Determining If You Have an Autoimmune Disorder or Orthopedic Issue Is the First Step to Deciding
Acute and chronic hand conditions affect millions of Americans. What separates hand conditions from other medical issues is how disruptive they are to daily life, making cooking, typing, driving, and other basic tasks more difficult or impossible to do.
With hand pain being so common and how it can affect day-to-day activities, it’s important to know which type of physician to see for your specific issue. Two common specialists in this field are orthopedic hand doctors and rheumatologists. Although both doctors treat hand problems, their expertise and approaches differ.
To aid your decision-making process, let’s explore what each medical professional specializes in and the types of treatment they provide.
What Does an Orthopedic Hand Doctor Do?
Orthopedic hand and wrist doctors specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the hand, wrist, and forearm. Specifically, their expertise lies in the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles that comprise the musculoskeletal system.
Orthopedic hand doctors treat:
- Acute injuries such as fractures, dislocations, and sprains.
- Chronic conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, and tendonitis.
- Degenerative conditions, including osteoarthritis and wear-and-tear joint damage.
- Complex injuries requiring surgical repair or reconstruction.
Orthopedic hand doctors use X-rays and diagnostic imaging to pinpoint musculoskeletal issues and provide diagnoses. Hand and wrist doctors also have numerous treatment options at their disposal, including holistic treatments, injection therapy, arthroscopic surgery, and traditional open surgery.
A major benefit of working with hand and wrist doctors is they can collaborate with other medical professionals. For example, our hand and wrist specialists work alongside orthopedic surgeons, professional physical therapists, and sports medicine doctors. This collaborative approach reduces the need for external patient referrals and promotes better continuity of care.
What Does a Rheumatologist Do?
Rheumatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions that affect joints and connective tissue. They are experts in systemic conditions that involve multiple parts of the body, including the hands.
Rheumatologists treat:
- Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and other autoimmune disorders.
- Chronic inflammatory conditions like psoriatic arthritis and gout.
- Joint pain and stiffness caused by inflammation.
Most autoimmune disorders are chronic and require long-term monitoring. Autoimmune diseases may include periods of remission where the patient experiences no symptoms. However, these diseases may also include flare-up episodes that cause severe inflammation and discomfort.
As internal medicine doctors, rheumatologists can perform blood tests and diagnostic imaging that identifies autoimmune activity. Depending on the autoimmune disease, rheumatologists may use a combination of anti-inflammatory drugs, biologics, and immunosuppressants. Certain conditions a rheumatologist treats may require orthopedic surgery to relieve pain due to joint degeneration.
Because autoimmune disorders are complex, rheumatologists often collaborate with other specialists, such as nephrologists or dermatologists, for managing systemic conditions that affect the kidneys or cause rashes and other skin disorders.
Who Should You See For Your Hand Condition?
If your hand pain or lack of mobility stems from a specific injury, orthopedic issue, or requires surgical intervention, an orthopedic hand doctor is likely the right choice. If your symptoms are caused by an autoimmune disorder and inflammation, see a rheumatologist first.
If you’re not sure which medical professional you should choose, a hand doctor is typically the quickest and most cost-effective option. Depending on your insurance and if your bloodwork reveals an autoimmune disorder, a rheumatologist may require a referral from your primary care provider. Our orthopedic hand doctors do not.
In fact, Mid-America Orthopedics can typically offer same-day or next-day appointments, which means we can provide a diagnosis and personalized treatment on a shorter timeline compared to other physicians.
Contact Our Orthopedic Hand Doctors For Prompt and Personalized Treatment
Virtually everything you do in life involves your hands, so it’s important to keep them healthy and functional. If you’re experiencing hand pain, discomfort, or mobility issues – don’t wait – contact our Wichita hand doctors right away for an exam.
After learning more about your medical history and conducting an exam, our orthopedic hand doctors will put you on a treatment plan that manages your symptoms and addresses the root cause of the issue.
Addressing orthopedic hand issues early gives you the best chance of avoiding future medical complications and retaining hand function. Although we have the resources to perform hand and wrist surgeries, our physicians will pursue treatment options that help you avoid that.
Contact Mid-America Orthopedics today to schedule your appointment. Call (316) 630-9300 or email us using our contact form.