In This Article:
Stop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
Carpal Tunnel Treatment
Carpal Tunnel Exercises
While discomfort felt in your hands, wrists or forearms does not automatically indicate CTS—it needs to be as a result of strain from overuse, not merely from the area being out of shape—you should always seek your doctor’s opinion on that kind of pain or discomfort. This way your doctor can head off potential problems, whether related or unrelated to CTS.
Sometimes, common early warning signs of CTS arrive at odd hours, such as late at night when you feel like your hand is numb. You may not associate this numbness with CTS, but it is an early warning sign. The following signs and symptoms represent a potential case of CTS—keep in mind that they may only be intermittent at first; and only long-term, as they go untreated, will they become chronic:
• A decrease in finger, hand, elbow or shoulder mobility
• A decrease in hand strength
• Discomfort or pain (as in a dull ache) that begins hurting at night or in the early morning
• Severe pain that wakes you up at night
• Radiating wrist pain, going into the forearm, shoulders, neck and/or chest
• Visible changes in the hand (dry skin, swelling, color changes)
• A decrease in thumb strength
• A tingling feeling in every finger except the pinky
• Hand numbness that results in weakness or clumsiness
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Prevention
While CTS can be brought on by anything that compresses the median nerve we discussed earlier, including a cyst or rheumatoid arthritis, in fact it is most often brought on by repetitive motions of the hand and wrist, motions that cause the tenders to press on the nerve. Occupational health experts stress that prevention from serious injuries like CTS requires taking any such pain or discomfort seriously and seeking help immediately. The consequence of not doing so can be permanent damage to the area. The following preventive measures are recommended:
• While doing repetitive hand motions, do not bend your wrist. Your wrist should be straight and relaxed while writing, typing, driving, using tools (including scissors and needlepoint), and playing certain musical instruments.
• While doing repetitive hand motions, take frequent breaks—at least five minutes every hour—so that you can stretch out your fingers (including the thumb), perform some basic wrist curls and circles, and alter your grip.
• Finally, do your best not to sleep on your hands.
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