Doctors Tips for Avoiding & Treating “Avocado Hand”
Recent years have seen an explosion of popularity for the avocado. Millennials -and their perceived affinity for the creamy, green fruit- have been the center of much of the media’s avocado coverage, but avocados are enjoyed by members of all generations. Avocados are a rich source of healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and vitamin E. But despite its many health benefits, the avocado has sent a surprising number of people to the hand doctor.
Instances of “Avocado Hand,” -an injury that occurs when slicing an avocado- have increased substantially in the years since the avocado’s recent popularity boom. In this article, we will discuss how to avoid avocado hand, and how to tell if the condition requires the care of a board-certified hand surgeon like Dr. Rehman.
How Avocado Hand Occurs
Avocado hand usually occurs when the knife used to slice the avocado slips through the skin of the fruit and cuts the palm of the hand. Avocado hand can also result from the knife missing or slipping off of the pit while trying to remove it. Either way, cutting avocados should be performed using great care. Failure to do so can result in requiring the care of a hand doctor such as Dr. Rehman.
Treating Avocado Hand
The injury that occurs during avocado hand resembles a stab wound. Avocado hand can range in severity, from mild to serious, and may or may not require the care of a hand doctor.
Mild cases of Avocado hand can be treated with home care. Moderate cases, however, typically require stitches. But severe cases may cause damage to muscles, nerves, or tendons in the hand, and may require surgery.
However, in instances of avocado hand where the patient cannot stop the bleeding on their own, or if the cut is deep enough to expose subcutaneous tissue, patients should seek the immediate care of a hand doctor like board certified hand surgeon Dr. Rehman. If an avocado hand wound is so large that the edges cannot be gentle pushed together, if there is a loss of sensation to the injured area, or if the cut is on or across a joint, seek the attention of a hand doctor immediately.
Whether or not the injury requires the attention of a hand doctor, anyone with avocado hand should always look out for signs of infection. If the affected area remains in pain, or experiences swelling or redness, the avocado hand injury may be infected. Other signs of infection caused by avocado hand include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and pus in or around the point of injury.
If you are under the impression your avocado hand injury has become infected, contact a hand doctor like Dr. Rehman immediately, who will be able to prescribe a short course of antibiotics.
Recovery from Avocado Hand
Depending on the severity of the cut, the time spent recovering from avocado hand will vary. Mild instances of avocado hand may even heal on their own after a few days, with at-home treatment being sufficient. More moderate cases of avocado hand will usually require visiting a hand doctor for stitches, which their hand doctor will typically remove after 7 to 10 days. In cases of avocado hand that require surgery, the recovery period will depend on the procedure performed, but could potentially last up to several months.
Preventing Avocado Hand
One way to avoid avocado hand is to choose ripe avocados. Less-ripe avocados are harder, and as a result require more force to cut. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of avocado hand. Additionally, one sure-fire way to avoid avocado hand is to cut the fruit on a cutting board, not in your hand. A towel should be placed between the countertop and the cutting board to avoid slippage.
Since avocado hand often occurs while trying to remove the pit, pitting should be performed using a spoon, not a knife. When cutting an avocado, hold the knife as you would when gripping someone’s hand, with your pointer finger guiding the knife by resting it on the handle. And as with anything else you cut, slicing avocados should be done by cutting away from yourself. Failure to do so can result in an unwanted trip to the hand doctor.
Avocado Hand Treatment – Oakland County Hand Doctor
Since cuts of the hand or fingers can have long term effects on the patient’s future mobility and dexterity, it is important to have a specialized hand surgeon like Dr. Rehman carefully evaluate the injury. Rapid detection, diagnosis, and treatment is the most effective way to ensure you heal completely, and do not suffer long term consequences.
Doctor Rehman will assess your individual condition, and offer the best state-of-the-art treatments that are best for your hand injury or illness.
