What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Does your wrist or hand hurt after making repetitive hand movements? If it does, there’s likelihood that you have carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is basically a condition that causes numbness, tingling, and other related symptoms to your hand and/or arm. It is often the result of a pinched nerve in your wrist.
The carpal tunnel is basically a narrow passageway on the palm side of your wrist that is bound by bones and ligaments. The main task of the carpal tunnel is to protect a main nerve to your hand and the nine tendons that bend your fingers. When this main nerve becomes compressed, it creates numbness and a tingling sensation that eventually leads to hand weakness and other symptoms associated with this condition.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. These factors include the anatomy of your wrist, certain health problems, and how you use your hands. The good news is that carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated. Depending on the kind of treatment, it can relieve tingling, numbness, and other symptoms. It can restore wrist and hand function, as well.
How Do You Know If You Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
In most cases, symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome start gradually. For instance, you may experience tingling and numbness in your fingers or hand, particularly the thumb and index, middle, or ring fingers. Gradually, this sensation may extend from your wrist up to your arm.
Many people give their hands a vigorous shake to help relieve the symptoms. However, as the condition becomes more serious, the numbness and tingling sensation may become more constant.
Aside from tingling and numbness, you may also experience weakness in your hand and the tendency to drop objects when you have carpal tunnel syndrome. This may be the result of your thumb’s pinching muscles, which are controlled by the median nerve.
It’s best to see a doctor as soon as possible, especially if you feel that your symptoms are not getting better or if they start interfering with your daily life and sleep patterns. If you don’t address it immediately, it may result in permanent nerve and muscle damage.
Treatment
Surgery is often prescribed as treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. But if you don’t want to opt for surgery, don’t worry because there are alternative treatments available for this condition.
One of these alternative treatments is called neural therapy, which is often used when the carpal tunnel syndrome is detected during its early stages. Developed in Germany, neural therapy is a gentle healing technique wherein local anesthetics are injected into the autonomic ganglia, peripheral nerves, scars, acupuncture points, and trigger points.
Then there’s also prolotherapy. During comprehensive prolotherapy treatment for pseudo carpal tunnel syndrome, multiple injections of dextrose-based solution are made in the various ligament attachments that surround the elbow or wrist. This triggers the body’s natural inflammatory response to help repair and eventually strengthen the weakened tissues and/or ligaments. As they become tighter and stronger, symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome start to disappear.
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