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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Overview
The pressure on the median nerve causes carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a tiny conduit enclosed by bones and ligaments on the palm side of your hand. Numbness, tingling, and weakness in the hand and arm may occur when the median nerve is crushed. Therefore, carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by the architecture of your wrist, health issues, and maybe repeated hand movements.
Let’s know more about its causes, treatment, and symptoms.
Causes
Most instances with carpal tunnel syndrome have no known etiology; however, any or all of the following may have a role:
- Hand motions that are frequent, repetitive, and tiny (such as with typing or using a keyboard)
- Hand motions that are frequent, repetitive, and clutching (such as with sports and certain physical activities)
- Diseases of the joints or bones (for example, arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis)
- Changes in hormones or metabolism (for example, menopause, pregnancy, or thyroid imbalance)
- Blood sugar levels fluctuate (may be seen with type 2 diabetes)
- Wrist ailments or injuries that aren’t listed above (for example, strain, sprain, dislocation, break, or swelling and inflammation)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome runs in the family.
Symptoms
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may include:
- Numbness, tingling, burning, and pain in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers are common symptoms.
- Shock-like feelings in the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers occasionally.
- Tingling or pain that travels up the forearm to the shoulder
- Weakness and clumsiness in hand may make tiny actions like buttoning your garments difficult.
- Dropping objects because of weakness, numbness, or a lack of proprioception (awareness of where your hand is in space)
Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms usually develop gradually and without a particular injury. Many individuals have symptoms that come and go at first. However, symptoms may appear more often or for longer periods as the illness progresses.
Symptoms that occur at night are fairly prevalent. Symptoms may wake you up since many individuals sleep with their wrists bent. Symptoms often occur throughout the day while holding anything for a long time with the wrist bent forward or backwards, such as when talking on the phone, driving, or reading a book.
Treatment
Your doctor will choose the optimal therapy for you depending on the following factors:
- Your age
- Your general health and medical history
- The current state of your wrist
- How well you tolerate certain drugs, procedures, or treatments
- The predicted severity of the disease
- Your point of view or preference
The following treatments may be used:
- Your hand is splinted: This keeps your wrist from sliding around. It also relieves nerve compression inside the tunnel.
- Medication that reduces inflammation may be taken orally or injected directly into the carpal tunnel. These help to minimize edema.
- Changes in the workplace: Changing the location of your computer keyboard and other ergonomic alterations may help ease discomfort.
- Exercise: Stretching and strengthening activities may aid those who have improved their symptoms. A physical or occupational therapist may oversee these activities.
Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome
If your symptoms are severe or don’t respond to conventional treatments, surgery may be the best option.
Carpal tunnel surgery aims to ease pressure on the median nerve by removing the ligament pushing on it.
Two procedures used to do the surgery include:
- Endoscopic surgery: This kind of surgery involves the use of to view within your carpal tunnel. Your surgeon uses an endoscope, telescope-like equipment with a small camera connected to it. Your surgeon will make one or two tiny incisions in your hand or wrist to sever the ligament. Instead of using a telescope, some surgeons may use ultrasonography to guide the instrument that slices the ligament.
Endoscopic surgery may cause less discomfort than open surgery days or weeks after surgery.
- Open surgery: This is a kind of surgery in which the patient is to release the nerve; your surgeon makes an incision in the palm of your hand above the carpal tunnel and cuts through the ligament.
Recovery
After your surgery, you might anticipate some discomfort, edoema, and stiffness. Minor pain in the palm of your hand might linger anywhere from a few weeks to many months.
After surgery, grip and pinch strength normally return in 2 to 3 months. However, if your median nerve was in poor condition before surgery, grip and pinch strength may take 6 to 12 months to recover.
You may need to wear a splint or wrist brace for many weeks. You will, however, be able to use your hand for light tasks as long as you avoid causing yourself severe pain. Soon after surgery, driving, self-care tasks, and light lifting and grasping may be authorized.
Conclusion
Relief may not be all if the carpal tunnel syndrome has progressed to the point of becoming severe. But, tingling and numbness are frequently relieved with proper therapy, and wrist and hand function is usually restored. Further, you may experience discomfort in the palm surrounding the incisions for a few months.
If you have been experiencing such symptoms, consult an expert today.
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