At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, we are focused on a better you. Our specialty-trained wrist doctors and staff are dedicated to providing specialized wrist care to patients in Truckee, Incline Village, and the surrounding communities.

Wrist doctors and surgeons are orthopedic specialists who have the knowledge and skills needed to treat a wide range of wrist injuries and conditions. Often these specialists treat people who have arthritis, fractures, nerve injuries, or tendon damage.

Other wrist conditions treated frequently by wrist doctors include repetitive stress injuries and tunnel syndromes, like carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a pinched median nerve, which is the nerve that runs from the forearm down to the palm of the hand. Cubital tunnel syndrome, which occurs when the ulnar nerve is compressed, primarily causes pain on the inside of the elbow. However, hand and wrist pain can also occur.

If a patient has a painful wrist condition, it is normal to wonder if surgery will be required. While there are many helpful surgical treatments available for the wrist, many conditions can also be treated without surgery. The best step is for a patient to make an appointment with a wrist doctor or surgeon so they can be assessed and learn more about their condition and what might be best to do.

Working with a wrist expert can make an extraordinary difference in a person’s life, often allowing them to go from debilitating, ongoing pain to significantly reduced and sometimes even eliminated pain.

What your Doctor needs to know

When you have an appointment with a wrist doctor, you’ll have an opportunity to describe your pain. Here are some issues you may be noticing that you’ll want to share with your doctor:

  • Difficulty straightening the hands or fingers
  • Lump in the wrist
  • Pain at the base of the thumb
  • Pain that travels up the forearm to the elbow
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Tingling and numbness

Common wrist and hand issues

Your doctor may diagnose you with one of the following wrist or hand conditions:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome: An injury caused by a compressed median nerve. Carpal tunnel syndrome primarily affects the wrist, fingers, and hands, causing tingling, numbness, and pain. Wrist treatment options include nonsurgical approaches as well as a surgical treatment known as carpal tunnel release.
  • Distal radius fracture: When the side of the radius bone closest to the wrist breaks. The radius is the larger of the two forearm bones.
  • Ganglion cysts: Noncancerous lumps that often appear on the tendons or joints of the wrists. 
  • Rheumatoid arthritis: A type of arthritis that most often attacks the wrist. Can cause swelling, weakness, and pain.
  • Scaphoid fracture: When the scaphoid bone in the wrist breaks. This fracture often causes pain in the base of the thumb.

Once you are diagnosed, your doctor will first consider all nonsurgical treatment options, such as physical therapy, a type of medicine, or the use of a splint, before recommending surgery. However, if these treatments are ineffective, they will explain why and tell you about the type of surgery they believe will be best for you. If surgery is required, our surgeons have extensive training in the latest wrist and hand surgical procedures.

When you have wrist or hand pain, it can take a toll on your whole life. Our wrist specialists are not only medical experts, but they’re also knowledgeable professionals who want to do more than just treat your wrist or hand; they want to help you get back to what you love. To schedule an appointment, call (530) 587-7461 or make an appointment request.

Exceptional care begins at Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine

At Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our team of dedicated orthopedic experts is here for you. As specialty-trained and knowledgeable wrist doctors and surgeons, Dr. Jeffrey Dodd, Dr. Jonathan Hagen, Dr. Michael Jernick, Dr. Andrew Ringnes, and Dr. Nina Winans are backed by the latest state-of-the-art technology and have extensive experience to bring you the very best in orthopedic care. Our wrist doctors have the surgical and nonsurgical expertise you need to reach your goals.

If you have a wrist injury or condition, call (530) 587-7461 to schedule an appointment with one of our expert wrist doctors or surgeons or make an appointment request . We offer three convenient locations in Truckee, California, and Incline Village, Nevada: Tahoe Forest Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Tahoe Forest Sports Medicine & Therapy Services, and the Incline Village Community Hospital.