In our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to ignore a little bit of pain or discomfort here and there, even when it’s in a part of our body we use a lot. It could be a stiff shoulder, a sore foot – even an achy hand. But while some ailments may go away with rest or basic pain relief tools, it’s important to know when more help might be needed.

With that in mind, we talked to occupational therapists Karolyn Paulson and Ava McKee about what kinds of situations can be improved by hand therapy. Our conversation on this episode of the For Health’s Sake podcast covered:

• Symptoms that should be evaluated by a hand therapist
• Goals and benefits of hand therapy
• What hand therapy involves

Relief is in reach

If you’re noticing pain, stiffness, weakness or other symptoms in your hands that don’t improve with rest or that interfere with daily activities, make a primary care appointment. Your doctor can make an initial evaluation and refer you to a specialist if necessary.