At University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, doctors are helping patients find relief from common and complex hand ailments.

By Laura Briedis

“Our hands are the way we interact with the world and often we take them for granted until we have an injury,” says Jonathan Macknin, MD, a board-certified orthopedic hand surgeon at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, a campus of UH Regional Hospitals.

Growing up playing the clarinet in the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, and as a member of the lightweight rowing team at the University of Pennsylvania and now as a surgeon, Dr. Macknin knows firsthand the importance of healthy hands.

Though your hands may be one of the smallest parts of your body, they have the most bones. There are 54 bones in your hands, fingers and wrist, along with some of the densest areas of nerve endings in the body, so any little tweak can cause problems.

“There are so many anatomical structures in such a small place,” Dr. Macknin says. “We have to address both the soft tissue and bone when treating the hand.”

When your hands and wrists are unable to function properly due to an injury, overuse or degenerative condition, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis and begin effective treatment as soon as possible.

Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, tendinitis and arthritis can affect your everyday activities and quality of life, so the physicians are dedicated to restoring anatomy, relieving chronic pain and preserving normal motion and function of your hands and wrists.

The majority of issues can be treated with conservative measures, such as medications, injections, rest, splints, activity modifications or hand therapy. If these treatments do not resolve your condition, there are surgical options.

One of the leading causes of hand pain, according to Dr. Macknin, is carpal tunnel syndrome, which presents with numbness, tingling and weakness. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes squeezed or compressed as it travels through the carpal tunnel.

Oftentimes, carpal tunnel can be treated by wearing a wrist brace at night to prevent the wrist from flexing to take pressure off the nerve. However, if the problem persists, it is time to consult with a surgeon so it doesn’t cause permanent nerve damage.

For those who require surgery, most procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis under wide-awake local anesthesia. “Patients can drive themselves to and from the hospital and eat before the procedure, so it is more convenient,” Dr. Macknin says.

Taking a multidisciplinary approach, a hand therapist works in conjunction with the surgeons to help care for patients who are seeking treatment for everything from carpal tunnel and trigger finger to arthritis and tendinitis, neuromuscular disorders and cysts, broken bones and wrist sprains.

“I tell patients if something is affecting how they are living or their symptoms are progressing, they should seek treatment because we can improve their quality of life,” Dr. Macknin says. “I always have same-day appointments available, because it is important to get evaluated and treated in a timely manner if there has been an acute injury.”

University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center is located at 13207 Ravenna Road in Chardon. For more information, call 440-568-8213 or visit UHHospitals.org/Geauga.