Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common affliction that causes pain and tingling in the hand due to unusual pressure being placed on the median nerve in the wrist. Carpal tunnel is commonly thought of as a repetitive stress injury, often brought on by typing or using a desk for long periods of time. However, there are actually a number of different causes for carpal tunnel syndrome. If you have a severe case of carpal tunnel, there will be a profound impact on your day to day life and physical therapy may be needed in order to improve the condition and relieve the pain.

As mentioned above, repetitive stress is one possible cause of carpal tunnel. If you do work where your hands are bent lower than your wrists for extending periods of time, you can cause swelling that will make the carpal tunnel smaller and exert pressure on the median nerve. Some of the other causes of carpal tunnel include pregnancy, obesity, smoking, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. Also, a traumatic wrist injury could lead to carpal tunnel syndrome later on if the injury doesn’t heal properly or completely. FROGS PT is a physical therapy clinic located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms

Patients who are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome often experience symptoms of tingling or numbness in their fingers. The condition can affect one or both of your hands. The little finger on each hand is rarely affected by carpal tunnel, so discomfort or problems with your thumb and first three fingers is a good indication of carpal tunnel developing. As the problem gets worse, the tingling may turn into pain and you might start to find your hand losing strength. It is important to note that carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms tend to worsen at nighttime.

If you only experience mild symptoms of carpal tunnel, basic treatments may be enough to correct the problem. Start by ceasing all activities that may contribute to the problem. Ice and anti-inflammatory drugs will also help by reducing swelling in the carpal tunnel itself. Sleeping with your wrist in a splint provides much needed rest, ultimately allowing nerve pressure relief. More serious cases of carpal tunnel may require surgical correction to relieve symptoms, allowing the patient full function without experiencing pain in their wrist and/or hands.

Physical therapy is a very important tool when dealing with carpal tunnel. Preventative treatment to stop the condition from worsening is a wise idea in avoiding surgery for this condition. For patients who have already undergone surgery, physical therapy can help in regaining strength and normal sensation in their hands, so that they may return to life as usual. Treatments such as basic stretching and range of motion exercises are useful in rebuilding total hand functionality as it was before the appearance of carpal tunnel symptoms. If you experience early signs of carpal tunnel, work with a physical therapist in order to prevent the condition from worsening. The desired result is to return to 100% hand health. FROGS PT is a physical therapy clinic located in Scottsdale, Arizona.