SERVICES

GENERAL UPPER LIMB CONDITIONS

 
 
What are general upper limb conditions?

Any illness involving the arms, hands, fingers, shoulders, and neck is an upper limb condition. Acute injuries like fractures or dislocations and chronic disorders like arthritis or tendonitis fall under this category. Carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, rotator cuff tears, osteoarthritis, and ganglion cysts are a few of the most prevalent disorders affecting the upper limb.

What causes upper limb conditions?

Upper limb conditions can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

  • Ageing
  • Hereditary factors
  • Inflammation
  • Injury
  • Overuse
  • Underlying medical conditions
surgical-orthopaedic-conditions-treated

REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT

parallax background
 
Types of general upper limb conditions

Dr Oosthuysen treats an array of general upper limb conditions, including:

  • Arthritis develops from joint inflammation in the upper limb that causes discomfort, stiffness, and decreased mobility.
  • Basal thumb osteoarthritis - The cartilage at the base of the thumb joint begins to wear down, which leads to basal joint arthritis.
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome - Hand and finger tingling, numbness, and discomfort can be caused by compression of a nerve in the wrist.
  • Fractures- Broken bones in the upper limb are frequently brought on by injury or misuse.
  • A Ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled bump that develops on the wrist, limiting movement and causing discomfort.
  • Osteoarthritisis a degenerative joint disorder that affects mobility and causes discomfort, stiffness, and inflammation.
  • A shoulder dislocation causes soreness and instability due to the upper arm bone's displacement from the shoulder blade.
  • Tendinitis causes tendon inflammation that leads to pain and limb weakening in the affected area.
  • Tennis elbow - Overuse of the tendons and muscles in the forearm results in elbow pain and swelling.
  • Trigger finger - When the pulleys that assist in bending your fingers get too thick, it can cause a trigger finger, which causes pain and a popping or catching sensation.
General upper limb condition treatments

Treatment options for upper limb conditions vary depending on the specific condition and may include the following:

  • Injections
  • Medication
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Splinting and bracing
  • Surgery
Surgery for upper limb conditions

Surgery may be recommended as a treatment option for some upper limb conditions. Some common types of upper limb surgeries that Dr Oosthuysen offers include:

  • Carpal tunnel release is a treatment to surgically relieve pressure on the wrist's median nerve, a prominent source of carpal tunnel syndrome.
  • Tennis elbow surgery is a surgical treatment that eliminates diseased tissue from the forearm and elbow, a primary cause of tennis elbow.
  • Trigger finger release is a surgical treatment to relieve strain on the finger's tendons, which can make moving the finger painful and noisy.
 
1How long do upper limb surgeries take?
While more sophisticated treatments can take many hours, some routine upper limb surgeries can be completed in as little as 30 minutes.
2How long does recovery from surgery on an upper limb take?
Patients typically anticipate a few weeks or many months of recovery following upper limb surgery.
3Is upper limb surgery painful?
Most procedures on the upper limbs are often carried out under general anaesthesia, which renders the patient unconscious and painless throughout the process. Patients may feel pain, swelling, and stiffness in the surgically repaired limb, but these side effects are typically manageable with painkillers and physical therapy.
 
VIEW ALL FAQ
REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT