Hand & Arm Care

Pain and numbness in the wrist and fingers may be due to carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel runs along the palm side of you hand and wrist. This condition occurs when the median nerve inside the tunnel become compressed due to overuse or repetitive motion.

Over 3 million cases are diagnosed in the United States each year. Most patients get relief and healing through physical therapy, wrist splinting, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or pain relief injections. Surgery is typically reserved for the most severe cases.

As people age, it becomes more likely that they will develop arthritis at the base of the thumb, as the joint receives a lot of force from everyday use. Because the thumb plays a significant role in the hand’s overall functioning, patients often seek treatment. Now Nathan T. Morrell, MD is the first hand surgeon in New Mexico—and one of a few in the U.S.—to offer a new type of joint replacement procedure for the base of the thumb.

The most likely candidates for the procedure are people with significant thumb arthritis who haven’t responded to other treatments such as medications, splinting and injections. Like a hip replacement or knee replacement, a joint replacement gets placed at the base of the thumb to address arthritis and to re-establish stability, motion, and strength. This new procedure represents a promising option to improve quality of life for New Mexicans suffering from thumb arthritis.

This painful condition is caused by overworked elbow tendons. It typically occurs through repetitive wrist and arm motions (such as swinging a tennis racket).

Tennis elbow causes pain primarily where the forearm muscles attach to the prominent bones of the elbow. The pain and potential weakness can radiate from the elbow to the wrist. You may feel pain when shaking hands, picking up small objects or pulling up a blanket in bed.

Diagnosis includes a physical examination and sometimes additional tests to rule out other conditions. Your doctor may prescribe any or all of the following to treat you:

• Physical therapy
• Exercises to stretch and strengthen your affected muscles
• Braces to reduce strain on the injured muscle tissue
• Surgery, which is a last case option after other treatments have failed to improve your condition after a year of trying