Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Introduction

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects about 1 in 100 people at some point in their life. Men and women of any age can develop it, but it is most common in women in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

Sometimes carpal tunnel syndrome is triggered by a persons occupation, and can lead to the person being unable to work. Most cases of carpal tunnel syndrome can be prevented by stopping or reducing the activity that stresses the fingers, hand, or wrist, or by changing the way in which activities are done.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition where there is excessive pressure on the median nerve. This can be caused by swelling in the carpal tunnel and/or thickening of the transverse carpal ligament, which forms the roof of the carpal tunnel

Pinching or compression of this nerve by the transverse carpal ligament sets into motion a progressively crippling disorder which eventually results in wrist pain, numbness and tingling in the hand, pain consisting of a “pins and needles” feeling at night, weakness in grip and a feeling of incoordination.

Symptoms

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome initially feel numbness and tingling of the hand in the distribution of the median nerve (the thumb, index, middle, and part of the fourth fingers). These sensations are often more pronounced at night and can awaken patients from sleep. The reason symptoms are worse at night may be related to the flexed-wrist sleeping position and/or fluid accumulating around the wrist and hand while lying flat. Carpal tunnel syndrome may be a temporary condition that completely resolves or it can persist and progress.

As the disease progresses, patients can develop a burning sensation, cramping and weakness of the hand. Decreased grip strength can lead to frequent dropping of objects from the hand. Occasionally, sharp shooting pains can be felt in the forearm. Chronic carpal tunnel syndrome can also lead to wasting (atrophy) of the hand muscles, particularly those near the base of the thumb in the palm of the hand.

Treatment

Carpal tunnel syndrome treatment usually begins conservatively, and moves to more aggressive and invasive techniques if the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome persist.

The initial carpal tunnel syndrome treatment steps include some medications and splints

Your doctor may ask you to rest your wrist or change how you use your hand. Your doctor may also ask you to wear a splint on your wrist. The splint keeps your wrist from moving but lets your hand do most of what it normally does. A splint can help ease the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome, especially at night.

Putting ice on your wrist, massaging the area and doing stretching exercises may help too.

Cotisone injecions provide temporary relief as is it injected directly into the affectd area to decrease inflammation around the nerve.

Surgical treatments are available and effective in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. The most common procedure is the carpal tunnel release. A carpal tunnel release involves making an incision in the fibrous sheath around the carpal tunnel. By releasing tension in the carpal tunnel, the pressure is removed from the nerve.

Rehabilitation

Carpal Tunnel Wrist Brace

The brace helps to stabilize the carpal tunnel in its neutral position. The carpal tunnel is at its widest diameter in this position and the nerve is least compressed.

Excerices wil help to strenghthen the wrist and prevent the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Tips on relieving carpal tunnel syndrome