Hand surgery may be performed by a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, or a plastic surgeon after illness or injury, or to repair a congenital condition. A hand surgeon has special training in medical, surgical and rehabilitative means of healing the hand and arm, and sometimes recommends a non-surgical approach. The surgeon excels at diagnosis, preservation and restoration to the form and function of the hand, wrist and arm after disorders such as carpal tunnel, arthritis, fractures, tendonitis, or when amputation is required.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, including carpel tunnel syndrome.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. The United States has 2,680 practicing hand surgeons. Broken out by state, hand surgery doctor density in Alabama is 31, in Alaska is 5, in Arizona is 66, in Arkansas is 20, in California is 321, in Colorado is 76, in Connecticut is 51, in Delaware is 11, in District of Columbia is 8, in Florida is 186, in Georgia is 56, in Hawaii is 8, in Idaho is 10, in Illinois is 141, in Indiana is 91, in Iowa is 34, in Kansas is 31, in Kentucky is 51, in Louisiana is 27, in Maine is 18, in Maryland is 58, in Massachusetts is 92, in Michigan is 122, in Minnesota is 65, in Mississippi is 21, in Missouri is 82, in Montana is 13, in Nebraska is 18, in Nevada is 19, in New Hampshire is 16, in New Jersey is 108, in New Mexico is 21, in New York is 189, in North Carolina is 70, in North Dakota is 9, in Ohio is 99, in Oklahoma is 35, in Oregon is 34, in Pennsylvania is 126, in Rhode Island is 13, in South Carolina is 48, in South Dakota is 3, in Tennessee is 50, in Texas is 184, in Utah is 30, in Vermont is 8, in Virginia is 76, in Washington is 69, in West Virginia is 20, in Wisconsin is 58, and in Wyoming is 6.