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Not all patients with Dupuytren’s disease require medical treatment. In the early stages of the disease, nodules may form in the palm, but there’s no effect on motion and no other symptoms. Because we typically don’t treat the disease at this early stage, there’s really no need to see a doctor unless you’re seeking a diagnosis. If you’re not sure what’s causing your nodules and you need to know what the problem is, then you should absolutely discuss this with your doctor. In later stages of the condition, contractures can form that will limit finger motion and hand function. If you’ve experienced progressive thickening of the tissues in the palm and loss of finger extension, and you’re no longer able to straighten one or more fingers, medical treatment is definitely indicated. At that point, it’s important to see a specialist. A hand surgeon is really the only appropriate person to treat Dupuytren’s contracture. There are no medications available. There’s no appropriate physical therapy. There are no exercises that can correct these contractures. It requires specialty care to treat Dupuytren’s contracture producing functional loss in the hand.
