A visit to a Riverside orthopaedic surgeon doesn't necessarily mean that you have surgery in your future. Think of your treatment as a partnership between you and your Riverside doctor. What course your treatment takes will depend upon your diagnosis, age, pain level, how active you are and your personal treatment preferences such as how quickly you want results or whether you want to try non-surgical options first.

• Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
• Write down key personal information, including any medical conditions you have, injuries you're recently experienced or jobs or hobbies you have that might involve stress on your affected hand or foot.
• Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

• A list of your current medications.
• Any and all x-rays, MRIs or other imaging films (including written report).
• Information about what treatments and medications have been tried in the past and medical records that you think may be helpful.
• List of questions you want to ask your physician.
• Insurance information and card.
• Referral from your primary care physician, if applicable.

Here's what you can expect on your first visit. Your surgeon may:

Depending on your symptoms, your surgeon will want to assess whether or not strength in your hand has been compromised.  He or she may tap at the base of the crease of the wrist to see if it causes tingling in your fingers. Or, you may be asked to hold your hands back to back to see if your fingers tingle or go numb.

Your doctor will also want to get a sense of how much the pain interferes with your daily living. Then, the two of your will discuss therapy options to restore your hand and wrist function and flexibility.