Vim & Vigor - Fall 2013 - Community Healthcare - (Page 56)

In Good Hands by AnGelA Moore Finding relief for carpal tunnel pain GettinG Past the Pain For more than a decade, thousands of people have come to the Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital for relief from carpal tunnel syndrome, work injuries, traumas and intense pain. “We treat every hand and injury on an individual basis,” says Richter. “The hand is a very unique machine and every patient places different demands on their hands.” The Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital is the area’s foremost program dedicated to the treatment of hand pain and injury. The experienced staff diagnoses and treats a 56 Fa l l 2 013 For more than 10 years, Valparaiso resident Louise Thompson lived with the persistent pain of carpal tunnel syndrome in her hand. After seeking help from the Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, she is now pain-free and enjoying life again. variety of hand conditions from the common to the complex. This network of specially trained, board-certified physicians, nurses, therapists and skilled healthcare professionals ensures patients receive quality care from diagnosis to treatment through rehabilitation and preventive education. If an unexpected hand injury occurs, either at home or at work, Hand Center staff can be reached 24 hours a day through the Emergency department. After an initial exam, a physician who specializes in the treatment of hand injuries and conditions will provide follow-up care. If occupational therapy is necessary, St. Catherine Hospital therapists, specially trained in hand rehabilitation, will coordinate care with the patient’s employer and physician. “I can use my hands without the pain I previously endured,” says Thompson. “Dr. Richter and his staff consistently go above and beyond to help patients enjoy their quality of life.” CaLL C hronic pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome did not keep Louise Thompson of Valparaiso from her passions of cooking, gardening and home repairs. For more than 10 long years she had lived with persistent pain, wearing splints to bed every evening. After falling and breaking her left hand, she had no choice but to seek help. “Positive outcomes from Dr. [Ralph] Richter and his staff are well known throughout the area,” says Thompson, who works as a community outreach specialist for the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter. “I knew I could go to the Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital to get the best care.” In addition to repairing the fracture in Thompson’s left hand, Ralph Richter, MD, director of the Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital, performed the first of two surgeries to repair the carpal tunnel she endured as a result of her many years of being a medical transcriptionist and the long hours on the computer. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition brought on by increased pressure on the median nerve at the wrist and includes numbness, tingling and pain in the arm, hand and fingers. “Results were simply amazing,” she says. “I didn’t have to have therapy and I was back to work very quickly.” Need a Helping Hand? For more information about the Hand Center at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, call 219-392-1215.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2013 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2013 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
Dream Team
Spreading the Health
Memory Keepers
Step It Up
Your Mightiest Muscle
Well, Well, Well
Are You Doing More Harm Than Good?
Is Your Shut-Eye Serving You Well?
On the Cover
Anatomy of an ER Visit
Next-Gen Surgery
Attack from Within
Virtual Health
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Mary Medical Center
SPOTLIGHT ON: Community Hospital
SPOTLIGHT ON: St. Catherine Hospital
In Good Hands

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2013 - Community Healthcare