Rheumatoid arthritis
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Harris can help you find the right medications, therapy, and splinting to prevent some of the crippling deformities and pain of the thumb, fingers, and wrist that arthritis causes.
If symptoms become severe enough, an operation can repair or replace the diseased joints.
Degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis)
If you have degenerative arthritis, Dr. Harris can help you find the right medications and design a splint for your wrists and hands to help manage pain.
With degenerative arthritis, the cartilage surface of your joints is worn away, and it is extremely painful when the bony surfaces of joints rub together. Eventually the wrist and fingers may become swollen and stiff with nodules forming around the joints. The base of the thumb is usually affected, and this causes sharp pain when you grip or pinch.
If medications and other treatments don’t work, there are operations to address pain, deformity, and stiffness.
