HAND, WRIST & ELBOW
Common causes of hand, wrist, and elbow pain, or reduced mobility, treated at Bridger Orthopedic include:
The hand, wrist, and elbow are intricate structures that work together to provide strength, precision, and range of motion for everyday activities. From lifting and carrying to typing and sports, these joints are constantly in motion and under stress. When pain, stiffness, or injury affects any part of the upper extremity, simple tasks like gripping a cup, turning a doorknob, or getting dressed can quickly become difficult and frustrating.
Our fellowship-trained hand and upper extremity specialists diagnose and treat the full spectrum of hand, wrist, and elbow conditions. Common problems include fractures, sprains, tendon and ligament injuries, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, arthritis, trigger finger, ganglion cysts, and nerve compression or nerve injuries. We offer comprehensive evaluations using advanced imaging and diagnostic techniques to pinpoint the source of your symptoms and design a personalized treatment plan.
Whenever possible, we begin with non-surgical options such as splinting or bracing, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, and hand therapy or occupational therapy to restore function and reduce pain. When surgery is needed, our team provides a full range of modern procedures, including minimally invasive wrist arthroscopy, carpal tunnel release, tendon and nerve repair, ligament reconstruction, fracture fixation, elbow arthroscopy, and joint replacement or joint resurfacing when appropriate. From conservative care to complex reconstruction, our goal is to relieve pain, restore motion, and help you safely return to the work, hobbies, and sports you enjoy.
In the low back, nerves join to form the sciatic nerve, which runs down into the leg and controls the leg muscles. Sciatica is a condition that may cause radiating pain, numbness, tingling, and/or muscle weakness in the leg but originates from nerve root impingement in the lower back. Nerve impingement is most often caused by a herniated disk or spinal stenosis.
Stenosis refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal, usually in the lower back (lumbar) region. This narrowing is often a result of the normal degenerative aging process. It occurs as the disks of cartilage that separate the spine's vertebrae lose water and the space between the vertebrae become smaller, causing friction between the bones. The loss of water in the disks makes them less flexible and unable to act as shock absorbers in the spine. Daily wear and tear on the spine becomes more significant without these shock absorbers.
As the disks degenerate, vertebrae may shift, causing the spinal canal to narrow. In some cases, the nerves that travel through the spinal column to the legs become squeezed. This can cause back and leg pain, and even leg weakness. Arthritis and falls also contribute to the narrowing of the spinal canal, compressing the nerves and nerve roots and causing pain and discomfort.
Degenerative disk disease is a general term applied to back pain that has lasted for more than three months. It is caused by degenerative changes in the intervertebral disks in the spine and can occur anywhere in the spine: low back (lumbar), mid-back (thoracic), or neck (cervical).
Under the age of 30, these disks are normally soft, and they act as cushions for the vertebrae. With age, the material in these lumbar disks becomes less flexible and the disks begin to erode, losing some of their height. As their thickness decreases, their ability to act as a cushion lessens. The less dense cushion now alters the position of the vertebrae and the ligaments that connect them. In some cases, the loss of density can even cause the vertebra to shift their positions. As the vertebrae shift and affect the other bones, the nerves can get caught or pinched and muscle spasms can occur.
Degenerative disk disease is primarily a result of the normal aging process, but it may also occur as a result of trauma, infection, or direct injury to the disk. Heredity and physical fitness may also play a part in the process.
The spinal vertebrae are separated by flexible disks of shock absorbing cartilage. These disks are made of a supple outer layer with a soft jelly-like core (nucleus). If a disk is compressed, so that part of it intrudes into the spinal canal but the outer layer has not been ruptured, it may be referred to as a "bulging" disk. This condition may or may not be painful and is extremely common.
Herniated disks are often referred to as "slipped" or "ruptured" disks. When a disk herniates, the tissue located in the center (nucleus) of the disk is forced outward. Although the disk does not actually "slip," strong pressure on the disk may force a fragment of the nucleus to rupture the outer layer of the disk.
If the disk fragment does not interfere with the spinal nerves, the injury is usually not painful. If the disk fragment moves into the spinal canal and presses against one or more of the spinal nerves, it can cause nerve impingement and pain.
If the injured disk is in the low back, it may produce pain, numbness, or weakness in the lower back, leg, or foot. If the injured disk is in the neck, it may produce pain, numbness, or weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand.
Radiculopathy refers to a condition in which the spinal nerve roots are irritated or compressed. Many people refer to it as having a "pinched nerve." Lumbar nerve impingement indicates that the nerve roots in the lower spine are involved, while cervical radiculopathy is associated with nerve roots in the neck. Nerve impingement is most often caused by a herniated disk or spinal stenosis.
An epidural is a potent steroid injection that helps decrease the inflammation of compressed spinal nerves to relieve pain in the back, neck, arms or legs. Cortisone is injected directly into the spinal canal for pain relief from conditions such as herniated disks, spinal stenosis, or radiculopathy. Some patients may need only one injection, but it usually takes two or three injections, given two weeks apart, to provide significant pain relief.
