Hand Surgery Services and Procedures
Your hands, fingers, and wrists sustain a lot of stress throughout each day and over your lifetime. This leaves them at high risk of sustaining injuries and developing joint problems. Our Omaha, NE hand specialist, Doctor Bruce Watkins, offers a wide range of services and procedures meant to alleviate pain and discomfort while increasing strength and mobility.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal tunnel is a pathway in the wrist that the median nerve passes through. Carpal tunnel syndrome refers to a condition where the median nerve is compressed inside this pathway, cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the wrist, hand, and fingers. Our carpal tunnel specialist in Omaha can help relieve your pain and discomfort through physical therapy, exercises, and surgery.
Consult Our Omaha Hand Specialist for These Symptoms
- Numbness in the hand or fingers
- Tingling in the hand or fingers
- Pain in the wrist
- Limited wrist mobility
- Reduced tensile strength
- Waking up and feeling numbness
How Our Omaha Wrist Specialist Can Help
Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel:
The first step in getting help from an orthopedic hand specialist is receiving a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. This is often done with a simple physical examination and a discussion of the patient’s medical history and symptoms. However, there are cases where a nerve conduction study is needed. If this is the case, we will walk you through the process.
Treatment Options for Carpal Tunnel:
Our hand and wrist doctor prefers to start with conservative methods of treatment. This means making certain adjustments (for example, purchasing an ergonomic keyboard and better desk chair), wearing splints for a short while, using anti-inflammatory medications, and engaging in physical therapy.
Surgical intervention, though highly effective, is generally considered a last resort. Our hand surgery specialist in Omaha, NE, can perform carpal tunnel release with an open surgical field or endoscopically. Depending on the circumstances, this procedure can be done under full anesthesia, sedation, or with just local anesthetic.
Open carpal tunnel release allows for better visualization and the ability to address more complex issues that might not be discovered until the surgery is underway. However, it means a larger incision and eventual scar and requires more aftercare. An endoscopic approach means less pain and faster healing but it does place more limits on the orthopedic hand surgeon. At our practice, we strive to provide the best possible care for all of our patients. We take an integrative approach that includes customized treatment plans for chronic issues like neck pain,back pain and much more tailored specifically towards you and your needs with the goal being getting rid unnecessary suffering as quickly and efficiently possible!
Sometimes, carpal tunnel surgery doesn’t work out so well the first time around, and in other cases, additional repetitive strain injuries can develop. In these situations, our hand surgeon must perform revision surgery. This is done under general anesthesia and covers corrections such as scar tissue removal while also protecting the nerves with a collagen wrap.
FAQs About Hand Surgery Services & Procedures in Omaha
What are common reasons for carpal tunnel surgery?
What happens after hand surgery?
Are men and women equally at risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome?
How long is recovery likely to last after hand and wrist surgery?
This is highly individual. Some people are fully recovered after about 4 weeks, while others take months to feel fully recovered. Our hand and wrist specialist will support you throughout your recovery and ensure that all goes well.
