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 2,975 practicing hand surgeons. Broken out by state, hand surgery doctor density in Alabama is 26, in Alaska is 10, in Arizona is 87, in Arkansas is 17, in California is 336, in Colorado is 67, in Connecticut is 61, in Delaware is 10, in District of Columbia is 11, in Florida is 191, in Georgia is 63, in Hawaii is 13, in Idaho is 19, in Illinois is 145, in Indiana is 104, in Iowa is 33, in Kansas is 28, in Kentucky is 58, in Louisiana is 28, in Maine is 19, in Maryland is 74, in Massachusetts is 111, in Michigan is 118, in Minnesota is 72, in Mississippi is 22, in Missouri is 71, in Montana is 11, in Nebraska is 18, in Nevada is 20, in New Hampshire is 20, in New Jersey is 105, in New Mexico is 18, in New York is 226, in North Carolina is 83, in North Dakota is 11, in Ohio is 115, in Oklahoma is 38, in Oregon is 40, in Pennsylvania is 132, in Rhode Island is 19, in South Carolina is 47, in South Dakota is 4, in Tennessee is 52, in Texas is 201, in Utah is 28, in Vermont is 10, in Virginia is 84, in Washington is 83, in West Virginia is 20, in Wisconsin is 66, and in Wyoming is 7.