Hand and Wrist Specialists

Your hands and wrists do something for you every waking minute — and you notice immediately when they stop cooperating. Numbness that wakes you up at night. A finger that catches and locks. A wrist that hurts every time you turn a doorknob. These are not problems to wait out, and they are rarely problems that resolve on their own.

Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush has cared for hand and wrist conditions in the Chicago area since 2003. Our hand-wrist specialists are fellowship-trained — meaning they completed additional sub-specialty training beyond their orthopedic surgery residency, focused specifically on the hand, wrist, and upper extremity. The practice treats more than 13,000 hand, wrist, and elbow patients each year. U.S. News & World Report ranks Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush as the #1 orthopedic program in Illinois and Indiana, and #8 nationally. Our patients have left more than 3,700 Google reviews, averaging 4.8 stars across the practice.

Whether you are dealing with carpal tunnel symptoms, a fracture from a fall, an arthritic thumb that limits what you can grip, or a finger that won't straighten — this page is the starting point. Below, we cover the conditions we treat, the full range of conservative and surgical options, what makes our minimally invasive approach different, our hand and wrist specialists, our locations, and the questions patients most often ask before their first appointment.

This page is for general information. Symptoms that overlap between hand and wrist conditions can have different underlying causes, and treatment recommendations depend on a clinical exam, imaging, and your medical history. If your symptoms are affecting daily function or sleep, the right next step is a consultation with a hand specialist.

Conditions We Treat

The hand and wrist contain 27 bones, dozens of small joints, and a tightly packed network of nerves, tendons, and ligaments. When one of those structures becomes irritated, compressed, torn, or worn down, the symptoms can range from a passing ache to a complete loss of function.

Quick reference — tap a condition to jump to details:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Trigger finger
• De Quervain's tenosynovitis
• Wrist fractures
• Dupuytren's contracture
• Thumb arthritis
• Wrist arthritis
• Scapholunate ligament tears and TFCC tears
• Ganglion cysts
• Other conditions we evaluate

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve where it passes through the wrist. Classic symptoms include numbness, tingling, or burning in the thumb, index, and middle fingers — often worst at night or while driving and holding a phone. Mild and early cases can frequently improve with bracing, activity modification, and corticosteroid injections. Persistent or progressive symptoms may benefit from carpal tunnel release surgery, which is one of the most common and well-studied hand procedures performed in the U.S. Learn more about carpal tunnel treatment and release surgery →

Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis)

Trigger finger happens when a flexor tendon catches on its protective sheath, causing a finger or thumb to lock in a bent position before snapping straight. It is often worse in the morning, can affect more than one finger, and is more common in people with diabetes. Many cases respond well to splinting and a corticosteroid injection. When triggering keeps returning or the finger locks completely, a brief outpatient release of the tendon sheath is highly effective. Learn more about trigger finger treatment and surgery →

De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

De Quervain's affects the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist. People often describe pain when lifting a baby, gripping a coffee cup, or twisting a jar lid. It is sometimes called "mommy thumb" because it is common in new parents who lift an infant many times a day. Treatment usually begins with a thumb spica splint, activity changes, anti-inflammatories, and corticosteroid injection. If those approaches do not give lasting relief, a small surgical release of the affected tendon compartment can resolve symptoms.

Wrist Fractures

The distal radius (the larger bone in the forearm near the wrist) is one of the most commonly fractured bones in the body — typically from a fall onto an outstretched hand. Some fractures stay aligned and heal in a cast. Others are displaced or unstable and need to be set, sometimes with plates, screws, or pins. Untreated or poorly aligned fractures can lead to long-term stiffness, weakness, and arthritis. Scaphoid fractures — a small carpal bone on the thumb side of the wrist — are easy to miss because the wrist may look normal on initial X-rays. Persistent wrist pain after a fall should always be re-evaluated. Learn more about distal radius fracture treatment →

Dupuytren's Contracture

Dupuytren's is a thickening of the fascia (a layer of tissue) in the palm that can progress slowly over years. As the tissue contracts, fingers — most often the ring and small fingers — can pull toward the palm and lose the ability to fully straighten. Treatment depends on how much function is affected. Options range from needle aponeurotomy (a needle-based release of the cord) to enzyme injection (collagenase) to open or limited surgical fasciectomy.

Thumb Arthritis (CMC / Basal Joint Arthritis)

Arthritis at the base of the thumb is among the most common forms of osteoarthritis affecting daily life. Patients often describe pain pinching, turning keys, opening jars, and writing. Early-stage thumb arthritis often responds to a thumb-based splint, activity changes, anti-inflammatories, and injections. When the joint is significantly worn and conservative care no longer controls symptoms, CMC joint replacement can substantially relieve pain.

Wrist Arthritis

Arthritis of the wrist — whether from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or post-traumatic causes — can limit motion and grip. Conservative care includes bracing, anti-inflammatory medication, activity changes, and corticosteroid injections. When the joint is severely worn, surgical options include partial or total wrist fusion and motion-preserving procedures. Learn more about wrist arthritis treatment →

Scapholunate Ligament Tears and TFCC Tears

The scapholunate ligament and the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) are two of the most commonly injured stabilizing structures in the wrist. Tears can occur from a fall, a sports injury, or wear over time. Symptoms often include wrist pain with rotation, weakness with gripping, or a clicking sensation. Scapholunate ligament tear treatment and TFCC treatment range from immobilization through arthroscopic and open repair, depending on the tear pattern and severity.

Ganglion Cysts

Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled, non-cancerous bumps that arise from a joint or tendon sheath — most commonly on the back of the wrist. They can change size, sometimes resolve on their own, and are usually painless. They warrant evaluation when they cause pain, limit motion, or press on a nerve. Aspiration (drainage with a needle) and excision are both options when treatment is needed.

Other Conditions We Evaluate

We also treat avascular necrosis, bursitis, cubital tunnel syndrome, jammed finger, malunion, mallet finger, muscle sprain, osteoarthritis, osteochondritis dissecans, pinched nerve, radiculopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, tendon rupture, tendonitis, ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear, ulnar nerve entrapment, wounds, and other hand and wrist conditions. For diagnostic uncertainty about the inside of the wrist joint, wrist arthroscopy is a minimally invasive option. If you are unsure where your specific situation fits, request an appointment and one of our hand specialists will determine the right starting point.

Treatment Options — Conservative First, Surgery When Indicated

Hand and wrist conditions almost never start with surgery. Our hand specialists follow a stepwise approach: an accurate diagnosis first, then the least-invasive treatment likely to control the problem, with escalation only when symptoms persist or function is at risk.

Conservative (Non-Surgical) Care

Most hand and wrist conditions respond, at least initially, to one or more of the following:

• Bracing or splinting — night splints for carpal tunnel, thumb spica splints for de Quervain's or thumb arthritis, wrist immobilization for tendinitis flare-ups
• Activity modification — adjusting the postures, tools, or work tasks that aggravate symptoms
• Anti-inflammatory medications — short courses of NSAIDs (oral or topical), with attention to other medical conditions
• Corticosteroid injections — targeted injections into the carpal tunnel, tendon sheaths, or arthritic joints to reduce inflammation and pain
• Hand therapy — supervised exercises, ergonomic coaching, and modalities provided by certified hand therapists, often the difference between a recurrence and lasting improvement
• Casting or closed reduction — for many fractures, immobilization is the definitive treatment

Conservative care is not just a delay tactic — for many conditions, it is the definitive treatment, and our specialists will tell you when they think a non-surgical course has a high likelihood of resolving your problem.

Surgical Treatment

Surgery is recommended when symptoms persist despite appropriate conservative care, when there is structural damage (a torn tendon, a displaced fracture, a severely compressed nerve) that won't recover without intervention, or when delaying treatment would risk long-term loss of function. Common hand and wrist procedures performed at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush include open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release (A1 pulley release), De Quervain's tenosynovitis release, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of wrist fractures, scaphoid fracture fixation, joint replacement and reconstruction for thumb and finger arthritis, tendon and nerve repair, Dupuytren's contracture release (needle aponeurotomy, collagenase injection, or fasciectomy), ganglion cyst excision, and wrist arthroscopy for ligament tears and TFCC repair.

The right surgical option depends on the diagnosis, the severity of the structural damage, your hand-dominance and daily demands, and your overall health. Your surgeon will walk you through the options before you decide.

Minimally Invasive Hand Surgery — A More Precise Approach

Many of the hand and wrist procedures performed today can be done through smaller incisions, with techniques that preserve more of the surrounding soft tissue. Our hand surgeons offer minimally invasive options where they are appropriate:

• Endoscopic carpal tunnel release — performed through one or two small incisions using a tiny camera. For appropriate candidates, this approach allows earlier return to light activity and faster grip-strength recovery in the first three months after surgery, compared with traditional open release. Long-term outcomes between open and endoscopic approaches are similar in published comparative studies. Not every patient is a candidate; the decision is made together with your surgeon based on anatomy, prior surgery, and other factors.
• Wrist arthroscopy — a fiber-optic scope is inserted through small portals to visualize and treat the inside of the wrist joint, used for TFCC tears, scapholunate ligament tears, loose bodies, and synovitis.
• Percutaneous fracture fixation — for some fractures, pins or screws can be placed through small skin punctures rather than a full open incision.
• Needle aponeurotomy for Dupuytren's — a needle-based release of the contracted cord, with no skin incision.

Minimally invasive doesn't mean "minor." These are real surgical procedures performed by fellowship-trained hand surgeons. What it does mean is less tissue disruption, smaller scars, and — for the right indication — a faster return to using your hand. When a traditional open approach is the safer or more reliable option, your surgeon will tell you that clearly.