If you have a desk job, and especially if you spend long hours working on a computer, you are at risk of carpal tunnel injury. This is an injury of a nerve in your arm and hand that can begin as a mild numbness, but turn into a disabling condition. Learn how this injury can keep you from working, and how to prevent it from appearing at all.
The Importance of Your Carpal Tunnel
The median nerve runs down your forearm, through your wrist and into the palm of your hand. On its way, it passes through a small channel of bones and ligament in your wrist. This is the carpal tunnel and is just big enough to accommodate the median nerve. Any irritation in this area can cause swelling of tissues and pressure against the nerve. As the nerve is irritated, pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in your hand and arm can occur. If the irritation continues, you could lose control of much of your hand.
Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
When the nerve is first irritated, the tissue surrounding it becomes inflamed, causing a burning or tingling sensation in your palm. Your thumb and first two fingers may feel stiff and swollen. You may wake up in the morning with your hand feeling tight, as if it needs to be stretched out to function. Some people can experience this in both hands at the same time.
As the nerve irritation continues, you'll feel the numbness and tingling throughout the day. Your grip may become weak, and you'll notice that it's hard to make a fist. It will be hard to grasp and hold onto your coffee cup, hold onto door knobs and perform other activities where you need the dexterity of your hand.
Eventually, you'll experience pain and weakness throughout your hand, wrist and forearm. The pain in your wrist and hand prevents you from writing, typing or doing other work with your hand. The muscles in your palm become tense, and you can lose the much of the function of your hand.
Your Risk of Getting Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at Work
Repetitive motions, such as keyboard work, can cause pain and swelling along the carpal tunnel. Working with your wrists against the edge of a desk or table puts pressure on the median nerve. A previous hand, wrist or arm injury can make you more susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome.
The anatomy of the wrist can make some people more at risk of this. Some people have a genetically smaller carpal tunnel and are at a higher risk. According to the Mayo Clinic, women have a higher occurrence of this than men because of smaller wrists and less tissue protecting the median nerve as it travels through the wrist.
Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Initial carpal tunnel therapy consists of non-invasive approaches to relieve the pressure from the median nerve, and reduce the pain and swelling. Treatment should be started as soon as you suspect a problem. The condition rarely gets better on its own and often becomes worse. The common non-invasive treatments include:
- resting the wrist and hand, using cool packs to reduce inflammation
- using wrist wraps and splints to prevent the wrist from bending
- anti-inflammatory medications
- steroid injections in the wrist to reduce swelling
- hand and wrist exercises to stretch out the muscles and ligaments in the wrist and palm
If the symptoms don't improve with non-invasive treatment, surgery may be required to loosen the tissue constricting the median nerve. The procedure is done as an outpatient under a local anesthetic. The carpal tunnel is enlarged to allow the nerve to move freely. Physical therapy is usually ordered after the surgery to strengthen the muscles in the wrist.
Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
There are a number of things you can do at work to prevent this condition from appearing:
- Take frequent breaks from doing repetitive activities with your hands.
- Do hand and wrist exercises to stretch out the muscles and ligaments.
- Arrange your desk and keyboard to remove pressure against your wrists.
- Wear wrist wraps and splints if numbness or tingling occur.
- Keep your hands warm to increase the circulation.
Take precautions with your hands and wrists at work before symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome arise. If they appear, see your doctor and begin treatment before the condition impacts your work and the rest of your life.
For more information, contact Kleiser Therapy or a similar location.
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