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Facts | Symptoms | Prevention | Treatment
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Carpal
tunnel syndrome is not an uncommon condition in today’s world that
revolves around all things electronic. Constant, repetitive movement of
the hands frequently accounts for this syndrome.
Swelling
of the carpal tunnel tissues due to injury or trauma causes the median
nerve at the wrist to compress. This nerve connects and supplies sensation
to many other areas of the hand. This swelling can be a result of constant
typing, driving, assembly-line work, writing or the use of hand tools.
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- Numbness
and tingling in the fingers, especially in the tip of the thumb and along
the index and middle fingers
- Weakness
in the hand
- Mild
or severe pain in the hand
- Difficulty
gripping an object
- Tendency
to drop objects
- Pain
in the joints of the fingers
- Loss
of ability to sense temperature
- Sensation
that hand is “asleep”
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Click
here to learn about ways to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
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If
left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause the nerve to become
damaged, which leads to muscle injury and weakness that may be irreversible.
If any of the above symptoms are present, it’s best to seek
treatment, even if symptoms are mild. This can include simply resting
and/or splinting the wrists for a couple of weeks or making other
small lifestyle changes to prevent further development of the disease.
Persistent symptoms can be treated with medications such as anti-inflammatory
drugs or diuretics.
In
more serious cases, surgery is ultimately required to relieve pressure
from the nerve. A procedure called carpal tunnel release relieves pressure
by cutting the ligament covering the median nerve. This surgery usually
takes away pain symptoms. Surgery is most successful when performed before
permanent damage has occurred. |
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