The human hand is an excellent example of anatomic engineering and is a delicate balance between function and form.

An injury to any structure of the hand can create a handicap. Unfortunately, because we use our hands so much, it’s challenging to avoid hand injuries altogether.

Some of these require an urgent trip to the GP, while others can be adequately managed at home. Here are some common hand injuries health practitioners treat.

Severed Fingertips

Severed fingertips are among the most common hand injuries health professionals see. If you look around, you can see why.

Fingers can be severed by table saws, jammed by doors and treadmills, caught in lawnmowers, and chopped off in kitchen accidents. Some severed fingertips injuries can be managed by a physician. Some require reconstructive surgery by a hand surgeon.

Hand and Wrist Tendonitis

Tendonitis is used to describe an irritation or swelling of a tendon from overuse or an injury. Aside from swelling, tendonitis can cause pain and weakness to the affected hand and wrist.

There are two common types of tendonitis.

Trigger thumb or trigger finger

This is a type of tenosynovitis where the tendon sheath gets inflamed. It can also thicken, making it harder to straighten or bend the affected thumb or finger.

The thumb or finger may lock unexpectedly when you try to maneuver it.

A trigger thumb surgery is an efficient treatment for this type of tendonitis.

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis

This is a commonly suffered type of tenosynovitis. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis causes pain in the tendon sheath and tendons in the thumb.

Lacerations

A laceration occurs following a cut or a tear on the skin. These vary in seriousness, and some can be managed at home.

Severe lacerations need medical attention. Laceration Treatment includes stopping the bleeding, cleaning the wound properly to prevent infections, and minimizing the chances of scarring.

If the laceration is caused by an animal bite, dirty object, or shows any signs of infection, it’s advised to seek medical attention immediately.

Mallet Finger

These are injuries that can occur if the finger suffers some trauma at the tip. This impact, at times, will be forceful enough to rapture the tendon that helps to hold the finger straight.

If you have a mallet finger, it becomes impossible to hold the joint at the fingertip straight. To correct this, a doctor will place a splint on the finger for eight weeks or so. This allows the damaged tendon to heal without further manipulation.

Stress Fractures

Repetitive activities can gradually weaken bones in the hand, which leads to fractures.

Once you have a stress fracture, your doctor will recommend a management plan that might include dietary changes as well as resting the injured hand until it heals.

While hand injuries are common, there are things you can do to help prevent them. Here are some hand injury prevention tips.