This is my clinical pearl story about Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Post-Surgical Wrist / Hand Pain and Dysfunction Relief. This was a 62 year old female who just had right Thumb,-CMC (carpometacarpal) surgery about 6 months ago. I will call her Olga instead of her real name to be HIPPA compliant. Her chief complaints were her chronic back pain and post-surgical right hand/wrist pain and impairment. Olga stated, “it was a different pain and disability in her right hand and wrist following the thumb surgery”.
She had revisited with her surgeon who ordered a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of her hand. Olga was informed her surgery had a satisfactory outcome and there were no findings for her “different pain”. Next, she went through physical therapy with no improvement. Olga was having trouble using her right hand and wrist in daily activities. For example, she had difficulty writing.
Olga had always had chronic back pain which she saw a chiropractor for. Her last visit was a month ago in another state. Olga decided to try chiropractic care for her hand/wrist pain and dysfunction since she had good results for her back. Therefore, she came to see me.
Olga’s Examination
Upon examination, Olga tested positive for: Post-surgical Right Hand/Wrist Pain, Thoracic (midback) and Lumbar (low back) Pain. Furthermore, Olga had brought in her MRI reports. The reports stated she had severe osteoarthritis in her right hand and wrist. Additionally, the reports noted the recent thumb surgery.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Post-Surgical Wrist/ Hand Pain and Dsyfunction Relief: Anatomy
Your wrist is made up of eight small bones (carpal bones) plus two long bones in your forearm — the radius and the ulna. The 8 carpal bones are: scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, hamate. Your wrist functions as the link between the hand and the forearm. In your wrist, a tendon functions to move the bone. A ligament is a fibrous connective tissue that attaches bone to bone. There are no tendon attachments that function at the wrist. Tendons cross the wrist to insert into the hand, fingers, and thumb. And there are ligaments holding and stabilizing your wrist bones in place.
The carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb is formed by the trapezium bone of the wrist and the first metacarpal bone (metacarpals are long bones within the hand that are connected to the carpals, or wrist bones, and to the phalanges, or finger bones) of the thumb.
Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthritis
Thumb carpometacarpal arthritis is found primarily in postmenopausal females over 50 years old, due to hormonal and structural factors. However, men get it also. Sometimes the patient’s cause was due to certain hereditary conditions (joint ligament laxity and malformed joints). Also, injuries (sprains) and diseases that change the normal structure and function of cartilage (i.e., rheumatoid arthritis) could be a culprit. Lastly, jobs that put high stress on the thumb joint lead to wear and tear.
Indeed, severe basal arthritis, or thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis, is a debilitating, often chronic, degenerative joint disease. It occurs at the thumb base and is common in adults over 40 (especially women) due to cartilage wear.
What is Thumb Carpometacarpal (CMC) Arthritis and Thumb (CMC) Surgery?
Firstly, symptoms include intense, deep pain with pinching or gripping, limited motion, stiffness, and a bony prominence (bump) near the wrist, limiting daily activities.
Secondly, the most common thumb surgery for arthritis is the trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (tissue replacement). The trapeziectomy accounts for a vast majority of procedures. It may represent over 80% of cases. The surgery removes the arthritic trapezium bone at the base of the thumb. Next, it uses a tendon to stabilize the joint. This is the surgery which Olga had with unsatisfactory results.
Olga’s Treatment at Meiri Chiropractic
Treatment consisted of:
-Chiropractic manipulation or mobilization of the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and hand/wrist joints.
-Soft tissue manipulation (myofascial release, pressure points, post-isometric relaxation) to the muscles and soft tissues (i.e., tendons, ligaments) involved.
– Home-care advice included icing, rest, wrist bracing, elevation and rehabilitation exercises. Home exercises for self stretching and strengthening muscles were prescribed.
-Nutritional support for osteoarthritis were recommended (i.e., glucosamine sulfate, boswellia, horsetail, SAM (S-adenosylmethionine), Vitamin E, Niacinamide, Vitamin C).
-Olga gradually got pain relief and improved function in her hands and wrist. Her back also had a good outcome.
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Post-Surgical Wrist / Hand Pain and Dysfunction Relief
Getting regular chiropractic care from a West Palm Beach chiropractor can give relief for many injuries and ailments. Chiropractic is holistic and natural. Contact Meiri Chiropractic today at 561-253-8984.