Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome
Overview
What is carpal tun=
nel
syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful disorder of the wrist and
hand.
The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel formed by the bones and
other tissues of your wrist. This tunnel protects your median nerve. The me=
dian
nerve helps you move your thumbs and the first 3 fingers on each hand.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when other tissues in the carp=
al
tunnel (such as ligaments and tendons) get swollen or inflamed and press
against the median nerve. That pressure can make part of your hand hurt or =
feel
numb.
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Symptoms
What are the sympt=
oms
of carpal tunnel syndrome?
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include the following=
:
<= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>·&nb= sp; Numbness or tingli= ng in your hand and fingers, especially the thumb, index and middle fingers. <= o:p>
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sp;
Pain in your wrist,
palm or forearm.
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sp;
More numbness or p=
ain
at night than during the day. The pain may be so bad it wakes you up. You m=
ay
shake or rub your hand to get relief.
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sp;
Pain that increases
when you use your hand or wrist more.
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Trouble gripping
objects, such as a doorknob or the steering wheel of a car.
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sp;
Weakness in your
thumb.
How serious is car=
pal
tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome usually isn't serious. With treatment,
the pain will usually go away and you'll have no lasting damage to your han=
d or
wrist.
Causes
& Risk Factors
What causes carpal
tunnel syndrome?
Doing the same hand movements over and over can lead to carp=
al
tunnel syndrome. It's most common in people whose jobs require pinching or
gripping with the wrist held bent. People at risk include people who use
computers, carpenters, grocery checkers, assembly-line workers, meat packer=
s,
musicians and mechanics. Hobbies such as gardening, needlework, golfing and
canoeing can sometimes bring on the symptoms.
Women are more likely to develop carpal tunnel syndrome than
men. It also tends to be hereditary (which means it runs in families).
Carpal tunnel syndrome may also be caused by an injury to the
wrist, such as a fracture. Or it may be caused by a disease such as diabete=
s,
rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disease. Carpal tunnel syndrome is also com=
mon
during the last few months of pregnancy.
Diagnosis
& Tests
How is carpal tunn=
el
syndrome diagnosed?
Your doctor will probably ask you about your symptoms. He or=
she
may examine you and ask you how you use your hands. Your doctor may also do
these tests:
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sp;
Your doctor may tap
the inside of your wrist. You may feel pain or a sensation that feels like =
an
electric shock.
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sp;
Your doctor may ask
you to bend your wrist down for 1 minute to see if this causes symptoms.
Your doctor may have you get a nerve conduction test or an
electromyography (EMG) test to see whether the nerves and muscles in your a=
rm
and hand show the typical effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Treatment
How is carpal tunn=
el
syndrome treated?
If carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by a
medical problem (such as rheumatoid arthritis), your doctor will probably t=
reat
that problem first.
Your doctor may ask you to rest your wrist or change how you=
use
your hand. He or she may also ask you to wear a splint on your wrist. The s=
plint
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 tu=
nnel
syndrome, especially at night.
Putting ice on your wrist to reduce swelling, massaging the =
area
and doing stretching exercises may also help. An
over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory=
drugs
(NSAIDs) can relieve swelling and pain. These medicines include aspirin,
ibuprofen (brand names: Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (brand name: Aleve). In
more severe cases, your doctor might inject your wrist with a corticosteroi=
d,
which reduces inflammation and pain.
Tips on relieving
carpal tunnel syndrome
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sp;
Prop up your arm w=
ith
pillows when you lie down.
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sp;
Avoid overusing the
affected hand.
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sp;
Find a new way to =
use
your hand by using a different tool.
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sp;
Try to use the
unaffected hand more often.
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Avoid holding your
wrists in a downward bent position for long periods of time.
What if these
treatments don't help?
In some cases, surgery is needed to make the symptoms go away
completely. The surgery involves cutting the ligament that may be pressing =
on
your median nerve. You'll usually get back the normal use of your wrist and
hand within a few weeks to a few months after surgery.
Doing the hand, wrist and finger exercises that your doctor
tells you to do after surgery is very important. Without exercise, your wri=
st
may get stiff and you may lose some use of your hand.
Prevention
Can I prevent carp=
al
tunnel syndrome?
Yes. See the box below for some tips on preventing carpal tu=
nnel
syndrome.
Many products you can buy -- such as wrist rests -- are supp=
osed
to ease symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. No one has proven that these
products really prevent wrist problems. Some people may have less pain and =
numbness
after using these products, but other people may have increased pain and
numbness.
Things that may he=
lp
prevent carpal tunnel syndrome
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Lose weight if you=
're
overweight.
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sp;
Get treatment for =
any
disease you have that may cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
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sp;
If you do the same
tasks over and over with your hands, try not to bend, extend or twist your
hands for long periods of time.
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sp;
Don't work with yo=
ur
arms too close or too far from your body.
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sp;
Don't rest your wr=
ists
on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
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sp;
Switch hands during
work tasks.
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Make sure the tools
you use aren't too big for your hands.
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Take regular breaks
from repeated hand movements to give your hands and wrists time to rest.
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Don't sit or stand=
in
the same position all day.
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sp;
If you use a keybo=
ard
a lot, adjust the height of your chair so that your forearms are level with
your keyboard and you don't have to flex your wrists to type.
Finally: See our section on “NSAIDS”-ve=
ry
important information
**Modified from material provided by
familydoctor.org