Approximately 20 percent of adults over the age of 55 suffer from symptomatic hand arthritis. If youre one of them, youve probably already tried a combination of drug and non-drug treatments, including pain relievers, heat, and physical therapy. When these treatments fail, however, and severe pain and disability continue, its wise to consider surgery. Fortunately, with the advent of newer techniques, patients with hand or wrist arthritis who undergo surgery often can return to many of their regular activities, says Mark Hendrickson, MD, section chief, Hand and Wrist Surgery, at Cleveland Clinic.
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