If you experience numbness or a tingling sensation in your hand or wrist, you may be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. Too much pressure on the median nerve – which provides sensation to your thumb, index finger, middle finger, and part of your ring finger – is the main cause of this syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome can have severely negative effects on your day-to-day routine or even your career, so it’s important to get the best treatment possible to alleviate symptoms and recover.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME Q&A
What are the symptoms?
Common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Pain
- Swelling
- Weakness
You may experience some or all of these symptoms in your thumb, your first three fingers, or your wrist. These symptoms can worsen over time if your wrist is strained or overstretched repeatedly. That’s why it’s important to get professional treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome before symptoms worsen significantly.
Activities that may worsen the condition
Some common activities that may worsen carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Repetitive motions of the hands or wrists, such as the motions involved in typing or piano playing
- Awkward hand and wrist positioning when engaging in repeated motions of the hands or wrists
- Prolonged vibration of hands or wrists, such as the vibrations caused by power tools
- Injuries to the hands or wrists, such as broken bones, dislocated bones, or bone spurs.
Medical conditions that can make people more susceptible to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Certain medical conditions can make people more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome, such as:
- Obesity
- Gout
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Lupus
- Hypothyroidism
- Menopause
- Pregnancy
Non surgical relief
If your carpal tunnel syndrome is mild, it may be possible to manage your symptoms and treat your syndrome non-surgically.Non-surgical carpal tunnel syndrome treatment and management options include:
- Resting your fingers, hands, and wrists when you experience symptoms. Stop any activities that are causing you discomfort. You may resume activity gradually when symptoms improve. Remember to keep your wrists straight or slightly bent when resuming activities so as not to cause yourself further discomfort.
- Ice your wrists once or twice an hour for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Your doctor may recommend that you take an anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling and pain.
- Wear a special wrist splint to keep your wrist in a neutral position and prevent you from assuming an awkward hand position that could aggravate your symptoms.
- Exercises to increase hand and wrist flexibility and strength, as recommended by your doctor.
Surgical options
If your carpal tunnel syndrome cannot be treated using non-surgical means, surgical treatment is an option. Your doctor will help you decide if surgery is right for you and will provide you with options for surgical treatment.
If you suspect that you may have carpal tunnel syndrome, please call Texas Orthopaedic Associates and make an appointment with one of our hand and wrist specialists. They’ll provide you with treatment options and work to get you the relief you seek.