself no longer able to take part in your favourite sport. Perhaps you’re struggling to lift the food shopping in from the car. Even the simplest of tasks can become a struggle when it causes pain, stiffness or discomfort.

If you’re struggling with pain, stiffness or numbness in your hands or wrists, you’ll be relieved to know that good treatments are available for a wide range of conditions. We can provide you with rapid access to an experienced Consultant Hand & Wrist Surgeon, for thorough assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

Given the complexity of the hands and wrists, it’s no surprise that issues can easily arise.

Common reasons people visit with our Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeons include:

Pain in the hands and wrists - this may be the result of an injury, or the result of natural wear and tear in the joints as we age.

Numbness and/or pins & needles in the fingers, 

• Nerve-type pain,  
• Deformities, such as a finger becoming curled over or bent unnaturally. 
• Pain in the base of thumb, 
• A lump or bump in the hands or wrists. 

There are a number of conditions that may cause these symptoms, including:

Osteoarthritis – tends to affect the wrist, fingers and thumb. Pain and/or stiffness becomes worse over time as the disease progresses.

Carpal tunnel syndrome – results from one of three main nerves in your hands and arms (the median nerve) being pinched or compressed. This causes weakness, a tingling sensation and sometimes pain in the wrist and hand.

Ganglion – A swelling in the hand or wrist, caused by a build-up of fluid.

Trigger Finger – a finger curls into a ‘trigger finger’ position. This occurs as a result of inflammation in a tendon, which causes it to lock in position. 

Dupuytren’s Contracture (also known as Dupuytren’s disease) - a thickening of the layer that sits just under the skin, causing nodules to form. These may be painful. Over time, it causes the fingers to curl and fix in a bent position.  

Here at The Droitwich Spa Hospital, we can help get you out of pain and back to using your hand and wrist free of pain of stiffness. Your consultation can be done at a time convenient to you either over secure video or in person at the hospital. 

When you meet with your Consultant, they’ll talk with you about your symptoms and when they first started. They’ll take a medical history and ask you some further questions such as:  

• Have your symptoms been getting worse over time? 
• If you have pain, what is it like? (For example, is it painful only when you move the hand and wrist, or is it a more of a nerve pain?) 
• Is any pain in one specific place or is it spreading up the arm? 
• Whether there was an obvious trigger for the problem, such as an injury to the hands?

They will carry out a physical examination of your hand and wrist and ask you to perform some simple movements. This helps them assess the extent of the problem and what movements and actions cause you difficulties.   

Where needed, additional tests may be needed to help with diagnosis. Often, this will be an X-ray of your hand and wrist as this can help visualise or exclude any abnormalities in the bones. Additional scans like MRI and ultrasound can be helpful to see problems with tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves. Any of these can be easily arranged for you here on-site should you require them. 

Once a diagnosis has been made, your Consultant will talk you through any suitable treatment options. These may include: 

• Rest,  
• Pain relief medication, 
• Steroid injection,  
• Physiotherapy,
• Surgery.    

It’s important to know that surgery is not always needed. Many hand and wrist problems will resolve naturally over time or can be managed well using non-surgical (conservative) treatments.  

If surgery is needed, your Consultant will explain how the operation will be done, the benefits you should expect to see as a result of the surgery, and any potential risks you ned to be aware of.  

One of the most important factors in ensuring optimal recovery from any hand and wrist injury is Physiotherapy support as well as access to an experienced Hand Therapist. Here at The Droitwich Spa Hospital we have a superb Physiotherapy team and an excellent Hand Therapist, who will work closely with you as you recover and regain function and movement in your hand and wrist. They will structure a personalised rehabilitation programme for you, to help safely improve your strength and range of movement. 

Many people tell us that having this expert input throughout their recovery gave them real peace of mind, as they knew they weren’t being left to figure things out by themselves.  

When you choose to visit us for your Hand and Wrist treatment, you’ll benefit from:

Fast access to experts – A problem with your hand or wrist can significantly affect the quality of life.  We can help you see a Consultant Surgeon quickly, which means that you’ll soon be on the road to recovery sooner.

Patient Satisfaction – In an independent survey, 97.7% of people we treated said they were likely or highly likely to recommend us to their friends and family. We aim to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible, and these results highlight our continued efforts to ensure this is achieved.

Convenient appointments – With appointments available throughout the week, you’ll be able to find an appointment slot that suits your needs and availability.

Free Parking – Parking should be the least of your worries when attending hospital. Register your details with us at reception when you first arrive and your parking will be free.

If you have been suffering from significant hand and/or wrist pain, why not get in touch with us today to book a consultation? Our Consultants can organise the necessary diagnostic tests to investigate your symptoms, and outline all treatment options for you promptly, arranging any further scans or surgery if required.