Hand problems are much more common than you think. No matter what your age is or what you do in your everyday life, hand problems can happen to you, and it’s easy to see why we’ll need to visit a hand specialist in Singapore once in a while. We often use our hands just about every day in almost everything, from taking our lunch to working on our computer.

Our hand is one of the most used parts of the body apart from the brain. It only makes sense for us to know the health risks involved and what we should do to avoid them.

Since our hand is one of the most vital parts of your body, any problems, such as injuries, abnormalities and conditions, can be a serious concern. It can dramatically affect how you navigate and experience your day-to-day life. It gives a feeling that you are greatly restricted from doing things you love or routinely do without feeling pain, discomfort or general difficulties.

Hand problems can interfere with our daily life and make things harder for us to do. However, you can always opt for a simple carpal tunnel syndrome or trigger finger treatment in Singapore (or any other hand problem treatment) to help you get back to your everyday routine.

3 Most Common Hand Problems You Need To Know

Here are some of the most common problems that can affect and interfere with your daily activities:

1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is perhaps one of the most frequently experienced common hand problems both young and old can experience. Despite being a frequent hand condition, there are many common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome. High blood pressure, wrist trauma, diabetes, wrist overuse and fluid retention are among the common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome. Despite the availability and accessibility of a hand specialist for many, a late diagnosis will require surgery.

The symptoms often include tingling or numbness, weakness in the hand, burning and painful sensation. Consider seeing a hand doctor if the problem is interfering with your daily activity and if the symptoms are unbearable.

2. Tendonitis

Tendonitis is the swelling of the sheath (which is a tissue) as it glides and passes from the wrist to the thumb. Thus, affecting the thumb. The sheath is responsible for keeping the tendons (bands of tissues attached to muscles to the bone structure) in place of the thumb. Pain and tenderness are the most common symptoms as you pinch the affected area. The common cause of this condition includes overuse, arthritis or rheumatoid disease.

If you are seeking to treat this condition, almost every hand specialist would prescribe you a treatment that includes exercises to help the tendon glide. These rehabilitation exercises include gentle side-to-side movement, wrist stretching, wrist flexion, forearm supination and grip strengthening.

3. Trigger Finger

A trigger finger affects the digital sheath due to irritation, which causes your finger to get stuck in a bent position. The finger will change and straighten with a triggering snap. Despite something like an abnormal condition, you can find simple trigger finger treatment by visiting a clinic, modifying your activities, taking anti-inflammatory medicines, injections or rest.

The most common symptoms of the trigger finger include finger stiffness, clicking sensation when moving the affected finger, finger locking in a bent position, and tenderness or bump nodule at the base of the affected finger.

Keeping Your Hands Healthy & Strong At All Times

Maintaining your hands and wrist healthy is the best way to counter hand problems and conditions. Knowing what you should do and avoid is one step in achieving a problem-free experience. Since our hand is an intricate structure that is made up of bones, nerves, ligaments, muscles, tendons and joints, each part can be prone to damage.

Whether you’ve experienced visiting a hand surgeon for a problem or haven’t experienced hand conditions at all, knowing how to keep your hands healthy will allow you to stay active and pain-free. It also helps you avoid needing severe treatment, such as surgery in the future. Without further ado, here are simple ways to maintain your hands and wrist healthy and strong:

Always take a break

Every hand specialist will give this frequent advice, ‘take a break now and then.’ Any time you use and engage your hand in heavy activities, such as writing, typing or playing sports or using a computer, ensure that you take pauses at least every hour. Let your hand rest and take a step back from whatever you’re doing for at least 10 to 15 minutes. You can do hand/finger bends, shakes and stretches. It’s also one way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and vein problems.

Exercise your hands regularly

Apart from exercising your hands during your short break, it’s advisable that you dedicate a small amount of time to stretching and strengthening your hand muscles, tendons and ligaments every day. A hand specialist can provide you with prescribed exercises that you can do to each hand part to improve strength and flexibility.

Visit a hand specialist

Even if you’re not opting for a hand treatment, you can visit a hand specialist for checkups and little extra support for your hand. Whether you need braces, a diet or a new exercise, visiting a hand doctor will help you learn how to improve your hand and wrist health and understand your limits to prevent injuries and conditions.

Have a healthy diet

Diet is a component and key recipe for a healthy body. An unhealthy diet leads to numerous diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and bone problems, which can affect your hand movement.

If you are looking for hand surgery in Singapore, visit Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre for more info.