Orthopaedics is a broad speciality – and our skilled surgeons at The Lancaster Hospital cover hand and wrist-related issues, alongside a host of other upper limb conditions and surgeries.
Patients visit the hospital with conditions like arthritis at the base of their thumb, as well as general hand and wrist arthritis, or nervous problems like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Below, we take a look at some of the common conditions people visit our consultant with.
Base of the thumb arthritis
The base of the thumb is one of the most common sites on the body to get arthritis.
Usually caused by osteoarthritis, base of the thumb arthritis occurs between the metacarpal and the trapezium bone.
Symptoms include pain, stiffness, change in appearance in the thumb’s contour, tenderness if you press at the base of the thumb, and difficulty turning keys.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Causing pressure on a nerve in your wrist, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, can result in tingling, pain, or numbness in your fingers and hands. In some cases, you can treat it yourself, but in others, it can take months to improve.
Pins and needles or numbness in the hand or fingers/swelling in the hand or wrist
Pins and needles or numbness of the hand and fingers, or pain – as well as swelling of the hand or wrist – can be markers for most of the arthritis in the hand and wrist.
The Lancaster Hospital can offer keyhole surgery for the conditions outlined above, as well as a host of other upper limb conditions, including tennis elbow.
Amongst the most common complaints seen by our orthopaedics consultant are pain – for example, pain associated with swelling, or pain as a result of loss of feeling or numbness in the hand.
During your consultation with our hand and wrist specialist here at The Lancaster Hospital, a full medical history will be taken. Our consultant will also ask you about your symptoms, including how they may be affecting your day-to-day activities and what is the pressing issue and the underlying issue. For example, in base of the thumb arthritis, patients may lose some function of their hands; they may struggle to open jars, for instance.
The initial consultation process is mainly geared towards deciphering the source of your symptom (or symptoms) in your hand or wrists, which can include pain, weakness or reduced functionality. You should expect to have a thorough clinical evaluation and appropriate imaging, if required.
The best possible treatment option will be considered, ranging from non-operative treatment, physiotherapy, bracing, injection therapy or, in some cases, surgical management.
Medical investigations and treatment in terms of pain management will be offered. Assessing the damage ahead of treating a condition, for example – is also available at The Lancaster Hospital.
Treatment for sports injuries is available, with everything from investigations, such as MRI scans offered.
During your hand and wrist consultation, you may also be asked about any medication you are taking, or any allergies you have. You may also be asked what your job involves – for example, people with hands-on jobs, or those who type a lot on a computer keyboard, basis may be more prone to hand and wrist-related problems.
The first step of your hand and wrist-related recovery may be a paraclinical examination – and our specialist can provide tests on the day of the consultation itself, in most cases.
Taking a full holistic history and performing focused examinations on the areas which need to be treated, X-rays can also be carried out on the same day, with MRI scans arranged at a later date, if needed.
By performing diagnostic tests on the day of the consultation, our team can formulate a treatment package specifically for the patient, to ensure a clear plan of action.
The treatment time at The Lancaster Hospital is much shorter than if the patient was waiting on the NHS to be seen by a specialist.
At The Lancaster Hospital, it is pretty much guaranteed that patients visiting for hand and wrist-related conditions will be seen by a consultant too, with a more personal service. Plus, everything is done in-house.
With regard to orthopaedics generally, the infection rate at The Lancaster Hospital is extremely low, compared to the national average.
Common hand and wrist procedures will require a multi-disciplinary team for full and quick recovery, too. Our patients can be sure of that at The Lancaster Hospital, with our consultants working alongside on-site physiotherapists, as well as nurses and occupational therapists, when it is required.
The Lancaster Hospital is ideally situated close to the city centre and on a reliable bus route. Offering state-of-the-art equipment and great ward facilities, a wide range of consultant-led appointments are available too. You can choose a consultation appointment at a time to suit you and your schedule – and you will always see the same person each time you visit.
At a glance, here are some reasons why you might choose The Lancaster Hospital for your hand and wrist-related condition:
- Shorter waiting times – Patients who visit The Lancaster Hospital can benefit from shorter waiting times.
- Flexible appointments – You can choose an appointment time to suit you and your schedule; in some cases, remote consultations will be offered.
- Consultant-led appointments – Your hand and wrist appointment will be consultant-led, and you will see the same person each time – from your consultation, right through to any treatment needed.
- Patient satisfaction and personalised care –· In an independent survey, 97.3%* of our patients say the quality of care offered was ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. *Results were compiled by independent healthcare agency, Quality Health.
- A convenient, multidisciplinary clinic – Our team within hand and wrist surgery offer a multidisciplinary approach to your healthcare. By working alongside a dedicated team of physiotherapists – all of whom complete hand therapy training – a combined clinic is offered to ensure the best outcome for our patients.
The Lancaster Hospital caters to the whole of Lancashire and Cumbria. Patients might travel from Preston for hand and wrist surgery, while others may visit from Lancaster, Blackburn, Leyland and the surrounding areas.
It's a wide catchment area, with patients visiting from the south too, as well as further up north, from Penrith and Carlisle, all the way up to Barrow-in-Furness.
Other nearby places people visit from include Carnforth, Bolton-le-sands, Morecambe, Heysham, Garstang, Longridge, Fulwood, Bamber bridge and Chorley, amongst many others.
Want to make a hand and wrist appointment with The Lancaster Hospital? You can get in touch with our team by calling 01524 62345.
You can also use our handy online booking system to make your appointment in mere minutes.
