Wrist Doctor in Anchorage, Alaska

Having wrist pain from arthritis, a sports injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, or another issue can have wide-ranging effects at home, work, and elsewhere. The good news is that a doctor who specializes in wrist care can offer you a diagnosis, provide a customized treatment plan, and ultimately, help you recover.

When you visit with a wrist specialist, the first step will be a thorough examination. This will allow the doctor to determine what’s causing your wrist pain or limited wrist function. In some cases, imaging, such as X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may also be needed.

Wrist specialists treat a wide range of both complex and common conditions, including:

• Arthritis
• Broken distal radius (forearm)
• Carpal tunnel or cubital tunnel syndrome
• Cyst or tumor, including ganglion cyst
• Dislocation
• Fracture
• Nerve injury, including a pinched nerve
• Other forms of hand injury
• Sports injury
• Sprain
• Tennis elbow or other elbow condition
• Torn ligament or tendon
• Trigger finger
• Wrist tendonitis

After diagnosis, you and your wrist doctor can talk together about treatment options. Wrist ailments are treated in a number of ways – sometimes through nonoperative means, sometimes through wrist surgery – and your doctor will counsel you on the best course of action.

When it comes to nonsurgical treatment options, our doctors might recommend medication, simple stretches, the use of heat and/or ice, compression, wearing a splint or brace, or even seeing a physical therapist. Our specialists strive to pursue nonsurgical forms of orthopedic care for our patients before recommending surgery.

If you do require hand surgery or wrist surgery, our fellowship-trained surgeons can perform the procedure you need, using the latest techniques to allow for the smoothest recovery and optimal range of motion. Additionally, our hand surgeons and other specialists can perform microsurgery, arthroscopy, and a number of minimally invasive surgical procedures to return strength and function to your wrist joint.

As part of your recovery, you may require hand therapy or physical therapy to expedite the healing process, which we offer as part of our comprehensive spectrum of care in addition to durable medical equipment.

When You Should Seek Treatment for Your Wrist Condition

A fleeting pain that lasts for only a day or two may be nothing, but if you have more serious symptoms, we urge you to visit our practice so that we can diagnose and treat you. Some signs indicating you should pursue treatment include:

• Discomfort that does not respond to ice, heat, or compression that is made worse by these home remedies
• Limited mobility that keeps you from your responsibilities at home or at work
• Pain that is recurring
• Pain that lasts for more than a couple of days
• Tingling or numbness that emanates from your wrist or from your elbow

Additionally, if your wrist is injured in any kind of traumatic accident, whether a car accident or something sports-related, we’d recommend seeing a wrist or hand surgeon right away to rule out a fracture.