Outlook and Treatment
Outlook
There is no way to stop Dupuytren’s once it starts progressing. Stretching your hand and fingers not only does not help but may actually speed up the contracture. Treatment isn’t always needed for those with a moderate form of the disease. For more severe cases, that limit your ability to use your hand, surgery may be recommended.
Treatment
Treatment can improve symptoms. For those who have a severe form of Dupuytren's, a fasciotomy—a type of surgery—can be done to remove or divide tissue that has thickened. Although most see improvement following the procedure, contraction comes back 20% of the time. Two other procedures include an enzyme injection and needle aponeurotomy. With Enzyme injection a chemical is injected into the palm of your hand to break down the thickened tissue. An aponeurotomy involves breaking up thickened tissue by placing a needle through the skin.
Did you know...
- Starting to feel claustrophobic? The smells of apples may help keep your claustrophobic feelings at bay according to a 1995 study by Dr. Alan Hirsch. Green apples, specifically, helped people change their perception of their space. Maybe they thought of expansive apple orchards? Cucumbers and barbecue made the feelings worse.
- A hearty laugh is good for the heart. Laughing can increase blood flow by 20%. Additionally, looking on the bright side can help you live longer. Studies have shown that a more optimistic outlook is linked to a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, and a lower risk for coronary artery disease.
- Does your job make you stressed? We all know that stress is psychologically bad for you, but it also has an effect on…your allergies? A Harvard Medical School study has shown that stress causes your allergies to become worse because your body's defense response loses efficacy when repeatedly triggered by stress. Then, when you really need to physically fight something off, you're less able to!
- Just saying the words "thank you" can measurably improve your mood. Researchers can actually measure happiness and changes in brain structure when people practiced regular "grateful thinking." This included things like writing thank you notes, writing gratitude journal entries, mindfully counting their blessings, and thanking friends. It may be helpful in overcoming depression!
- Do you know what the strongest muscle in your body is? No, it’s not your biceps or your thighs. It’s actually in your head. The masseter is a muscle in the jaw that is used when chewing. When all of the muscles of the jaw work together, they can exert a force as strong as 200 pounds on the molars. That’s some serious pressure.