How do you perform a hand exam?

Palpate the patient’s arm along the ulnar border to the elbow and note any tenderness, rheumatoid nodules or psoriatic plaques.

1. Assess radial nerve sensation.
2. Assess temperature over the MCP joints.
3. Perform MCP joint squeeze.
4. Palpate the MCP joints.
5. Palpate the PIP joints.
6. Palpate the DIP joints.
7. Palpate the CMC joints.

What are the three major nerves in the hand?

Three nerves control function in our hands: the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Each of these nerves is responsible for both sensory and motor function in different parts of the hand.

How do you treat nerve damage in the hand?

Nonsurgical treatment of nerve injuries can include rest, splinting, icing, and physical therapy. If the nerve has been severed, then surgery will be necessary to rejoin the disconnected ends and restore function and feeling.

How do you check for nerve damage?

Similar to testing current flow in a wire, nerve conduction velocity test (NCV) is an electrical test, ordered by your doctor, used to detect abnormal nerve conditions. It is usually ordered to diagnose or evaluate a nerve injury in a person who has weakness or numbness in the arms or legs.

Why do doctors look at your hands?

Examination of the Hand (The Hand in Diagnosis) The examination of the hand and nails can lead to a number of diagnoses. Some of these include liver disease (Terry’s nails), kidney disease (Lindsay’s nails), lung disease (nail clubbing), endocarditis and many others.

What is the little bone in your wrist called?

carpal bones
Your wrist is made up of eight small bones (carpal bones) plus two long bones in your forearm — the radius and the ulna.

How can I improve my hand grip strength?

5 Easy Ways to Improve Grip Strength

1. Stop using straps. This is the easiest and simplest way.
2. Use thick-handled implements. If you walk into our UP gyms, you’ll see our famous fat grip rotating Watson dumbbells.
3. Choose the right curling exercises.
4. Squeeze the bar as hard as you can.
5. Farmer’s Walks.

What happens if a nerve is cut?

When a nerve is cut, both the nerve and the insulation are broken. Injury to a nerve can stop the transmission of signals to and from the brain, preventing muscles from working and causing loss of feeling in the area supplied by that nerve.

How do you treat nerve damage in fingers?

Your doctor may tell you to modify your behaviors and rest the area of the pinched nerve. Over-the-counter medications. You may want to try a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen (Advil), aspirin, or naproxen (Aleve) to relieve pain and discomfort in your fingers. Physical therapy.

Improve Coordination. Loss of finger and hand coordination can occur from nerve damage to the hands. Therapy using small Chinese hand balls as exercise tools can help restore dexterity, coordination, flexibility and muscle tone.

What are the symptoms of nerve damage in the fingers?

Numbness and Burning Sensations. The sign that nerve damage is present in your fingers may manifest as some type of numbness or burning sensation. This is generally an indication that you are dealing with some type of neuropathy.

What is a hand nerve test?

It tests the condition of the nerves from the spine into the extremity to the foot or hand. There are two parts to the test, the nerve conduction study and the needle EMG Study. During the nerve conduction portion of the study, mild electrical impulses are sent along the course of a nerve in the arm or the leg.

What causes nerve damage in the fingers?

Causes of Nerve Damage. Any traumatic injury to hands or fingers that causes pressure, excessive stretching, or cuts a nerve can result in damage to the nerves in the hand and arm. If sufficient pressure is applied to nerve fibers, they may tear. The same can happen when nerves are stretched.