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All You Need to Know About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (2014-04-05)
Do you feel a sudden numbness or tingling in your hands and fingers? Does your wrist hurt or itch? You might want to get such symptoms checked by a doctor.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressive condition that has become quite a common occurrence these days. The various sensations felt in the wrist and hand is usually ignored and the condition is usually diagnosed when the problem has reached a more severe stage. Find out more about this condition below.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel?
The body’s carpal tunnel is situated between the hand and wrist joint and comprises of bones and ligaments. The median nerve of the body is held within the tunnel and can cause complications if excess pressure is exerted on it.
The basic cause of this syndrome is repetitive activity. When you perform a certain action repeatedly, you may strain your carpal muscles or exert pressure on the tunnel. Many day-to-day actions that can cause carpal tunnel syndrome include:
· Gardening
· Handling assembly line activities
· Excessive typing
· Using heavy vibrating equipment
· Knitting
· Lifting or moving weights persistently
· Using musical instruments
Other causes include wrist fracture or dislocation, cyst or tumor in the wrist, diabetes, obesity, etc.
Symptoms of CTS
Patients suffering from this condition may feel sudden numbness or tingling in their hands and wrists. Sharp spasms of pain in the hands and fingers are also common symptoms of CTS. Inflammation of the carpal muscles is the main cause of this pain.
How is CTS Diagnosed?
The condition gradually worsens as it progresses into later stages. The earlier the condition is diagnosed and dealt with, the better. Physicians in any pain management san antonio tx will first try and rule out any possible conditions related to the hand, wrist and arm that have similar symptoms. They will then evaluate the affected area for warmth, discoloration, tenderness and swelling.
The doctor can ask you to get some tests done which may include Tinsel’s Test, Nerve Conduction Study, Phalanx’s Test, Electromyography and certain blood tests and imaging scans. This will allow pain management doctors in San Antonio, Texas to evaluate the extent of the condition and treat it accordingly.
Treatments for CTS
Some of the treatments to correct this condition are:
· Application of cold compress or ice packs to the affected area
· Giving the wrist and hand adequate rest to relieve the symptoms
· If repetitive activity causes CTS, an occupational therapist can train you to execute those activities in a different way to prevent further damage
· Use of wrist splints to keep the wrist stable and prevent unnecessary movement
· Use of Corticosteroid injections
· Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
However, resting the hand is a key way for treating this condition. If you still cannot stop working, take breaks every few minutes to rest your hands. There will be a marked difference in your condition soon.
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