What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common hand and wrist issues. The pins-and-needles feeling in your hand that doesn’t go away or weakness in your wrist when opening a jar isn’t just a minor inconvenience. This might be a sign of carpal tunnel syndrome: a disease that affects millions of people all around the world every year.
Let’s learn about it in complete detail.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is basically a condition where a nerve in your wrist gets squeezed. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passage in your wrist that contains the median nerve. When it becomes compressed, you face symptoms like numbness, tingling, and weakness in your hands.
There are a lot of reasons behind this condition, and it needs proper treatment.
Common Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
The carpal solution starts by identifying what symptoms you have and getting them properly checked. Here are some common signs that show you may have this condition.
- Numbness and tingling in the hand
- Weakness in the hand
- Traveling pain
- Shock-like sensations
- Swollen feeling in the fingers
- Not being able to differentiate between hot and cold
When to See a Doctor
You should immediately consult a healthcare professional if your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms get in the way of your usual activities and become more prominent during sleep. If you don’t get your condition checked, it can result in lasting nerve and muscle damage.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
This condition is caused by pressure on the median nerve. This nerve runs from the forearm to the wrist through a passage called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve is responsible for providing feelings in your fingers and thumb except for the little finger.
When something squeezes or irritates the median nerve, it can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. A broken wrist can narrow the tunnel, irritating the nerve. Rheumatoid arthritis can be behind this condition as well.
Risk Factors of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Anyone can develop this condition. However, some people are more likely to develop it, including
- People who do repetitive motions with their hands for work like swinging a hammer
- People who use power tools a lot, like drills or jackhammers
- Women
- Pregnant women
- Adults over the age of 40
- Obese people
- People who have a history of this disease in their family
Treatment and Solution for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
For treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome, there are two ways: surgical and nonsurgical.
Nonsurgical carpal tunnel treatments include
- Physical therapy
- Wearing a splint, particularly at night
- Changing your posture
- Over-the-counter medicine
- Corticosteroids
Surgery is recommended when nonsurgical solutions don’t work. The surgeon performs a carpal tunnel release to create more space inside your wrist, then makes an incision in the ligament that connects your palm to your wrist. This reduces tension on the tunnel and gives more space to your nerves and tendons.
Can Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Be Prevented?
While there are no proven methods to prevent this condition, you can lessen the stress on your wrists.
- Relax your grip.
- Take breaks where you gently stretch and bend your hands.
- Do not bend your wrist too much while working on a computer.
- Improve your overall posture.
