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. Illinois has 143 practicing hand surgeons. Broken out by city, hand surgery doctor density in Arlington Heights is 8, in Aurora is 4, in Barrington is 1, in Bartlett is 4, in Belleville is 3, in Berwyn is 1, in Bloomington is 3, in Blue Island is 1, in Buffalo Grove is 2, in Burr Ridge is 1, in Carlinville is 1, in Carol Stream is 3, in Centralia is 1, in Champaign is 1, in Chester is 2, in Chicago is 45, in Crystal Lake is 2, in Danville is 1, in Decatur is 3, in Des Plaines is 5, in Downers Grove is 5, in East Alton is 1, in East Saint Louis is 1, in Effingham is 4, in Elgin is 2, in Elk Grove Village is 3, in Elmhurst is 8, in Evergreen Park is 1, in Flora is 1, in Flossmoor is 1, in Fox River Grove is 1, in Galesburg is 1, in Geneseo is 1, in Geneva is 2, in Glen Ellyn is 1, in Glenview is 3, in Granite City is 2, in Hillsboro is 1, in Hinsdale is 2, in Hoffman Estates is 3, in Homewood is 1, in Inverness is 2, in Jacksonville is 1, in Joliet is 4, in La Grange is 1, in La Grange Highlan is 1, in Lake Forest is 1, in Lemont is 2, in Libertyville is 4, in Lincoln is 1, in Lincolnwood is 1, in Lombard is 2, in Martinsville is 1, in Maryville is 2, in Mattoon is 1, in Maywood is 2, in Mchenry is 1, in Melrose Park is 3, in Moline is 2, in Monticello is 1, in Morton Grove is 3, in Mount Vernon is 1, in Naperville is 10, in Northbrook is 3, in O Fallon is 1, in Oak Brook is 1, in Oak Forest is 1, in Oak Lawn is 5, in Oak Park is 2, in Oakbrook Terrace is 2, in Olney is 1, in Olympia Fields is 1, in Orland Park is 4, in Palatine is 2, in Palos Heights is 4, in Palos Hills is 1, in Park Ridge is 2, in Peoria is 4, in Pittsfield is 2, in Plainfield is 1, in Prospect Heights is 1, in Riverside is 1, in Rockford is 3, in Rolling Meadows is 1, in Schaumburg is 1, in Silvis is 1, in Springfield is 7, in Swansea is 1, in Sycamore is 2, in Urbana is 3, in Vernon Hills is 1, in Warrenville is 6, in Westchester is 2, in Westmont is 2, in Wheaton is 3, in Wilmette is 3, in Winnetka is 1, in Woodstock is 1, and in Yorkville is 1.

Most people think that Chicago, because of its size and popularity, is Illinois’ capital city, but that distinction belongs to Springfield, home of the Abraham Lincoln Museum. Illinois has hundreds of museums, numerous yearly art and ethnic festivals, a lakeshore bordering Lake Michigan, and the many national forests and parks that offers visitors camping, horseback riding, biking, kayaking, and fishing. Chicago is home to the Sears Tower, the Shedd Aquarium, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, the Museum of Science and Industry, and other cultural opportunities and restaurants in the Navy Pier area.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Illinois has a population of 12,763,371. Of this population, 3,172,677 are under the age of 18 and 1,523,937 are at or above the age of 65.