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Category Archives: Joint pain

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should…

As Surgeons we are trained to "fix" a problem. If a bone is broken we can use plates and screws to realign it and relieve pain. If someone cuts their finger, we can repair their nerves, tendons, and arteries to restore its appearance and function. If you have an arthritic joint, chances are we have a replacement that we can implant to improve your motion. But one of the hardest things to do as a Surgeon, is to tell a patient that you cannot help them with an operation. Just think about ... Read More

June 22, 2019 By Jai Sungaran in Developments, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Nerve injury, Research, Teaching, trauma, Work injury

What is your motivation to get well?

A chronic injury to your hand can be overwhelming. The immediate pain and disability with the acute injury can be explained, but what if it is ongoing. This is a difficult problem to treat, and even harder to live with. Chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, CRPS, RSI, reflex sympathetic dystrophy are all different names for the same problem. There are multiple causes and risk factors for developing chronic pain, and we are becoming better at identifying these early. The adage ... Read More

February 7, 2019 By Jai Sungaran in Arthritis, Hand & Wrist, Joint pain, Nerve injury, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, trauma, Work injury

What type of anaesthetic should I have for my hand surgery?

Anaesthesia was a major advancement for surgery as it conquered the fear of pain during procedures. General anaesthesia was first used successfully in 1846 and has come a long way since. It is a safe and reliable option for many operations. However, there are multiple different options for anaesthesia during surgery including local anaesthesia, regional blocks and conscious sedation. Currently there is even a push in some centres for WALANT or Wide Awake Local Anaesthesia with No Tourniquet ... Read More

December 12, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Hand & Wrist, Joint pain, Nerve injury, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, trauma, Work injury

I think I’ve just “jammed” my finger…

Finger injuries are common in sport, especially ball sports. One pattern of injury is the direct blow to the tip of the finger by a ball. As the joint is hyperextended the force goes through the volar plate. This is a thick ligament that prevents further hyperextension at the PIP joint (proximal interphalangeal joint). It is also common for a part of the bone to be torn off by the volar plate. This is called an avulsion fracture. Often these injuries can be managed with a custom made ... Read More

August 14, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Hand & Wrist, Joint pain, Sporting injury, trauma, Work injury

Are there any natural medicines that can help arthritis pain?

Recently there has been more discussion about the use of natural therapy for managing painful arthritis. Most patients would rather avoid an operation if at all possible, so it is important to try all non surgical options to manage arthritis pain and loss of function. Medical management begins with drugs that have the least side effects, so what better way than to consider natural therapies first. Here are some herbal remedies that have been studied for their efficacy in managing arthritis ... Read More

July 18, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Arthritis, Hand & Wrist, Joint pain

What is that lump on my hand?

Finding a lump on your hand can be distressing for obvious reasons. If there is no real injury to the area then it is difficult to understand why the lump could occur. Fortunately the hand is a relatively uncommon area to develop a cancerous lump. The majority of lumps in the hand are benign and can be easily removed. Ganglion cysts are the most common benign lump to find in the hand and wrist. They typically develop around joints or tendons and are filled with a jelly-like fluid. They can ... Read More

June 18, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Arthritis, corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Sporting injury, Tendon, trauma, Work injury

Why are my fingers so stiff?

Diabetes is a systemic condition with multiple areas involved. These can range from eye, kidney and circulation problems, as well as nerve issues. The "diabetic foot" has always been a concern for patients and their doctors, but the diabetic hand has not gained enough recognition as yet. The diabetic hand includes diabetic-related conditions like (LJM) or limited joint mobility, but also non diabetic conditions like trigger finger, carpal tunnel compression and Dupuytren's contracture. LJM ... Read More

May 16, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Diabetes, Hand & Wrist, Joint pain

How does Private Health Insurance affect your treatment.

There has been renewed interest in Private health insurance due to the upcoming increase in premiums as of April 1. Another reason has also been the much criticised changes by BUPA to it's health cover. But do you actually need to have private health insurance to receive treatment in Australia? The simple answer is, no. And that in itself is something we should all be grateful for. Our Health system has many flaws but the fact that every Australian has access to free health care for ANY ... Read More

March 13, 2018 By Jai Sungaran in Arthritis, corticosteroid, Elbow, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, lacerations, Nerve injury, Rehabilitation, Sporting injury, Tendon, trauma, Work injury

Smartphone use and thumb pain

How many of us actually do not have a smartphone? This would be a very small number especially given how cheap and available they are. Even our children have toy smartphones that they can play with. On average, we use our Smartphone for almost 4 hours a day, and the increased loads through our thumbs is beginning to take its toll on our bones, joints and tendons. Basically we were never designed to put our thumbs through this level of stress. Opposable thumbs evolved to allow us to grasp ... Read More

September 7, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Tendon, Work injury

What should I do with my clicky finger?

Trigger digits are a common condition that patients present with. Usually it is more a nuisance problem, but sometimes when a finger "locks" and stays in a flexed position it can lead to permanent damage to the joint and reduce the likelihood of regaining the motion in the finger. A trigger finger or thumb is caused by thickening of the covering sheath through which a flexor tendon runs. The A1 pulley thickens and causes friction against the tendon below. This leads to a cycle of ... Read More

June 28, 2017 By Jai Sungaran in corticosteroid, Hand & Wrist, Injections, Joint pain, Tendon, Work injury

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