What type of Dr. to go to for wrist pain

[98HornGirl]

I've been having moderate to severe pain in my left wrist for about a week. I've been keeping it immobilized most of the time by wearing a brace and taking ibuprofen, but it still hurts if I put weight on my hands (like if doing a pushup) or if I have to do alot of activity with it at different angles (putting lotion on my back this morning was tough).

It wasn't caused by an acute injury, and I don't really know if it has anything to do with how my keyboard is set up at work, etc, I just noticed the pain one day in yoga class and it's been getting worse ever since. I'm probably going to make a Dr's appt. on Monday to see my PCP, but I honestly don't know what the guy can do for me. So, I'd like to go see a specialist, but I don't know what type of specialist to see. All of the orthopedic docs in my directory are surgeons, so I'd like to go see someone that will have a less-invasive treatment philosophy. Chiropractor? Sports Medicine? What would y'all suggest? And, if you have any recommendations for docs anywhere between central and NW Austin, I'd appreciate it.

 

[kjgirl]

My mom has used both Dr. John Pearce and Dr. Stephen Pearce with Austin Bone and Joint clinic.

 

[TxEx2x]

I was very pleased with treatment I got from Dr. Susan Adler a few years ago. She's over by Seton. Though she's a surgeon, she was very much in favor of exhausting all non-surgical options first. She's a wrist and hand specialist. She was very nice and really treated me well. I cannot say enough good things about my experience with her.

 

[Uninformed]

What do you think of Michael Brown's practice in Houston? I think it is called the hand center.

 

[Wild Bill]

Ortho for sure. Even though they are surgeons, they also trat a lot of conditions with medications/rehab/immomilization.

 

[ChiroHorn]

Your PCP is a good place to start. He/she can order x-rays, give stronger NSAIDS & recommend the appropriate therapy (PT or chiropractic). If the pain persists, an MRI & referral to ortho may be warranted. The best orthos exhaust all conservative treatment options before cutting. Good luck.

 

[BigWill]

lets not get carried away...I will volunteer to rub lotion on your back for a bit. No need for surgical intervention just yet

 

[GhostOfTomJoad]

Rubbing lotion on 98HornGirl is my job, Big Will (she's my wife). Keep it up & you may be the one needing surgical intervention

 

[98HornGirl]

GOTJ - Down, boy.

OK, Well I called Dr. Adler and she couldn't see me until the 10th, so I made an appointment with Dr. Manish Patel with Southwest Orthopaedic Group on Bee Caves Rd. for this Friday. He specializes in hand disorders/injuries. Anybody have any experience with him?


Thanks so much for the recommendations! It really helped me narrow down the options.

 

[NEWDOC2002]

Your PCP could probably handle this. That said, most Ortho's I deal with are not very knife happy, They get plenty of business otherwise.

 

[bevo_daddy]

the wrist doctor?

 

[texascoder]

Dr Garcia with TX Ortho is pretty good. I saw him for some tendinitis and he was fairly conservative with his care... Some PT, then a cortizone shot when that didn't help much. All is better now.

Hopefully you don't have carpal tunnel... I've had that in both wrists... but surgery fixed both.