All About Hand and Finger Stiffness

Stiff Hands and Stiff Fingers: Treatment in Houston

All too often many of us take for granted using our hands with ease and without pain. Whether you perform manual labor or you are typing on a keyboard for eight hours a day, almost all of us rely on the use of our hands for both work and daily activities. It’s usually not until we experience hand and finger stiffness, however, that we realize just how vital the painless, everyday use of our hands is to us. 

At our Houston, Texas practice we realize painful and stiff hands and fingers can be disruptive to our patients. To help you gain a better understanding of why you may be experiencing these conditions and to learn more about possible diagnosis and treatment, we have put together an informational Q&A on this condition.

If you are are experiencing hand or finger stiffness and want a specific diagnosis or treatment plan, please visit us!

Schedule a hand or wrist appointment with Dr. Ashford

Why am I experiencing hand and/or finger stiffness?

Stiffness can occur when there is muscle or ligament damage in this area of your body. You are at a higher risk of developing hand or finger stiffness if you suffer from any of the following:

  • Arthritis/ Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Carpal Tunnel (pain or tingling in the hand and wrist due to nerve compression)
  • Stenosing tenosynovitis (“trigger finger” — a condition in which one of your fingers gets stuck in a bent position)
  • Fractures
  • Dislocations 
  • Bad sprains 
  • Tendon and muscle injuries

How will you diagnose hand and/or finger stiffness?

On your visit, Dr. Jason Ashford and his staff will examine your hands and ask questions to determine when the stiffness started and how it has progressed. This will include discussing its effect on use of your hand, any possible injuries you may have suffered, other medical conditions and any prior treatment you have had. 

We will then perform a careful examination to check your range of motion, assess swelling and tenderness, and evaluate your muscles and tendons.

An X-ray may be recommended to determine if you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or any other distortion of the bones and joints in your hand and wrist. 

How will you treat hand and/or finger stiffness?

If you visit our Houston practice for hand stiffness, we will typically start your treatment plan by teaching you exercises that will loosen your muscles and joints. The goal of these exercises is to reduce your swelling and ultimately reduce the pain you are feeling. To increase your range of motion we may also ask you to wear a splint or cast for an appropriate length of time. 

Depending on the severity of your condition, we may recommend surgery by our board certified hand specialist Dr. Jason Ashford. If we determine this to be the best course of action, we can perform the surgery either in our Houston Kirby location or in Conroe. The surgery would likely be a minimally invasive procedure that would require you to follow the post-surgery therapy plan very diligently.