Do you find yourself with numbness and tingling in your hands after typing away for hours at work? These sensations are a sign that you may have a condition called carpal tunnel syndrome.
This article will help you learn more about what carpal tunnel syndrome is and why you shouldn’t ignore your symptoms.
What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which a nerve traveling through your wrist become compressed. The name of the nerve that gets compressed is the median nerve.
This compression results in symptoms in your hand and fingers. The severity of the symptoms will depend on the amount of compression that is occurring at the nerve.
What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?
Most often symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome begin as either tingling or numbness in some or all of your fingers. Others may describe a sensation of heaviness in their hand that occurs after typing for hours.
If left untreated, carpal tunnel syndrome can even cause weakness in your hand making it difficult to grip items.
This is why it’s essential that you seek out treatment for your symptoms when the first begin to prevent potential long term damage.
What causes carpal tunnel syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is most often caused by the sustained pressure on the median nerve from your wrist being cocked up while typing at a computer for long hours. This is why it is a common diagnosis among office workers.
It may also occur as a result of trauma near the wrist as the inflammation in the area can compress the median nerve.
Potential Diagnoses
Carpal tunnel syndrome is often a diagnosis that is given in isolation, but can also be associated with one of the following conditions:
- Wrist fractures
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Postural dysfunction (especially in the work place)
- Fluid retaining conditions (increases pressure on the nerve)
Did you know?
Did you know that just because you have tingling and numbness in your hand, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have carpal tunnel syndrome?
Tingling and numbness in your hand might be carpal tunnel syndrome, but it could also be a sign that you have a pinched nerve in your neck.
It’s important to have a skilled practitioner assess both your wrist and your neck to make sure that we fully understand what is driving the symptoms in your hand. This assures that we will treat the correct body part and be able to alleviate your symptoms.
