Carpal Tunnel
It is most common for people who use repetitive motions of the hand and wrist. This can refer to using tools like screwdrivers and wrenches frequently, or perhaps typing on the computer.
Women are more likely to contract this syndrome than men
The syndrome known as Carpal tunnel is a very common ailment that is often mentioned throughout society. It’s not necessarily fatal but it can be incredibly painful and chronic. It can be a very tedious condition because of how often we use our hands. The ability to control, squeeze and hold things with our hands is drastically taken for granted. Our goal through this webpage is to fill the reader in on some helpful information about carpal tunnel syndrome. We want to inform you of what it may feel like, how it can occur and what to do to treat it. Your hands are your first true tools, so let’s keep them in the best shape!
What Are The Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel?
The most common cases of this syndrome occur with pain, tingling, numbness, and other slight issues in the hand. You may have experienced a loss in motor control or lack of feeling. All of these issues are created by increased pressure on the median nerve, but specifically that nerve in the wrist. The median nerve extends down the arm and into the hand. The sensory capabilities it has give feeling and movement to the side of the hand where the thumb is. However, your pinky surprisingly doesn’t apply to this.
The thinner area in your wrist is where all of the nerves enter and leave. This is referred to as the carpal tunnel. It’s normally a rather narrow area so pinching nerves in this region will cause the symptoms mentioned earlier. It can start slow, but the irritation will creep up on you. Usually, sensations of burning, tingling, itchiness or numbness occur when this happens. Those who have experienced the condition claim that their fingers often feel numb to a point of uselessness. They refer to them as swollen and cumbersome. It can appear in one or both of the hands. Patients report the urge to shake their hands when they wake up to gain some sort of feeling.
What Are The Causes And How Can It Be Treated?
It is most common for people who use repetitive motions of the hand and wrist. This can refer to using tools like screwdrivers and wrenches frequently, or perhaps typing on the computer. This is probably the most common cause. Interestingly enough though, women are more likely to contract this syndrome than men by three times. Research has shown that it is usually the dominant hand that carpal tunnel hits first. Contrary to the name, the carpal tunnel of the wrist is rarely the issue. The causes for this syndrome is usually from adhesions on the fascia that surrounds the tunnel.
There are several methods of treatment that one can use. For instance, some clients may receive braces for day or night use. It is common for them to receive a cortisone shot to reduce swelling, too. However, these are typically patch up jobs that help relieve pain. They usually don’t solve the original problem. Eventually, almost 50% of all clients will require some degree of surgery.
This method can seem quite tedious, but it is actually one of the most common surgeries in the country. While it is successful most of the time, it can take months to recover from. They have to go through many stages of rehabilitation and physical therapy to return wrist strength back to normal levels. However, while this is an effective fix, it may not be permanent. There are cases where the syndrome reoccurs in the patient even after surgery. There are other more advanced practices that address the root cause, though. These methods go directly to the source of the irritation in the nerve, and fix that particular issue rather than attempting to mitigate the pain it creates. This technique is rapidly growing in popularity and could be a great option for you should you choose it. At North Houston Spine & Sports Medicine, we can offer you a variety of treatments and information for this condition. It’s our goal to help you to stay informed and healthy!
