By: Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | Hollywood, Florida
The hands are the primary instruments through which people engage with the world: working, creating, caring, communicating. When wrist and hand pain interferes with these functions, the impact can reach into every corner of daily life. For patients in Hollywood, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale, and across Broward County experiencing the aching, stiffness, weakness, or neurological symptoms of wrist and hand conditions, Hollywood Laser Pain Center offers the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol, combined with Graston Technique, as part of a non-pharmacological, non-surgical care approach for these conditions.
Chronic wrist and hand conditions often involve underlying tissue or nerve-related changes in addition to inflammation. Cortisone injections can address the inflammatory phase, but published research suggests that the underlying tissue or compression component frequently continues without separate evaluation. Patients with chronic presentations are commonly evaluated for additional conservative care options alongside symptom management.
At Hollywood Laser Pain Center, I evaluate wrist and hand conditions with the goal of identifying which specific structure is the primary pain generator. This systematic assessment is the basis for designing an individualized treatment plan rather than applying a single generic approach to a multifactorial presentation.
What Are the Most Common Wrist and Hand Conditions in Broward County?
Carpal tunnel syndrome, median nerve compression producing numbness, tingling, and weakness in the radial hand, is the most common peripheral nerve entrapment in adults, affecting an estimated 3 to 6 percent of the general adult population and accounting for approximately 500,000 surgical procedures annually. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that carpal tunnel syndrome is among the occupational injuries associated with the highest number of days away from work.
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, inflammation of the tendons at the base of the thumb, commonly affects new parents, golfers, and anyone performing repetitive radial deviation movements. Trigger finger, stenosing tenosynovitis of the flexor tendon sheath, can produce the catching or locking sensation that disrupts fine motor function. Thumb CMC osteoarthritis can produce gripping and pinching pain that limits daily tasks and is particularly prevalent in women over 50.
The clinical research literature on carpal tunnel syndrome and related wrist conditions describes a range of treatment options, including splinting, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and surgical release. Major systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines have generally supported conservative care as a first-line option for mild and short-duration cases, with surgical release more strongly indicated in moderate-to-severe presentations.
How Is the Regenerative Medical Laser™ Protocol Used for Wrist and Hand Conditions at Hollywood Laser Pain Center?
At Hollywood Laser Pain Center, the Regenerative Medical Laser™ protocol uses near-infrared laser energy directed at the specific structures involved, including the carpal tunnel region, the extensor or flexor tendons, the CMC joint, or the wrist joint itself, as part of a non-surgical care plan. Photobiomodulation has been studied for its cellular-level effects across multiple tissue types, with published research examining its relationship to local inflammation around compressed nerves, peripheral nerve function, fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis in tendon tissue, and synovial inflammation and chondrocyte activity in arthritic joints.
Research over the past two decades, including a 2016 meta-analysis in the journal Medicine that pooled multiple randomized trials, has examined low-level laser therapy for mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome. Reported outcomes have included measures such as median nerve conduction parameters and symptom scores, with results generally favorable in mild-to-moderate cases. Each treatment plan is developed on an individual basis following clinical evaluation.
What Does Graston Technique Add for Wrist and Hand Patients?
The flexor retinaculum, flexor tendons, and surrounding fascial tissue can accumulate areas of soft tissue restriction in patients with chronic repetitive strain conditions. These restrictions are associated with increased pressure within the carpal tunnel and reduced mechanical glide of tendons affected by De Quervain’s and trigger finger. Graston Technique is an instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization method. Applied to the wrist flexor musculature, carpal tunnel region, and forearm, it is designed to address fascial restrictions and support more balanced soft tissue mechanics. It is often used in combination with other modalities as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
What Is the Cervical Spine Connection to Hand Symptoms?
My evaluation of wrist and hand patients at Hollywood Laser Pain Center includes cervical assessment. The C6 and C7 nerve roots, the cervical origin of the median nerve, can produce hand and wrist symptoms that resemble carpal tunnel syndrome. Double crush syndrome, in which compression exists at both the cervical spine and the wrist, is described in the literature as a presentation in which wrist-focused treatment alone may not fully address symptoms. At Broward Medical and Rehab, where I practice as part of a multidisciplinary team, comprehensive assessment of the cervical spine alongside the wrist and hand is part of the standard evaluation.
Visit reliefnowlaser.com/providers/hollywood/ to learn more. Patient education content is available at youtube.com/@ReliefNowNation. Contact Hollywood Laser Pain Center at 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333.
About the Author
Dr. Bruce Mark, DC | Hollywood Laser Pain Center | 2607 Polk Street, Hollywood FL 33020 | 954-925-7333 | reliefnowlaser.com/providers/hollywood/
Dr. Mark earned his Doctor of Chiropractic from Logan College of Chiropractic with honors and has practiced for more than 27 years in Hollywood, Florida. He holds certifications in Graston Technique and acupuncture, is a former collegiate football player at Wake Forest University, and practices at Broward Medical and Rehab. He is a provider in the national ReliefNow® network.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Effectiveness of treatments may vary depending on individual circumstances. Consult a qualified healthcare professional to discuss your specific medical needs and treatment options.
