The effects of arthritis can be incapacitating, particularly when arthritis develops in the wrist. Even simple tasks— such as gripping a doorknob, unscrewing a jar or typing on a computer — may be unbearable due to the pain and stiffness associated with wrist arthritis. If you have severe arthritis, you may have constant pain in your wrist, even when you are not using your hands.
Dr. Jason Ko has devoted his career to helping people like you overcome the pain of conditions like arthritis and regain the function you need for an active, independent lifestyle. He offers a range of innovative treatment options to manage your wrist arthritis and put you on the direct path to healing.
Understanding Wrist Arthritis
The wrist is made up of multiple small joints that move in a balanced manner. In a healthy wrist joint, smooth, slippery tissue called cartilage covers the bones of the joints so they glide over each other during movement. Arthritis occurs when this cartilage wears away due to injury, infection, or disease. A common form of arthritis called osteoarthritis develops due to normal “wear and tear” of the joint over time. Another common form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the joint.
Without the protective coating of healthy cartilage, the bones of the wrist rub against each other. This can have some brutal consequences, including pain, stiffness, deformity ,and loss of function. The symptoms of arthritis can affect everyone differently, depending on the type and severity of the condition.
Dr. Ko will diagnose your wrist arthritis with a physical examination of your hand and wrist and an evaluation of your range of motion and wrist function. Dr. Ko will also review your complete medical history and inquire about the severity and frequency of your symptoms. He will often obtain an X-ray of your wrist (or both wrists for comparison) right there in the office. Additional tests, such as CT scans, MRIs, and blood tests, may be ordered to identify the types of arthritis you have.
Treating Wrist Arthritis
There are non-surgical therapies to manage symptoms and provide pain relief from wrist arthritis. Medications can be taken orally or injected into the wrist to reduce pain and inflammation. In some cases, splinting the wrist and forearm can provide support to the wrist and take some of the stress off the joint.
If non-surgical modalities do not provide sufficient pain relief from wrist arthritis, Dr. Ko can explore your surgical treatment options. These technically demanding procedures are best left to surgeons like Dr. Ko, who is very adept at repairing damaged joints using leading-edge techniques.
Wrist salvage surgery removes some of the bones of the wrist to free up space and prevent bone-on-bone friction.
Wrist fusion “welds” together the bones of the wrist to prevent them from moving and causing pain. Although this approach limits some of the normal range of motion in the wrist, many patients feel it is worth it for pain relief.
Wrist arthroplasty replaces the damaged portions of the wrist joint with prosthetic parts. The ends of the bones are removed and artificial pieces are used to replicate the natural wrist anatomy.
Contact Dr. Jason Ko
Dr. Ko will review your wrist arthritis treatment options with you and help determine the most suitable solution for your case. To schedule an appointment with him, please call or email our office today.