Arthritis of the Hand & Wrist Seminar

ps32016 The hand, one of the most flexible parts of the human skeleton, is an intricate instrument that is both tough and delicate. Our hands help us to experience and control the world around us and hence, enable us to work and care for others and ourselves. However, when our hands, wrists or upper extremities are painful and do not function properly, daily activities such as driving a car, typing or cooking can be difficult or even impossible. It is estimated that over 30-40 million adults in the United States have pain in the hands and fingers to some degree and a significant number of those with hand pain suffer from arthritis. Arthritis, in simple terms, means inflammation in the joint. While arthritis can present in any joint in the body, it is the especially noticeable when it affects the wrists, hands and fingers. Dr. Jeffrey Stuck and I invite you to join us for Arthritis of the Hand and Wrist Seminar on Thursday, March 24, 2016 in the PMC Pebble Creek Conference Room. It is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6pm; presentation will begin at 6:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is preferred; to register, call Portneuf at 208-239-1048 or register online at portmed.org. If you or a loved one are experiencing pain or stiffness in the hands, then this is one seminar you don’t want to miss. We will discuss the various types of arthritis, causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options. Our philosophy at the Idaho Hand Institute is to begin treatment with the least risky and most proven interventions. We look to treatments that have the highest success rates. Most of the time, patients are able to get relief from symptoms by altering activities, using prescribed medications, splinting and therapy. However, if conservative techniques are not successful in relieving a patient’s problem, surgery may be required. An experienced hand surgeon can discuss the best options with you. At the Idaho Hand Institute, we treat many routine and complex upper extremity conditions. To help patients in the outlying communities, we also see patients at the Lakeview Medical Clinic in Soda Springs every other Friday and in the Blackfoot Medical Clinic and in American Falls Clinic every other Wednesday. We have just started an outreach clinic in Idaho Falls as well. For more information or to schedule an appointment in Pocatello, Soda Springs, American Falls, Idaho Falls or Blackfoot clinics please contact us at the Idaho Hand Institute, 208-235-HAND (4263). To learn more about upcoming events and seminars, like Portneuf Medical Center on Facebook.

Dr. Esplin is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon with additional specialty training in hand surgery, which includes problems in the fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, arm, and shoulder. He graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine, did his residency training at Madigan Army Medical Center and completed his fellowship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He has been in private practice in Pocatello for 13 years.