Wrist

Orthopedic wrist doctors are specialists who treat patients of all ages who have a wrist injury or condition. These specialists can treat acute (short-term) wrist conditions, such as a fracture, or a chronic (ongoing) issue, such as arthritis.

Sometimes a patient can be helped using nonsurgical treatment, especially if the condition is not advanced. For instance, the doctor may have the patient wear a wrist brace or work with a physical therapist.

A wrist doctor may work with a patient who has pain due to overuse of the wrist. Whether that person is an office worker or an athlete, the wrist doctor may be able to offer nonsurgical treatment options that can help, especially if the patient modifies their activity so the wrist has time to properly heal.

Other issues, injuries, or fractures may be best treated through surgery, such as wrist arthroscopy or carpal tunnel release, which is a procedure that involves both the wrist and hand. Because of their skills and knowledge, these orthopedic surgeons understand the surgical treatment options that are available and can recommend the one that is best for a particular patient.

Should You See a Wrist Doctor?                                                            

It may be time to see a doctor if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty grasping objects
• Elbow pain radiating into the wrist
• Hand or forearm pain in addition to wrist pain
• Numbness
• Pain that radiates into the hand and fingers
• Rotating the wrist triggers pain in either the wrist or hand 
• Tingling in the elbow, forearm, and wrist

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with a wrist injury or condition, such as:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• De Quervain syndrome
• Distal radius fracture
• Dupuytren's contracture
• Kienböck's disease
• Ligament tear
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Scaphoid fracture
• Sports-related injury
• Sprain
• Tendon tear 
• TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) injury
• Wrist fracture

Specialized Wrist Care You Can Trust in Bristol, Elizabethton & Johnson City

At Appalachian Orthopedics, we offer three convenient locations: Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, and Johnson City. Our specialty-trained wrist doctors at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Brashear, Dr. Jonathan Clark, Dr. James Goss, Dr. John Holbrook, Dr. Gabriel Hommel, Dr. Matthew Lamagna, Dr. John Phillips, Dr. Larry Waldrop, and Dr. T. Lisle Whitman, have a full understanding of the anatomy of the hand and wrist and are dedicated to delivering an exceptional level of wrist care. They will apply their expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our surgeons always carefully consider nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, they may take X-rays so they can further study the hand and wrist and surrounding structures to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections. If wrist surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our orthopedic experts will use their advanced skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you gain the use of your wrist again.

Working alongside our wrist surgeons, our licensed physical therapists provide a full and comprehensive set of outpatient orthopedic rehabilitation services. They treat each patient's problem individually through an evaluation to design a specific treatment plan with the overall goal of restoring function and enhancing one's quality of life.

If your wrist pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Bristol Regional Medical Center, Elizabethton, or Johnson City location for a consultation with one of our expert wrist surgeons to diagnose and treat your hand issue.

For those acute wrist injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.