Suffering from wrist pain?
Most of us have heard that people who work at the computer and keyboard are prone to get carpal tunnel syndrome. So, what is this carpal tunnel? Do people that use the keyboard are the only ones to get it? Let us find out more about the notoriously famous carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in the wrist. It is about an inch wide. The floor and the sides of the tunnel are formed by the wrist bones also known as carpal bones and hence the name carpal tunnel. The roof is formed by a strong band of connective tissues. The boundaries/wall of the tunnel are rigid which makes it difficult for the carpal tunnel to stretch or increase in size. The tunnel comprises of nine tendons of the muscles of the forearm and median nerve. The median nerve originates as a group of nerve roots from the neck and comes together to form a single nerve in the arm. The median nerve travels through the arm, forearm, wrist, carpal tunnel into the hand. It is responsible for the sensation of the thumb and first two fingers and for the movement of the thumb to touch other fingers which is a functionality possible only to humans.Imagine you are stuck in a narrow tunnel and are trying the move in it That exactly how the carpal tunnel syndrome looks like. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when this median nerve gets compressed in the narrow space due to inflamed or irritated tendons in the tunnel which can thicken the lining. This can result in tingling, numbness, pain, and weakness in the hand and wrist (sometimes forearm and arm).Who is at risk? Genetics can play an important role. Some people might have a narrow tunnel anatomically which can run in the family. Also, hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause swelling in the carpal tunnel. Underlying conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid land imbalance are associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.What profession is at risk? Most people believe that people who work at the computer and use the keyboard get carpal tunnel syndrome. Well, that is not exactly true. There are many professions along with computer professionals that are at high risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. Some of the other professions are healthcare professionals, dentists, athletes, gamers, musicians, outdoor maintenance professionals, beauty professionals, pet professionals, restaurant workers, food processing and handling, surgeons, manufacturing jobs, construction workers, and hobbyists. Early diagnosis and intervention are important to prevent permanent damage to the median nerve. Symptoms may include weakness or clumsiness of the hand making it difficult to button shirts, use fork, knife, gripping objects, lifting. You may also feel tingling, numbness, burning, and pain in the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger. Non- surgical Rest, ice, brace, work modification, corticosteroid injection, and physical therapy. Surgical intervention involves severing the ligament around the wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve. How can you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome? It is especially important to do conditioning while working by taking rest breaks and stretching. Pay attention to your posture and wrist position. Use a foam ball to squeeze your fingers to relieve pressure.
