In most cases the treatment for this painful condition is literally in your own hands. And if you act quickly at the first hint of symptoms, you can probably head off a full-blown flare-up, avoid costly trips to the doctor--and even prevent surgery.
What is happening
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) usually being gradually, with a numbness and tingling in your thumb, index and middle fingers. Although it may come and go at this level of years, eventually your whole hand and wrist may begin to hurt much of the time. You may even have trouble doing simple things such as picking up your coffee cup or twisting a doorknob. In especially severe cases, the pain may spread all the way up your arm to your shoulder and be so bad that is jolts you awake in the middle of the night.
The cause of this wide range of symptoms is inflamed tendons or ligaments, which put pressure on the median nerve that runs through a narrow 'tunnel' of wrist bones (carpals) and under the carpal alignment at the base of your palm. This inflammation can occur for many reasons, but the most common culprit is forceful and repetitive hand movements. And while you may be quick to blame your computer as the source of the problem, this is far from established. In fact, a 2001 study in the journal Neurology found that regular computer uses developed carpal tunnel syndrome at about the same rate as those who worked on them only occasionally.
LIKELY FIRST STEPS
What is happening
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) usually being gradually, with a numbness and tingling in your thumb, index and middle fingers. Although it may come and go at this level of years, eventually your whole hand and wrist may begin to hurt much of the time. You may even have trouble doing simple things such as picking up your coffee cup or twisting a doorknob. In especially severe cases, the pain may spread all the way up your arm to your shoulder and be so bad that is jolts you awake in the middle of the night.
The cause of this wide range of symptoms is inflamed tendons or ligaments, which put pressure on the median nerve that runs through a narrow 'tunnel' of wrist bones (carpals) and under the carpal alignment at the base of your palm. This inflammation can occur for many reasons, but the most common culprit is forceful and repetitive hand movements. And while you may be quick to blame your computer as the source of the problem, this is far from established. In fact, a 2001 study in the journal Neurology found that regular computer uses developed carpal tunnel syndrome at about the same rate as those who worked on them only occasionally.
LIKELY FIRST STEPS
- Rest the affected area to reduce swelling.
- Take medications to ease pain and inflammation.
- Wear a wrist splint to provide support.
- Do exercises to strengthen muscles and ligaments and prevent recurrences.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Is it possible to my CTS is due to another undiagnosed medical condition?
- How long will it take for those treatments to start working?
- Do I need to change careers or give up my hobby?
- How likely is it that will need to undergo surgery?
WHAT CAUSES CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
When the median nerve is squeezed by inflamed tendons and ligaments in the narrow carpal tunnel, numbness and tingling in your thumb, index and middle fingers can occur (see pink area above). This might be accompanied by a pain in your wrist that comes and goer or persists.
Treatment Options
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rest hand & wrist Use a wrist splint until pain subsides.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise To improve function and reduce weight.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limit activities Avoid tasks involving repetitive movements.
MEDICATIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSAIDs Reduce inflammation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diurectics Decrease fluids in the body.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corticosteroid injections For swelling, if NSAIDs/diuretics don't work.
Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surgery A last resort, but often effective.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultrasound therapy Sometimes effective.
NATURAL METHODS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acupuncture Helps relieve pain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chiropractic To release pressure on nerve.
Computer user or not, if you're a woman between the ages of 30 and 60, you're more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. CTS is also more likely to develop if you have another underlying medical condition, such as under-active thyroid, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
Unfortunately, hobbies and leisure-time activities can also contribute to CTS. If you're an overly aggressive knitter, fanatical garden-weeder or gung-ho- guitarist, you could be a candidate. And being overweight or a smoer will definitely increase your risk.
TAKING CONTROL
Treatments
Remedying CTS starts with four important RS: rest, relief or pain and inflammation, rebuilding your muscles and retraining yourself to perform daily activities diferently. Add light exercise and visits to a physiotherapist and you're likely to feel as good as new. Only in a small percentage of cases is surgery ever needed.
But you're not off the hook yet. Once you're symptom-free, you'll need to keep CTS from recurring by tackling whatever caused it in the first place. This might mean losing some weight, treating an underlying medical condition, quitting smoking or adjusting your work area t make it more user-friendly.
Lifestyle changes
Many of the treatment options for CTS involve things you can easily do on your own. Your doctor will immediately tell you to rest your affected hand and wrist for at least two weeks so the inflammation can subside.
When the median nerve is squeezed by inflamed tendons and ligaments in the narrow carpal tunnel, numbness and tingling in your thumb, index and middle fingers can occur (see pink area above). This might be accompanied by a pain in your wrist that comes and goer or persists.
Treatment Options
LIFESTYLE CHANGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rest hand & wrist Use a wrist splint until pain subsides.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exercise To improve function and reduce weight.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limit activities Avoid tasks involving repetitive movements.
MEDICATIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSAIDs Reduce inflammation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diurectics Decrease fluids in the body.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corticosteroid injections For swelling, if NSAIDs/diuretics don't work.
Procedures
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surgery A last resort, but often effective.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ultrasound therapy Sometimes effective.
NATURAL METHODS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Acupuncture Helps relieve pain.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chiropractic To release pressure on nerve.
Computer user or not, if you're a woman between the ages of 30 and 60, you're more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome. CTS is also more likely to develop if you have another underlying medical condition, such as under-active thyroid, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
Unfortunately, hobbies and leisure-time activities can also contribute to CTS. If you're an overly aggressive knitter, fanatical garden-weeder or gung-ho- guitarist, you could be a candidate. And being overweight or a smoer will definitely increase your risk.
TAKING CONTROL
- Keep your hands warm. Working in a cold environment can contribute to hand pain. If it's not possible to turn up the heat, wear finger-less gloves.
- Try voice recognition software. It it's painful to use a keyboadr, there are a variety of software packages avaiable (ViaVoice, Nuance) that allow you to use a computer virtually hands-free.
- Eat more apples and more onions. Both these foods are major sources of quercetin, a particularly powerful member of a group of plant pigments called flavonoids. With its proven anti-inflammatory properties, quercetin can help reduce inflammation in your joints and muscles.
Treatments
Remedying CTS starts with four important RS: rest, relief or pain and inflammation, rebuilding your muscles and retraining yourself to perform daily activities diferently. Add light exercise and visits to a physiotherapist and you're likely to feel as good as new. Only in a small percentage of cases is surgery ever needed.
But you're not off the hook yet. Once you're symptom-free, you'll need to keep CTS from recurring by tackling whatever caused it in the first place. This might mean losing some weight, treating an underlying medical condition, quitting smoking or adjusting your work area t make it more user-friendly.
Lifestyle changes
Many of the treatment options for CTS involve things you can easily do on your own. Your doctor will immediately tell you to rest your affected hand and wrist for at least two weeks so the inflammation can subside.
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