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The carpal tunnel is an opening or a tunnel between the bones of the
wrist, where the median nerve travels through, supplying feeling to your
thumb, index finger, middle finger and half of the ring finger. This nerve
also supplies feeling to the muscles of the thumb (the thenar
muscles) that are responsible for moving the thumb so it can touch
your other fingers.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The leading cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is overuse of the hands.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is seen on numerous occasions in people who work in
fields that require repetitive hand and/or wrist movements such as typing
or assembly work. This repetitiveness can cause irritation around the
median nerve which then leads to swelling. The swelling and irritated
tissue around the nerve in turn leads to a narrowing of the carpal tunnel.
When the carpal tunnel narrows, it exerts pressure on the meidan nerve
thereby cutting off normal nerve conduction. In addition to repetitive
use, the position of your wrists and hands can lead to additional
irritation. Flexion of the wrist--such as when your're typing, narrows the
carpal tunnel even more and thus further cuts off proper nerve conduction.
What are the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are almost always easily
discernible. The most common symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome is numbness
in the parts of the hand the median nerve supplies, especially during the
night. The parts of the hand that the median nerve supplies are once
again, the thumb, index finger, middle finger and half of the ring finger
as well as the thenar muscles. An excellent sign of carpal tunnel syndrome
to look for is whether the pinky finger is numb as well. If the rest of
the fingers are numb, but the pinky is not, the chances that your problems
are the result of carpal tunnel syndrome are very high. Another
determining factor is shown in the movement of the thumb. If you have
trouble moving your thumb to touch your other fingers (this movement uses
the thenar muscles that are supplied by the median nerve), you may be
suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. People with carpal tunnel syndrome
also find that their hands may go numb during activities where prolonged
gripping is required, such as painting or hammering.
How is carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is best diagnosed by an orthopedist. Physical
examination as well as your description of the symptoms will give the
orthopedist a good idea of whether you have carpal tunnel syndrome. If
further evidence is needed, the orthopedist may perform some tests to see
how the median nerve is functioning.
How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome treated?
Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome varies as does the degree of
problems caused by the syndrome. Anti-inflammatory medication (such as
ibuprofen) may be prescribed to reduce swelling and to help with pain
management. Your orthopedist may recommend you wear a brace to keep your
wrists in proper alignment to keep the tunnel as open as possible, he may
also recommend some ways to change the way your work is performed to
reduce further irritation. In more extreme cases of carpal tunnel
syndrome, an injection of cortisone into the wrist may be recommended.
Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory which will help to reduce pressure
on the median nerve. If treatment is not helpful, you may opt for an
endoscopic carpal tunnel release, a surgical procedure designed to
reduce pressure on the median nerve. You can discuss any of these options
with your orthopedist.
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