Conditions · Hand, wrist and elbow

More hand, wrist and elbow conditions, continued

A serious hand or arm injury that needs more than a cast.

Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Compression of the median nerve at the wrist, causing numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers, worst at night.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Trigger Finger

A finger or thumb that catches, clicks or locks in a bent position because the tendon no longer glides smoothly through its pulley.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Thumb Arthritis

Arthritis at the base of the thumb, the carpometacarpal joint, causing pain with pinching, gripping and twisting that makes jars, keys and doorknobs a daily obstacle.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Hand and Finger Fractures

Breaks of the finger bones and the long bones of the hand, from falls, punches, ball sports and crush injuries. Most heal with splinting; some need pins or plates to keep the fingers straight.

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Elbow · Hand and Upper Extremity

Cubital Tunnel Syndrome

Compression or irritation of the ulnar nerve behind the elbow, the funny bone, causing numbness in the ring and small fingers and, over time, hand weakness.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

De Quervain Tenosynovitis

Inflammation of the two tendons that run along the thumb side of the wrist, causing sharp pain with lifting, gripping and turning the wrist.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Dupuytren Contracture

A thickening of the tissue under the skin of the palm into nodules and cords that slowly pull the fingers toward the palm until the hand will not lie flat.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Ganglion Cysts

A benign fluid-filled lump that balloons from a joint or tendon sheath, most often on the back of the wrist, that can ache, change size or press on a nerve.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Hand and Wrist Osteoarthritis

Wear of the cartilage in the small joints of the fingers and wrist, causing stiffness, swelling, bony knuckle enlargement and pain with gripping.

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Elbow · Hand and Upper Extremity

Distal Biceps Rupture

A tear of the biceps tendon from the bone at the elbow, with a pop, bruising, a bunched-up muscle and lost strength turning the palm up. Time-sensitive.

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Hand and Wrist · Hand and Upper Extremity

Scaphoid Fracture

A break in the small wrist bone below the thumb, often mistaken for a sprain, that heals poorly because of its blood supply and leads to arthritis if missed.

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What it is

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The median nerve passes through a tight tunnel at the wrist alongside nine tendons.

When pressure in the tunnel rises, the nerve loses blood flow and misfires. Left alone for years, the nerve can be permanently damaged.It is the most common nerve compression in the body.

Treated by

M. Shane Frazier, DO, Hand and Upper Extremity surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists

Dr. FrazierHand and Upper Extremity

Toby Johnson, MD, Hand and Upper Extremity surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists

Dr. JohnsonHand and Upper Extremity

Travis Peterson, DO, Hand and Upper Extremity surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists

Dr. PetersonHand and Upper Extremity

Request an appointment

or call801-640-0000

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Symptoms

Numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers and half of the ring finger.Waking at night and shaking the hand out. Symptoms while driving, holding a phone or reading. Dropping things.

Weakness of pinch and wasting of the muscle at the base of the thumb mark advanced compression.

Common signs

Numb thumb, index, middle fingers

Waking at night to shake it out

Tingling driving or on the phone

Dropping things

See us sooner if

Constant numbness

Thumb muscle wasting

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Causes

Anything that narrows the tunnel or swells its contents: wrist position during sleep and work, fluid retention in pregnancy, hypothyroidism, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, prior wrist fracture, and simple anatomy.Typing alone is a weaker cause than commonly believed; forceful repetitive gripping and vibration are stronger ones.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

How We Diagnose It

The history is often diagnostic.Exam tests sensation, thumb strength and provocative positions. Nerve conduction studies measure how slowly the nerve conducts across the wrist and grade severity.Neck problems can mimic carpal tunnel and are checked for.Nerve studies are done locally; release, including wide-awake office release, can usually be scheduled within weeks. Dr. Frazier, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Peterson operate at Utah Valley Hospital and Orem Community Hospital.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Treatment Options

Night splinting with the wrist straight and activity changes resolve mild cases.

A corticosteroid injection relieves symptoms for months and confirms the diagnosis.Persistent symptoms, constant numbness or weakness are treated with carpal tunnel release. Dr. Peterson offers it wide awake in the office.

Your options

Non-surgical

Night splint

Activity changes

Injection

Surgical

Carpal tunnel release

Wide-awake release

Carpal Tunnel Release

Wide-Awake Carpal Tunnel

Cubital Tunnel Release

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Procedures That Address It

Carpal Tunnel Release

Wide-Awake Carpal Tunnel Release

Cubital Tunnel Release

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Surgeons Who Treat It

Dr. Frazier, DO

Fellowship trained in hand and upper extremity surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. Seventeen years in practice. Fluent in Spanish.

Dr. Johnson, MD

Weill Cornell graduate, hand fellowship at Allegheny General. Twenty-one years in practice and seventeen as a collegiate team physician.

Dr. Peterson, DO

Hand surgery fellowship at UMass Chan. Office-based, wide-awake carpal tunnel release. Fifteen years in practice. Speaks German.

Request an appointment

or call801-640-0000

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Two clinics, one number to call or text. Same-day appointments for acute injuries whenever we can. The front desk will match you with the right surgeon.

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Provo1055 N 300 W, Ste 104

Orem700 W 800 N, Ste 330

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