Area residents who may be suffering from joint pain or discomfort in their hands are invited to receive free hand and wrist screenings on Monday, September 9, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., in Outpatient Therapy Services at Saint Clare's Professional Building, 815 East Fifth Street.
Saint Anthony's therapy professionals will assess joint pain, answer questions about activity and exercise, and if needed, recommend options for further diagnosis or treatment.
"Wrist and hand pain are extremely common complaints, and there are many common causes of this problem," said Kelly Bogowith, PT, DPT, CSCS, Clinical Lead Therapist. "It is important to make an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause.
Tendonitis is a common problem that can cause wrist pain and swelling. Wrist tendonitis is due to inflammation of the tendon sheath.
Another issue causing wrist and hand problems is carpal tunnel syndrome, which results from dysfunction of one of the nerves in the wrist. With carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve is compressed, or pinched off, as it passes through the wrist joint. "Wrist sprains are also common injuries to the ligaments around the wrist joint that can cause problems by limiting the use of the hands," she adds.
If an individual is unsure of the cause of wrist pain, or does not know the specific treatment recommendations for the condition, he or she should seek medical attention. Treatment of these conditions must be directed at the specific cause of the problem.
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Some signs that an individual should be seen by a doctor include:
- inability to carry objects or use the arm
- injury that causes deformity of the joint
- wrist pain that occurs at night or while resting
- wrist pain that persists beyond a few days
- inability to straighten or flex the joint
- swelling or significant bruising around the joint or forearm
- signs of an infection, including fever, redness, warmth
- any other unusual symptoms
To make an appointment for the free screening, please call 618-465-2264.
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