I Feel it in My Fingers, I Feel it in my Bones!
MANY CONDITIONS CAN AFFECT OUR HANDS, WRISTS AND ELBOWS. CONSULTANT ORTHOPAEDIC HAND & WRIST SURGEON, MR RYAN TRICKETT, WHO HAS WORKED WITH NUFFIELD HEALTH CARDIFF & VALE HOSPITALS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IS A SPECIALIST AT TREATING THESE VARIOUS AILMENT
AN NHS consultant since 2015, Mr Trickett specialises in all aspects of hand, wrist and elbow complaints. His particular areas of expertise includes surgery for nerve compressions such as carpal or cubital tunnel, Dupuytren’s disease, tendon problems, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as hand, wrist and finger injuries. In addition to Mr Trickett, there are a further four consultant hand surgeons at the Nuffield Health Cardiff and Vale private hospitals, treating a variety of elbow, hand and wrist conditions; Mr Maclean, Mr Rogers, Mr Shah and Mr Clewer.
Mr Trickett explains, “Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common conditions that I see. It happens when the main nerve crossing the wrist is squashed, commonly causing ‘pins and needles’, tingling, numbness and weakness as well as pain in the hand, arm and fingers. This is often worse at night, waking people from their sleep. It can be aggravated when driving or using a phone or tablet. It can affect anyone but is more common in women. When symptoms are typical, the diagnosis can often be made in clinic, without the need for any tests. Occasionally, if there is a suspicion of other problems, nerve tests may be needed. Once diagnosed, there are a number of exercises, splints or injections which may help. When these are unsuccessful or the symptoms are particularly troublesome, I would usually recommend a small operation to release the nerve.”
If surgery is recommended, Nuffield Health enables prompt surgery to avoid delays and the associated discomfort and disturbed sleep that the condition inevitably brings. Surgery is usually performed as a day case, under local anaesthetic, with the patient going home the same day. It is performed through a small incision in the palm. A bulky dressing is applied for two days before being reduced to a simple sticking plaster for 10 to 12 days.
CASE STUDY
Farrah Hill has spent the last 22 years working as a personal assistant for a well known bank, keeping fit at the gym, walking her dog and more recently bringing up two children. At the end of April she had day case surgery on her right wrist to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome with consultant hand surgeon
Mr Ryan Trickett. Being so impressed with the reduction in pain, she has already booked in for surgical treatment on her other hand, just a month later.
Farrah is one of the lucky people who normally falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow. As her carpal
tunnel pain advanced, she found she was waking up several times in the night and this went on for 3 – 4 months, impacting on the rest of her busy life. Her husband noticed that she dropped things more often and would struggle to open a jar or a stiff door. She was limited in the weight training she could do at the gym. When using a mouse, keyboard or the phone, Farrah’s pain would play up and she would have numbness in her fingers and thumb.
In December 2020, things came to a head with both the pain and constantly disturbed sleep which Farrah was experiencing. To begin with she thought the early symptoms were related to working from home but when she discussed it with her mum, who had also had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome at the same age, she realised that something had to be done.
Farrah says. “It was the best thing I’ve ever done - going to see Ryan Trickett at Nuffield Health. He arranged nerve studies on my hands and with that information confirmed the diagnosis straight away. After the speedy
operation, I only needed a week off work and during that time was still able to look after my children and even my Nan from time to time.”
“Day by day it has got easier, even though I was frustrated at the outset because of the bulky bandage I had on for the first few days, even reaching instinctively to grab something with my right hand that I obviously couldn’t use! It is surprising how quickly the pain has gone and I am able to do so many more things. I just had to keep the bandage dry, my arm elevated and use my left hand until my stitches were removed after 10 days. If you have pain, numbness or sore fingers, thumbs or wrists that is keeping you up at night, do go and seek help. It is a straightforward procedure that will rapidly give you your life back!”
To make an appointment with one of the five hand specialists at Nuffield Health, please telephone 02920 836714 or see www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/ cardiff-and-vale