Elbow, Wrist & Hand Pain Treatment in Midtown NYC

Most of what I see is tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, thumb-side wrist pain (De Quervain’s), and numbness or tingling in the hand. Many are people who use their hands all day — at a keyboard, with a baby, in the gym, or with an instrument.

With hand and arm symptoms, where it hurts isn’t always where the problem is. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a good example. The symptoms show up at the wrist and hand, but sometimes they come from the median nerve being squeezed higher up the arm, or from a nerve root in the neck. So I always examine the whole path and find the real cause before starting treatment. With tennis and golfer’s elbow, good hands-on care is sometimes the missing link — how much it helps depends on the timing, your symptoms, your age, and more.

Here is how care usually unfolds.

An accurate diagnosis comes first. Which fingers go numb, when it happens — at night, in the morning, at the keyboard — what eases it, and whether your grip or thumb strength has changed: together with an exam of the nerves, tendons, and joints, these point to where the problem is. I don’t call it carpal tunnel just because the hand is numb, or a neck problem just because the arm hurts too.

When it’s needed, I order imaging directly. If you need a nerve test or a hand surgeon’s opinion, I’ll refer you.

Then hands-on care to ease pain and restore motion — on the wrist and forearm, and on the elbow, shoulder, and neck when they’re part of the problem — and we recheck your grip and the movement that hurt right after treatment.

That doesn’t mean surgery is never needed. In my experience, some patients have done very well after surgery, and sometimes it’s the right option. When that’s the case, I’ll tell you why and refer you.

“You use your hands too much.” “It’s your mouse.” “It’s your age.” In a way, these are all true. But you can’t stop typing — or painting, if you’re an artist. So we need a realistic way to change how you use your body, and it starts with the mechanism of injury. Once we know the diagnosis, we can predict the movement pattern or weak point that led to it, and adjust how you move at work and in daily life.

So I look at how you actually use them: your desk setup, how you lift and carry your child, your grip in the gym, how long you practice. I also look above the hand — how your shoulder and upper back support the arm, and whether your neck is involved.

Find what is wrong, then why it happened. That’s where my treatment starts.

Feeling better is meaningful progress. The next question is whether your arm and hand are ready for what you want to do.

At follow-up visits, I reassess both your symptoms and how you use your hands — gripping, lifting, typing, playing. These observations help me decide what to work on next.

Load the tendon, don’t just rest it

Tendon pain at the elbow often settles with rest, then comes back with the first heavy grocery bag or long day at the keyboard. So we cut back the load that aggravates it and build up the load that strengthens it — grip, forearm, and shoulder work, step by step.

Tennis elbow often gets better with time. The work is about getting there sooner, with fewer setbacks, and keeping it from coming back.

A plan that fits your life

New Yorkers are busy, and fitting three clinic visits a week into your schedule is hard. So I give you a realistic amount of rehab, sized to your life, your schedule, and what your arm can handle right now. Some people do a few forearm exercises with a water bottle at their desk, or squeeze a ball between meetings. That still works, as long as you do it.

Taught in the clinic, done at home

I teach each exercise here, we practice it together, and we record it on your phone. Then you do it at home, on your own time. How your arm responds the next day guides the next step.

That’s why I use visits for hands-on care and checking your progress, and let the daily work happen at home.

For musicians and people who work with their hands

Playing an instrument is physical work — holding a position for hours with fine control. Building strength and endurance outside of practice can help you keep playing. In 2018 and 2019, I volunteered with the Tohoku Youth Orchestra in Japan, under music director Ryuichi Sakamoto, teaching the young musicians exercises and body care.

The goal isn’t just “no pain.” It’s working, lifting your kids, training, and playing — without thinking about your hands.

I also treat rehab as the start of your future exercise routine. Everyone needs regular exercise, and everyone has to make time for it. A sore elbow or wrist gives you a reason to start — a good opportunity to begin investing in your long-term health.

That’s why I start small. A few minutes a day that fits into your routine is easier to keep than an hour you can’t find. Once it sticks, we build on it.

For many people, an arm or hand problem becomes the reason they finally start strength training — and stick with it. Many come in every two to four weeks to treat what needs attention and update the plan. Some finish when they feel good; others have kept it up for years.

Injections and surgery both have a place. The question is which one, for which problem, and when.

So for tennis elbow, the research gives good reason to try other options first. For carpal tunnel or De Quervain’s that isn’t settling, an injection can be the right call. When it is, I’ll refer you to a specialist — and help you use that window of relief to get stronger.

Not sure if this fits your situation?

Send me a text and tell me what’s going on. Most questions are easier to answer once we talk.