Austin Wrist Surgeon Helping Patients Return to Pain-Free Living
When Your Wrist Holds You Back from Life
Your wrist is the crucial link between your hand and arm, enabling everything from typing and driving to sports and household activities. When wrist pain or dysfunction strikes, it doesn’t just affect your wrist – it impacts your entire arm function and quality of life. Dr. Manish Patel understands how wrist problems can derail your daily routine and has spent over 20 years perfecting the diagnosis and treatment of complex wrist conditions.
As a fellowship-trained upper extremity specialist, Dr. Patel has successfully treated thousands of wrist conditions, from common carpal tunnel syndrome to complex wrist reconstructions that other surgeons deemed impossible. His comprehensive approach combines innovative treatments like PRP therapy with advanced surgical techniques, always prioritizing your return to pain-free wrist function.
Why Wrist Problems Require Specialized Expertise
The wrist joint is one of the most complex joints in your body, containing 8 small bones, multiple ligaments, tendons from 18 different muscles, and three major nerves – all working together in a space roughly the size of a golf ball. This intricate anatomy allows your wrist’s remarkable range of motion and strength, but also makes wrist injuries and conditions challenging to diagnose and treat properly.
Dr. Patel’s fellowship training in upper extremity surgery provides the specialized knowledge essential for optimal wrist care. This advanced training beyond his orthopedic residency allows him to:
Accurately diagnose subtle wrist problems that others might miss
Understand the complex relationships between wrist bones and ligaments
Perform delicate arthroscopic wrist procedures through tiny incisions
Execute complex wrist reconstructions for severe injuries
Integrate cutting-edge PRP therapy with proven surgical techniques
Treat failed previous wrist surgeries with revision procedures
Our Wrist Treatment Philosophy: Function-Focused Care
Dr. Patel believes the best wrist treatment is the one that restores your specific functional needs with the least intervention required. Whether you’re a computer programmer needing pain-free typing or an athlete requiring full strength and mobility, treatment is tailored to your individual goals.
Conservative Treatment Options:
Specialized wrist bracing and ergonomic modifications
Targeted physical therapy and exercise programs
Precise steroid injections into wrist joints and tendon sheaths
PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy for inflammatory wrist conditions
Activity modification and workplace ergonomic assessment
Advanced Surgical Options When Needed:
Minimally invasive arthroscopic wrist procedures
Endoscopic carpal tunnel release with faster recovery
Complex wrist ligament reconstruction
Wrist joint fusion or replacement for severe arthritis
Revision surgery for failed previous wrist treatments
Common Wrist Conditions We Treat
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed as it passes through the narrow carpal tunnel in your wrist. This compression causes numbness, tingling, and pain in your thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers, often worsening at night or during repetitive activities.
Early symptoms may include occasional numbness that improves with shaking your hands. As the condition progresses, you may experience constant numbness, weakness with gripping, and difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning clothes or picking up small objects.
Dr. Patel offers comprehensive carpal tunnel treatment starting with:
- Custom wrist splinting to maintain neutral positioning
- Ergonomic workplace modifications
- Targeted steroid injections for inflammation reduction
- PRP therapy to promote nerve healing and reduce inflammation
When conservative treatment isn’t sufficient, Dr. Patel performs both open and endoscopic carpal tunnel release. The endoscopic approach uses a tiny camera and instruments through small incisions, resulting in:
- Faster recovery times
- Less post-operative pain
- Smaller scars
- Quicker return to work and activities
His expertise in both techniques allows him to choose the optimal approach for your specific anatomy and lifestyle needs.
De Quervain's Tenosynovitis ("Mommy's Wrist")
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist, causing sharp pain that worsens with thumb movement, wrist motion, or gripping activities. This condition is common in new mothers due to repetitive lifting and holding of babies, but affects anyone who performs frequent thumb and wrist motions.
The pain typically occurs along the thumb side of your wrist and may radiate up your forearm or down into your thumb. Simple activities like turning doorknobs, lifting coffee cups, or picking up children become painful and difficult.
Dr. Patel’s treatment approach includes:
- Specialized thumb spica splinting
- Anti-inflammatory medications and ice therapy
- Precise steroid injections into the tendon sheath
- PRP therapy, which has shown excellent results for this condition
PRP therapy for De Quervain’s uses your body’s natural healing factors to reduce tendon inflammation and promote healing, often providing lasting relief without surgery. When conservative treatment fails, Dr. Patel performs minimally invasive surgical release that typically provides complete and immediate pain relief.
Wrist Arthritis
Wrist arthritis can affect any of the multiple joints in your wrist, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and progressive loss of motion. The most common types include:
- Post-traumatic arthritis following wrist fractures or injuries
- Rheumatoid arthritis causing inflammatory joint damage
- Osteoarthritis from wear and tear over time
Wrist arthritis symptoms often start gradually with occasional stiffness and progress to constant pain that limits daily activities. You may notice decreased grip strength, difficulty with twisting motions, and pain that worsens with weather changes.
Dr. Patel’s comprehensive arthritis treatment begins with:
- Custom wrist splinting for support and pain relief
- Anti-inflammatory medications and topical treatments
- Targeted steroid injections into affected joints
- PRP therapy to reduce inflammation and potentially slow arthritis progression
- Specialized wrist exercises and therapy
For advanced arthritis, surgical options include:
- Wrist arthroscopy to remove damaged tissue
- Partial wrist fusion for targeted pain relief
- Total wrist fusion for severe cases requiring stability
- Wrist joint replacement for select patients
Wrist Fractures
Wrist fractures are among the most common injuries, often occurring from falls onto an outstretched hand. The complex wrist anatomy means these injuries require specialized care to prevent long-term complications like arthritis, chronic pain, or loss of motion.
Common wrist fractures include:
- Distal radius fractures (most common wrist fracture)
- Scaphoid fractures (often misdiagnosed as sprains)
- Ulnar fractures affecting the small finger side
- Complex fractures involving multiple bones or joints
Dr. Patel’s approach emphasizes restoring normal wrist anatomy while minimizing recovery time. Treatment options range from specialized casting and bracing to minimally invasive surgical fixation using plates, screws, or external fixation devices.
His expertise in complex wrist fracture reconstruction has helped patients with severe injuries that others considered untreatable, often restoring near-normal function through advanced surgical techniques.
Ganglion Cysts of the Wrist
Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled lumps that commonly develop along the tendons or joints of the wrist. While usually painless, they can cause discomfort, limit wrist motion, or create cosmetic concerns. These cysts can vary dramatically in size and may appear or disappear spontaneously.
The most common locations include:
- Dorsal wrist ganglions on the back of the wrist
- Volar wrist ganglions on the palm side of the wrist
- Tendon sheath ganglions along wrist tendons
Many ganglion cysts resolve without treatment, so Dr. Patel often recommends initial observation for asymptomatic cysts. For problematic cysts causing pain or functional limitation, treatment options include:
- Aspiration (draining the cyst fluid)
- Steroid injection to reduce inflammation
- PRP therapy to promote healing and reduce recurrence
- Surgical removal with techniques to minimize recurrence
His minimally invasive surgical approach ensures complete cyst removal while preserving surrounding wrist structures and minimizing scarring.
TFCC Tears (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex)
The TFCC is a structure of ligaments and cartilage on the pinky side of your wrist that acts as a shock absorber and stabilizer. TFCC tears can occur from acute injury or gradual wear, causing pain on the pinky side of your wrist that worsens with gripping or rotating motions.
Symptoms include:
- Deep, aching pain on the pinky side of the wrist
- Clicking or catching sensations with wrist rotation
- Weakness with gripping or twisting activities
- Pain that worsens with weight-bearing through the hands
Dr. Patel’s expertise in wrist arthroscopy allows him to diagnose and treat TFCC tears through tiny incisions using specialized cameras and instruments. This minimally invasive approach provides:
- Accurate diagnosis of tear location and severity
- Precise repair or removal of damaged tissue
- Faster recovery compared to open surgery
- Excellent functional outcomes
Innovative Wrist Treatment:
PRP Therapy
Dr. Patel is a leader in regenerative medicine for wrist conditions. PRP therapy concentrates powerful healing factors from your own blood and delivers them directly to injured wrist tissues, promoting natural healing and reducing inflammation without surgery.
Wrist conditions that respond excellently to PRP:
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
Wrist tendonitis and overuse injuries
Early wrist arthritis
TFCC tears and wrist ligament injuries
Chronic wrist pain from repetitive activities
Post-surgical healing enhancement
Many patients experience significant improvement with PRP therapy, often avoiding surgery while achieving lasting pain relief and improved function. This cutting-edge treatment harnesses your body’s natural healing mechanisms without foreign substances or lengthy recovery periods.
What Makes Dr. Patel Different for Wrist Care
Fellowship-Trained Wrist Specialist
Dr. Patel's additional year of specialized upper extremity training provides expertise in complex wrist anatomy and advanced treatment techniques that general orthopedists simply don't possess.
Arthroscopic Wrist Surgery Expert
Wrist arthroscopy requires specialized skills and equipment. Dr. Patel's expertise in minimally invasive wrist procedures allows for precise treatment with faster recovery and better outcomes.
Revision Surgery Specialist
When other treatments fail, Dr. Patel regularly succeeds with complex revision procedures for failed wrist surgeries, carpal tunnel releases, and fracture treatments.
Conservative + Cutting-Edge Approaches
Combines innovative PRP therapy with proven techniques, always seeking the least invasive approach that achieves your functional goals.
Ergonomic Expertise
Understanding that many wrist problems stem from repetitive activities, Dr. Patel provides comprehensive ergonomic assessment and workplace modifications to prevent recurrence.
Same-Day Urgent Care
Wrist injuries and sudden-onset conditions require prompt attention. Dr. Patel prioritizes urgent wrist problems with same-day or next-day appointments.
Real Patient Success Stories
Your Path to Pain-Free Wrist Function
Don’t let wrist pain limit your work, hobbies, or daily activities. Dr. Patel’s comprehensive approach to wrist care ensures you receive the most effective treatment for your specific condition, whether that’s innovative PRP therapy, minimally invasive surgery, or a combination of approaches designed for your lifestyle.
During your wrist consultation, Dr. Patel will:
- Perform a thorough evaluation of your wrist function and range of motion
- Explain your diagnosis and how it affects your specific activities
- Discuss all treatment options from conservative to surgical approaches
- Demonstrate exercises or ergonomic modifications that may help
- Create a personalized treatment plan focused on your functional goals
- Answer all questions about your condition and recovery timeline
Schedule Your Wrist Consultation Online
Same-day appointments available for wrist injuries and urgent conditions
Dr. Manish Patel – Austin’s trusted wrist specialist since 2005. When wrist pain is holding you back, we have the expertise to get you moving again. Let us help restore your wrist function and return you to the activities you love.