Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Causes and Treatments
PUBLISHED ON:
October 30, 2024
CATEGORIES:
RECENT POSTS:
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the more common conditions that affect the hands. It is essentially a pinched nerve in the wrist, and the pain stems from swollen tendons that pass from the forearm to the hand press on the median nerve.
Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is typically caused by a combination of factors that affect the space for the median nerve in the carpal tunnel rather than an issue with the nerve itself.
Your hands and forearms are used constantly, so the factors that cause pain are vast. Because of this, it’s common that more than one factor causes pain. Some associated factors that cause pain in the carpal tunnel aggravate the median nerve damage caused by something else.
Contributing factors include:
- Trauma or injury to the wrist, like a sprain or fracture can alter the space in the carpal tunnel canal
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Overactive pituitary gland
- Repeated use of vibrating hand tools
- Fluid retention due to hormonal changes like pregnancy or menopause
- Cyst of tumor development in the carpal tunnel canal
- Nerve-damaging conditions such as diabetes
- Workplace factors that involve prolonged or repetitive wrist movement can place unusual strain on the median nerve or worsen existing nerve damage.
How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treated?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is treated differently depending on how severe the pain is and if there is any weakness.
Doctors recommend trying non-surgical treatments first. These include wearing splints at night, taking NSAIDs, and even having cortisone injections. These do not typically provide long-term relief but can alleviate pain on a short-term basis. Cortisone injections may also be used to help diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome if the patient is experiencing other symptoms as well.
Although there is no direct evidence that computer work causes carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist movements can worsen pain. Changing your workstation to allow better wrist motions, such as raising or lowering your chair or positioning the computer keyboard at an angle, may help reduce pain. Physicians and therapists also work with patients to modify hand and wrist positions used in other activities. They also provide exercises that help reduce pain, heat treatments, and ergonomic modifications to daily activities.
Surgical Treatments
Surgery is a viable option for relief when carpal tunnel syndrome is severe and does not respond to other non-surgical treatments. The goal of the surgery is to ultimately increase the canal size to decrease the pressure being applied to the median nerve.
Surgery is an outpatient procedure, typically performed under local anesthesia. This means you will be awake, but sedation is provided for comfort. You may experience pain directly following surgery, but patients can expect to find pain relief at nighttime more quickly than during the day.
Patients who undergo carpal tunnel surgery have weight restrictions for 4-6 weeks, gradually restoring the full range of motion and movement. The full recovery time depends on the patient’s age, overall health, and severity of their carpal tunnel syndrome. It can take upwards of one year to restore full strength and sensation.
If you experience pain in your wrist or forearm, talk to your doctor today. Early diagnosis is the most effective way to ensure a successful treatment.