What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that affects the hand and forearm, causing numbness, tingling, and discomfort. This condition occurs when one of the major nerves to the hand-the median nerve- is squeezed or compressed as it travels through the wrist.
Common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome
In most cases, there may be a variety of contributing factors. Some common factors may include:
- Overuse or repetitive motions - Repetitive wrist/hand motions and activities may irritate the tendons in the wrist and cause inflammation that puts stress on the nerve.
- Hand and wrist positions - the nerve can be subjected to increased pressure if you engage in activities that involve extreme flexion or extension of your hand/wrist for a long period of time.
- Anatomical variations - The carpal tunnel might be smaller in some people or there may be structural variations that alter the amount of space for the nerve to pass through.
- Pregnancy - Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy can result in swelling which can put pressure on the nerve.
- Health conditions- diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, connective tissue disease, hypo or hyperthyroidism are all conditions that can induce carpal tunnel pain
What are common signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel?
Some key symptoms may include:
- Numbness,tingling, burning and/or pain- these are generally felt in the thumb, index, middle and/or ring fingers.
- Pain or tingling in the hand that may or may not travel up through the forearm towards the shoulder.
- Weakness in the hand
- Increased pain at night or waking up in the middle of the night with numbness in your hand
- Worsening of symptoms with increased hand use
- Worsening of symptoms when having your hand in a fixed position for a long time
In most circumstances, carpal tunnel syndrome begins gradually and without a specific cause or mechanism of injury. Initially, many patients notice that their symptoms come and go. However, as the condition progresses, symptoms may become more constant or last for longer periods of time.
How can we take care of your wrist pain?
Treatment will vary based on how the patient is presenting in the clinic and will depend on the underlying causes and contributing factors that they are presenting with. Generally, rest and activity modification will be prescribed. Ice, taping or bracing may be prescribed if needed. More common treatment approaches are strengthening and stretching of the muscles identified in the assessment.
You don’t have to live with Wrist pain
To summarize, wrist pain is common but manageable. Despite there being various reasons why someone can have wrist pain, finding the right modalities and practitioners can help you address the underlying problem and decrease symptoms.
If you resonate with any of these points, give Baseline a call or go online and book an appointment with one of our practitioners.
We have you covered for your wrist related injuries with an integrated team of physiotherapists, chiropractors, and registered massage therapists and kinesiologists.
Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome may include (but are not limited to):
- Soft tissue treatment to address muscle tightness and trigger points
- Stretching and exercises to help manage and improve symptoms between treatments
- Joint mobilizations and/or manipulations to help release stiff joints
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Education regarding ergonomic changes to your work setting to decrease stress on your wrist.
- Other therapies may also be used, and the best approach will be determined during an evaluation with your specialist.
