ALTON - Area residents who may be suffering from joint pain or discomfort in their hands are invited to receive free hand and wrist screenings on Thursday, October 18 by appointment, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in Outpatient Therapy Services at OSF Saint Clare’s Medical Office Building, 815 East Fifth Street.
To register for an appointment for the free screening, please visit osfsaintanthonys.org, and click on View Classes & Events.
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OSF Saint Anthony’s therapy professionals will assess joint pain, answer questions about activity and exercise, and if needed, recommend options for further diagnosis or treatment.
“Wrist and hand pain are extremely common complaints, and there are many common causes of this problem,” said Kelly Bogowith, PT, DPT, CSCS, Lead Therapist. “It is important to determine the cause of your symptoms so that appropriate treatment can be directed at the cause.”
Tendonitis is a common problem that can cause wrist pain and swelling. Wrist tendonitis is due to inflammation of the tendon sheath.
Another issue causing wrist and hand problems is carpal tunnel syndrome, which results from dysfunction of one of the nerves in the wrist. With carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve is compressed, or pinched off, as it passes through the wrist joint.
“Wrist sprains are also common injuries to the ligaments around the wrist joint that can cause problems by limiting the use of the hands,” she adds.
If an individual is unsure of the cause of wrist pain, or does not know the specific treatment recommendations for the condition, he or she should seek medical attention. Treatment of these conditions must be directed at the specific cause of the problem.
Some signs that an individual should be seen by a doctor include: