Search

Tag: Hand

Artículos de Pacientes

Types of hand deformities caused by RA

Types of hand deformities caused by rheumatoid arthritis Individuals with RA may experience different types of hand conditions, depending on the rate and manner in which their joints and ligaments deteriorate due to the disease. “All of these changes result from the inflammatory destruction to the joints of the fingers that occur with arthritis, causing increased pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited functional use of the hand for gripping, grasping, and pinching,” said Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT, whose outpatient rehabilitation practice includes people with RA. The most common manifestations of RA-caused hand concerns identified by researchers include the following: Rheumatoid nodules Rheumatoid nodules are hard lumps that form under the skin near the joints. These are another common symptom of RA in the hands. They can also occur in multiple areas, most commonly near your elbows. The nodules usually aren’t painful or debilitating, but some people might not like how they look. Rheumatoid nodules are bumps that form under the skin and are commonly seen in hands or elbows. Prashanthns, CC BY-SA 3.0    Rheumatoid nodules Less common among people with RA are Heberden nodes and Bouchard nodes. These are visible bumps at the joints that are more typical of osteoarthritis.  Osteoarthritis can cause inflammation of the joints in the hands. Heberden nodes are present in the joint at the end of the finger, called the distal interphalangeal joint. Bouchard nodes are present in the middle joint of the finger, called proximal interphalangeal joint. J. Lengerke 21:37, 27. Mai 2009 (CEST), CC BY-SA 3.0 DE  Boutonniere deformity Boutonniere deformity occurs when the middle or proximal interphalangeal joint of a finger is flexed and the distal joint is extended. Boutonniere deformity is caused by rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation of the joint. Alborz Fallah, CC BY-SA 3.0  Swan-neck deformity Swan-neck deformity, the most common change in people with RA, occurs when there’s weakness or tearing of a ligament due to inflammation. This results in laxity of the middle joint of the finger and flexion of the distal joint. Swan-neck deformity starts with inflammation of the joint and can progress to destruction of the tendon, which is seen in the progressive disease rheumatoid arthritis. Phoenix119, CC BY-SA 3.0  Hitchhiker’s thumb Hitchhiker’s thumb occurs when the thumb flexes at the metacarpophalangeal joint (connecting the thumb to the palm of the hand) and hyperextends at the interphalangeal joint (the one just below your thumbnail).  This is sometimes also called the Z-shaped deformity.  The availability of effective drugs that limit the progression of RA has helped reduce the severity of RA-related hand deformities. Known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), some of the medications commonly prescribed to treat RA include:  Treatments Leflunomide (Arava) Methotrexate (Trexall) Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) Minocycline (Minocin) Abatacept (Orencia) Adalimumab (Humira) Etanercept (Enbrel) Rituximab (Rituxan) tocilizumab (Actemra) In some cases, rheumatoid nodules have been found to be more common among people receiving methotrexate treatment. They may be reduced in size by changing medications, receiving corticosteroid injections, or undergoing surgery.  Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Types of hand deformities caused by RA Types of hand deformities caused by RA What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis? What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis? Want to see more articles? BHS Blog Patient Articles

Read More »
Rheumatic Arthritis
Hand

What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Understanding Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that damages joints and ligaments when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. While the inflammation caused by RA can occur throughout your body, the effects of the disease are often most noticeable in the hands of people with RA. This damage can result in twisted joints, gnarled ligaments, and ultimately destruction of the joints in later stages of the disease. Joint deformities in people diagnosed with RA are becoming less frequent and less severe, thanks to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. However, in addition to being painful, these changes in the hands can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis?   A major misconception about RA is that it’s solely a joint disease, according to Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, founder of the Badia Hand and Shoulder Center in Miami, Florida.  “It’s largely a disease of the soft tissues,” he explained. This includes ligaments and tendons, he said, although joints also are severely affected.  That’s especially true in your hands. They contain a large number of small bones, called phalanges and metacarpals, that are connected by joints. These joints are responsible for movement of your fingers.  In people with RA, the lining of these joints, called the synovium, is attacked by immune system cells. The synovium normally produces fluid that allows the joints to smoothly glide on their cartilage covers.  When inflammation causes the synovium to swell, a fibrous layer of abnormal tissue, called pannus, forms. In turn, this releases chemicals that cause:    • bone erosion • cartilage destruction • ligament damage Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email The destruction makes ligaments and joint capsules — dense, fibrous connective tissue that forms a sleeve around the joint — less able to support the joints. This causes joints to lose their shape and alignment. As a result, your joints:  • become dysfunctional • cause pain • result in visible abnormalities People with RA generally have high levels of acute phase reactants — C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) — which are markers of inflammation in the body.  People with RA can also demonstrate positive antibodies, such as the rheumatoid factor (RF) and cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies. The presence of anti-CCP antibodies is associated with a risk of more severe disease.    Joint Replacement for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Thumb Joint Replacement for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Thumb Thumb Joint Replacement for Basal Joint Arthritis Thumb Joint Replacement for Basal Joint Arthritis Empresario de la salud Empresario de la salud Want to see more articles? BHS Blog Patient Articles

Read More »
Patient Stories

Olympic Swimmer Shaune Fraser Seeks Expert Care in Miami

Shaune suffered from an abnormal growth in his hand and was referred to Dr. Badia. He was diagnosed with carpal boss. Carpal boss is a bony protrusion on the back of the hand near the base of the index or middle finger. It can cause limited hand mobility and function. Today Shaune is pain free and back to swimming. Click on the video below to learn about his journey to recovery.  Cayman Islands two-time Olympian swimmer Shaune Fraser won the Silver medal for the 200 m free style at the XVI Pan American Games shortly after having gone through wrist surgery in Miami and intense physiotherapy routine back home in Grand Cayman. Related Dr. Badia CV Dr. Alejandro Badia CV Read More Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Fast Recovery with Less… Read More Reemplazo de la articulación del pulgar Novedoso reemplazó de la articulacion del pulgar El ortopedista Alejandro… Read More Load More

Read More »
Blog

Dr.Badia Attends Hand Surgery Meeting: Bahamas

Dr. Alejandro Badia, recognized as one of the top hand surgeons in the United States, will serve as a opening speaker at the American Association for Hand Surgery 2015 Annual Meeting scheduled to be held in Nassau. Dr. Alejandro Badia, recognized as one of the top hand surgeons in the United States, will serve as a opening speaker at the American Association for Hand Surgery 2015 Annual Meeting scheduled to be held in Nassau tomorrow morning. He will be giving a presentation on the latest in “Maximizing Economics in a Changing Health Care Environment” and “Sports Injuries of the Hand and Wrist” at Atlantis starting at 7am. During the meeting, Dr. Badia, who is the founder and medical director of Badia Hand to Shoulder Centre in Florida, will be identifying the barriers to navigating through the ever-changing health care environment by presenting a solution of coordinated, convenient, responsive, affordable and ex- pert orthopedic urgent care, and speak on common athletic injuries of the hand and wrist. “I’m so pleased to be in beautiful Bahamas,” he said. “My mission has been and always is
to create educational synergy
and to expose great technology that allows minimally invasive procedure accelerates recovery, prevents some surgical procedures, and shortens post-surgical rehabilitation. This system provides our patients, mostly athletes who depend so much on their physical excellence, with better healthcare and better recovery methods and options.” Dr. Badia has successfully performed surgery on many professional athletes from around the world, including on high-level tennis, polo, golf, NFL and NBA players. “Major fractures of the hand or wrist occur only during high speed contact or in older athletes who may have osteoporosis,” he said. “Complex fractures below the elbow can occur and there is
 a great variation in the fracture patterns. It is important that an upper extremity specialist evaluate these injuries, as recovery of full wrist and hand range of motion is often difficult. Fractures of the upper arm (humerus) may also result from this injury and can even extend into the shoulder joint.” Traumatic (acute) refers to any specific, sharp pain that is of rapid onset or pain that results from a specific traumatic incident such as an athletic injury. Traumatic injuries are more commonly seen in athletes who participate in certain sports that require a higher level of contact (football, hockey or wrestling). The most common traumatic fracture injury in the athletic population is found in the fingers and include joint dislocations, sprains, muscle strains, bro- ken bones, tendon inflammation and ligament. Overuse (chronic) injuries are more likely to occur in athletes who engage in sports that require them to repeat a particular movement (baseball, soccer, tennis or golf). Overuse injuries are likely to be stress induced and include ten- don inflammation and dislocation, nerve injury, and overuse stress fractures. Chronic injuries have a higher tendency to develop long- term effects. However, long-term disability is less likely to occur from overuse injuries than from traumatic injuries. An athlete’s performance may significantly diminish, if the chronic injuries are left untreated. Surgery maybe required if the overuse chronic injuries persists and continues to develop over time. “Arthroscopy for hand and wrist pathology is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to explore a joint from within. Tiny incisions are used to insert a fibrotic instrument which serves as a camera to the inside of a joint and allows to not only diagnose a problem but often times concludes what definitive treatment should would be best for the patient. This is opposed to the more standard technique of open joint surgery, which can result in increased scarring and prolonged recovery time,” said Dr. Badia. Dr. Badia was nominated in 2012 as “one of the top 45 great hand and upper extremity surgeons”
by Becker’s Orthopedic & Spine Review. He is also in conversations with leading Brazilian medical authorities to organize a sports medicine conference prior to the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. Related Dr. Badia CV Dr. Alejandro Badia CV Read More Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Fast Recovery with Less… Read More Reemplazo de la articulación del pulgar Novedoso reemplazó de la articulacion del pulgar El ortopedista Alejandro… Read More Load More

Read More »

Tag: Hand

Artículos de Pacientes

Types of hand deformities caused by RA

Types of hand deformities caused by rheumatoid arthritis Individuals with RA may experience different types of hand conditions, depending on the rate and manner in which their joints and ligaments deteriorate due to the disease. “All of these changes result from the inflammatory destruction to the joints of the fingers that occur with arthritis, causing increased pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited functional use of the hand for gripping, grasping, and pinching,” said Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT, whose outpatient rehabilitation practice includes people with RA. The most common manifestations of RA-caused hand concerns identified by researchers include the following: Rheumatoid nodules Rheumatoid nodules are hard lumps that form under the skin near the joints. These are another common symptom of RA in the hands. They can also occur in multiple areas, most commonly near your elbows. The nodules usually aren’t painful or debilitating, but some people might not like how they look. Rheumatoid nodules are bumps that form under the skin and are commonly seen in hands or elbows. Prashanthns, CC BY-SA 3.0    Rheumatoid nodules Less common among people with RA are Heberden nodes and Bouchard nodes. These are visible bumps at the joints that are more typical of osteoarthritis.  Osteoarthritis can cause inflammation of the joints in the hands. Heberden nodes are present in the joint at the end of the finger, called the distal interphalangeal joint. Bouchard nodes are present in the middle joint of the finger, called proximal interphalangeal joint. J. Lengerke 21:37, 27. Mai 2009 (CEST), CC BY-SA 3.0 DE  Boutonniere deformity Boutonniere deformity occurs when the middle or proximal interphalangeal joint of a finger is flexed and the distal joint is extended. Boutonniere deformity is caused by rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation of the joint. Alborz Fallah, CC BY-SA 3.0  Swan-neck deformity Swan-neck deformity, the most common change in people with RA, occurs when there’s weakness or tearing of a ligament due to inflammation. This results in laxity of the middle joint of the finger and flexion of the distal joint. Swan-neck deformity starts with inflammation of the joint and can progress to destruction of the tendon, which is seen in the progressive disease rheumatoid arthritis. Phoenix119, CC BY-SA 3.0  Hitchhiker’s thumb Hitchhiker’s thumb occurs when the thumb flexes at the metacarpophalangeal joint (connecting the thumb to the palm of the hand) and hyperextends at the interphalangeal joint (the one just below your thumbnail).  This is sometimes also called the Z-shaped deformity.  The availability of effective drugs that limit the progression of RA has helped reduce the severity of RA-related hand deformities. Known as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), some of the medications commonly prescribed to treat RA include:  Treatments Leflunomide (Arava) Methotrexate (Trexall) Sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) Minocycline (Minocin) Abatacept (Orencia) Adalimumab (Humira) Etanercept (Enbrel) Rituximab (Rituxan) tocilizumab (Actemra) In some cases, rheumatoid nodules have been found to be more common among people receiving methotrexate treatment. They may be reduced in size by changing medications, receiving corticosteroid injections, or undergoing surgery.  Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Types of hand deformities caused by RA Types of hand deformities caused by RA What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis? What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis? Want to see more articles? BHS Blog Patient Articles

Read More »
Rheumatic Arthritis
Hand

What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Understanding Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that damages joints and ligaments when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues. While the inflammation caused by RA can occur throughout your body, the effects of the disease are often most noticeable in the hands of people with RA. This damage can result in twisted joints, gnarled ligaments, and ultimately destruction of the joints in later stages of the disease. Joint deformities in people diagnosed with RA are becoming less frequent and less severe, thanks to earlier diagnosis and more effective treatments. However, in addition to being painful, these changes in the hands can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. What Causes Hand Deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis?   A major misconception about RA is that it’s solely a joint disease, according to Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, founder of the Badia Hand and Shoulder Center in Miami, Florida.  “It’s largely a disease of the soft tissues,” he explained. This includes ligaments and tendons, he said, although joints also are severely affected.  That’s especially true in your hands. They contain a large number of small bones, called phalanges and metacarpals, that are connected by joints. These joints are responsible for movement of your fingers.  In people with RA, the lining of these joints, called the synovium, is attacked by immune system cells. The synovium normally produces fluid that allows the joints to smoothly glide on their cartilage covers.  When inflammation causes the synovium to swell, a fibrous layer of abnormal tissue, called pannus, forms. In turn, this releases chemicals that cause:    • bone erosion • cartilage destruction • ligament damage Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email The destruction makes ligaments and joint capsules — dense, fibrous connective tissue that forms a sleeve around the joint — less able to support the joints. This causes joints to lose their shape and alignment. As a result, your joints:  • become dysfunctional • cause pain • result in visible abnormalities People with RA generally have high levels of acute phase reactants — C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) — which are markers of inflammation in the body.  People with RA can also demonstrate positive antibodies, such as the rheumatoid factor (RF) and cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies. The presence of anti-CCP antibodies is associated with a risk of more severe disease.    Joint Replacement for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Thumb Joint Replacement for Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Thumb Thumb Joint Replacement for Basal Joint Arthritis Thumb Joint Replacement for Basal Joint Arthritis Empresario de la salud Empresario de la salud Want to see more articles? BHS Blog Patient Articles

Read More »
Patient Stories

Olympic Swimmer Shaune Fraser Seeks Expert Care in Miami

Shaune suffered from an abnormal growth in his hand and was referred to Dr. Badia. He was diagnosed with carpal boss. Carpal boss is a bony protrusion on the back of the hand near the base of the index or middle finger. It can cause limited hand mobility and function. Today Shaune is pain free and back to swimming. Click on the video below to learn about his journey to recovery.  Cayman Islands two-time Olympian swimmer Shaune Fraser won the Silver medal for the 200 m free style at the XVI Pan American Games shortly after having gone through wrist surgery in Miami and intense physiotherapy routine back home in Grand Cayman. Related Dr. Badia CV Dr. Alejandro Badia CV Read More Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Fast Recovery with Less… Read More Reemplazo de la articulación del pulgar Novedoso reemplazó de la articulacion del pulgar El ortopedista Alejandro… Read More Load More

Read More »
Blog

Dr.Badia Attends Hand Surgery Meeting: Bahamas

Dr. Alejandro Badia, recognized as one of the top hand surgeons in the United States, will serve as a opening speaker at the American Association for Hand Surgery 2015 Annual Meeting scheduled to be held in Nassau. Dr. Alejandro Badia, recognized as one of the top hand surgeons in the United States, will serve as a opening speaker at the American Association for Hand Surgery 2015 Annual Meeting scheduled to be held in Nassau tomorrow morning. He will be giving a presentation on the latest in “Maximizing Economics in a Changing Health Care Environment” and “Sports Injuries of the Hand and Wrist” at Atlantis starting at 7am. During the meeting, Dr. Badia, who is the founder and medical director of Badia Hand to Shoulder Centre in Florida, will be identifying the barriers to navigating through the ever-changing health care environment by presenting a solution of coordinated, convenient, responsive, affordable and ex- pert orthopedic urgent care, and speak on common athletic injuries of the hand and wrist. “I’m so pleased to be in beautiful Bahamas,” he said. “My mission has been and always is
to create educational synergy
and to expose great technology that allows minimally invasive procedure accelerates recovery, prevents some surgical procedures, and shortens post-surgical rehabilitation. This system provides our patients, mostly athletes who depend so much on their physical excellence, with better healthcare and better recovery methods and options.” Dr. Badia has successfully performed surgery on many professional athletes from around the world, including on high-level tennis, polo, golf, NFL and NBA players. “Major fractures of the hand or wrist occur only during high speed contact or in older athletes who may have osteoporosis,” he said. “Complex fractures below the elbow can occur and there is
 a great variation in the fracture patterns. It is important that an upper extremity specialist evaluate these injuries, as recovery of full wrist and hand range of motion is often difficult. Fractures of the upper arm (humerus) may also result from this injury and can even extend into the shoulder joint.” Traumatic (acute) refers to any specific, sharp pain that is of rapid onset or pain that results from a specific traumatic incident such as an athletic injury. Traumatic injuries are more commonly seen in athletes who participate in certain sports that require a higher level of contact (football, hockey or wrestling). The most common traumatic fracture injury in the athletic population is found in the fingers and include joint dislocations, sprains, muscle strains, bro- ken bones, tendon inflammation and ligament. Overuse (chronic) injuries are more likely to occur in athletes who engage in sports that require them to repeat a particular movement (baseball, soccer, tennis or golf). Overuse injuries are likely to be stress induced and include ten- don inflammation and dislocation, nerve injury, and overuse stress fractures. Chronic injuries have a higher tendency to develop long- term effects. However, long-term disability is less likely to occur from overuse injuries than from traumatic injuries. An athlete’s performance may significantly diminish, if the chronic injuries are left untreated. Surgery maybe required if the overuse chronic injuries persists and continues to develop over time. “Arthroscopy for hand and wrist pathology is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to explore a joint from within. Tiny incisions are used to insert a fibrotic instrument which serves as a camera to the inside of a joint and allows to not only diagnose a problem but often times concludes what definitive treatment should would be best for the patient. This is opposed to the more standard technique of open joint surgery, which can result in increased scarring and prolonged recovery time,” said Dr. Badia. Dr. Badia was nominated in 2012 as “one of the top 45 great hand and upper extremity surgeons”
by Becker’s Orthopedic & Spine Review. He is also in conversations with leading Brazilian medical authorities to organize a sports medicine conference prior to the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. Related Dr. Badia CV Dr. Alejandro Badia CV Read More Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Endoscopic Procedure for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Fast Recovery with Less… Read More Reemplazo de la articulación del pulgar Novedoso reemplazó de la articulacion del pulgar El ortopedista Alejandro… Read More Load More

Read More »