Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - An Overview Of
The Causes And Symptoms
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a highly painful condition
which is caused as a result of the inflexibility of a particular
chief nerve in the wrist. This condition occurs when the Median
nerve, which extends from the forearm to the hand, is highly stressed
or compressed at the wrist.
Cause
Carpal tunnel syndrome can happen
during daily activities because of the excessive pressure
applied on the wrist nerves while performing lifting or similar
types of stress activities. This results in pain, numbness,
stiffness or itching in various parts of the hand.
This syndrome is usually associated with hard physical
stress and is considered a work-related hazard. The best
way to avoid this problem is to reduce or avoid the activities
that would put excessive pressure on the hand and fingers. |
|
|
Symptoms
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are gradual and would start
with soreness, stiffness or deadness in the wrist and other parts
of hand. There can be severe pain right from shoulder to finger
tip.
Later when the problem is at a severe stage, one may feel itching
in the hand, pain and reduced gripping capability. The person may
even find it hard to shape the fist, grab or carry light objects,
and may find difficulty in carrying out physical tasks involving
hand operations. Unfortunately, no one is sure why this problem
occurs. It is found in certain people because of an innate predilection
- that is when the carpal tunnel in the body is not normal and
is comparatively smaller or weak. However, the threat of carpal
tunnel syndrome is very common in people who perform assemblage
line jobs that involve heavy hand movement.
The bones in the human wrist are typically arranged in an uneven
manner, in the form of a semi-circle. A tough ligament, known as
the carpal ligament, builds a kind of roof above these bones. This
forms a passage called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve, as
well as the tendons that help the bending of the fingers and wrist,
passes along this tunnel. The median nerve is one of two nerves
that gives the hand the feeling ability. This nerve also controls
some of the thumb muscles.
The carpal tunnel is perfectly and firmly positioned. If any swelling
occurs inside or in nearby areas, the tunnel crushes on the medium
nerve and generates the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Tasks like typing, knitting, playing musical instruments like
the piano or violin, or the continuous usage of vibrating tools
involve constant wrist moments and may result in carpal tunnel
syndrome.
Injured or damaged wrists are also vulnerable to develop this
condition easily. Rheumatoid arthritis is yet another factor that
would aggravate the problem. The disease Acromegaly is another
situation where growth hormones are formed excessively. Under-active
thyroid gland, fluid retention which is caused by kidney failure
and even pregnancy can make pressure inside the carpal tunnel,
causing the median nerve to be affected.
It has been found that overweight people, pregnant women, women
who use contraceptive pills and those experiencing menopause are
prone to carpal tunnel syndrome, even though it seems to come without
any apparent reason.
Symptoms of the disease also involve aching, tingling, burning,
deadness, or pain in the hand and wrist and also in those areas
that are linked to the median nerve (index, thumb, middle finger,
part of the ring finger). There are also chances that the pain
could spread to the arm as well as the shoulder.
These symptoms of pain would normally be higher at night times
and in the early morning. Also after heavy labor or work that involve
strenuous wrist movements.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can affect either or both hands with varying
severity. In the beginning stage, the symptoms will come and go,
but ignoring them would result in chronic pain and would be more
difficult to cure. If not treated early, the hand muscles will
gradually become feeble and may even result in permanent loss of
feeling. Simple tasks like writing would become difficult or even
impossible.
Summary:
Carpal tunnel syndrome has become a common problem that happens
because of the acute pressure on the wrist nerves that results
in aching, deadness, or tingling in various parts of the hand.
This can also be a work-related hazard. These types of problems
can be avoided by stopping or reducing the activity that exerts
pressure on the hands, fingers, and wrist.
Treatment and prevention
There has been much discussion as to the most effective treatment
for Carpal tunnel syndrome. However, treatments can be generally
divided into several basic categories. One of them is physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy
Dr. Rosenberg, DC., utilizes physiotherapy to treat and control
carpal tunnel syndrome. Manual treatment that includes deep friction
massage can help manage the swelling that is a factor in nerve
compression. This is combined with manual stretches to the tendons
to the fingers and wrist.
Therapy can be very effective in helping to calm flares of carpal
tunnel symptoms. The key is also to maintain the lessons learned
in therapy in a home program. Therapy in this way can control symptoms.
Call to make an appointment today:
Dr. Erik Rosenberg, D.C. (858) 279-2121
|
