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Summary
No matter how old you are or what you do for a living, you are always using your hands. When there is something wrong with them, you may not be able to do your regular activities.
Hand problems include :
- Carpal tunnel syndrome - compression of a nerve as it goes through the wrist, often making your fingers feel numb
- Injuries that result in fractures (broken bones), ruptured ligaments and dislocations
- Osteoarthritis - wear-and-tear arthritis, which can also cause deformity
- Tendinitis - irritation of the tendons
- Disorders and injuries of your fingers and thumb
Diagnosis and Tests
-
Bone X-Ray (Radiography)
(American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
- Hand/Wrist/Arm Problems (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
- Stiff Hands (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- X-Ray Exam: Hand (Nemours Foundation)
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Hand Safety (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
Treatments and Therapies
- About Hand Surgery (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Amputation: Prosthetic Hand and Fingers (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Dislocation: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Hand splint - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hand Surgery Anesthesia (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Tendon Transfer Surgery (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
Living With
- Unique Role of Occupational Therapy in Rehabilitation of the Hand (American Occupational Therapy Association) - PDF
Specifics
- Arthritis of the Hand (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
- Broken Hand (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Cold Hands (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
- Ganglion Cyst (American Society for Surgery of the Hand) Also in Spanish
- Hand Infection (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Itchy Hands or Feet (VisualDX)
- MCP Joint Arthritis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Musician's Dystonia (Dystonia Medical Research Foundation)
- Osteoarthritis of the Hand (American Society for Surgery of the Hand) Also in Spanish
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Skin Cancer of the Hand and Upper Extremity (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- Vascular Disease (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
Genetics
-
Baller-Gerold syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Duane-radial ray syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Feingold syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Hand-foot-genital syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Holt-Oram syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Oral-facial-digital syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Pallister-Hall syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Poland syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
RAPADILINO syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Timothy syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
-
Townes-Brocks Syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics
(National Library of Medicine)
Images
- Systemic Disease (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Hand Injuries
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: A comparative study on the clinical efficacy of microplate trans-carpometacarpal joint...
- Article: Biomechanical study of the fixation ability of the dorsal and volar...
- Article: Study on the prevention and nursing intervention of infection after flap...
- Hand Injuries and Disorders -- see more articles
Reference Desk
- Hand Anatomy (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
Find an Expert
- American Society for Surgery of the Hand
- Find a Hand Surgeon (American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Also in Spanish
-
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Brachial plexopathy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Claw hand (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dupuytrens contracture (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hand fracture - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hand or foot spasms (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Hand x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Radial nerve dysfunction (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Ulnar nerve dysfunction (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish