Do you often feel pain, numbness, or a tingling sensation on your hand? Around 3% of adults are affected by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the US. It is a condition in which your hand becomes numb, tingles, and pains due to median nerve compression that runs through the forearm into the palm. The area in your wrist where the nerve enters the hand is called the carpal tunnel.
What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
- An injury or trauma
- Thyroid
- High blood pressure
- Fluid retention from pregnancy or menopause
- Persistent and prolonged use of keyboard
What Are the Symptoms?
- Tingling and numbness in hand and fingers
- Loss of sense of touch
- Loss of grip in hand and dropping objects more often
- Tenderness in the wrist area
- Burning sensation in your wrist and hand area
- Pain in the shoulder at night, pain in the elbow, or swelling in the wrist area
- Unable to do tasks such as brushing your hair
Watch Out While Doing These Activities
Imagine not performing the simplest tasks, such as removing clothes, moving, lifting, or holding any object. These functions are often undermined; it becomes challenging to come to terms in everyday life if we cannot perform them. Even if you don’t have any symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, some of the activities that can trigger or lead to the condition are:
- Constant use of keyboard for work, recreational, or any other purpose
- Repetitive hand movements
- Strong gripping
- Awkward hand positions
- Any stress on the palm
If your hand is numb or painful and hampers your everyday activities, such as even lifting your hand, then think how hard it can be for you to deal with it. It can affect your daily tasks and overall life. If the condition is not treated on time, it can cause permanent damage. If you are experiencing any symptoms, you should schedule a consultation with FORM Hand Therapy as an early diagnosis can help treat your case. Proper rest, wrist brace, and other options can help. Get early care and avoid invasive treatments like surgery. Your symptoms, such as numbness and tingling, could become permanent without treatment. Remember, it is easier to treat carpal tunnel syndrome when diagnosed on time. We will thoroughly examine your medical history or physical activity to understand if your pain is due to another condition such as arthritis or injury. Do a physical exam of your hands, arms, shoulders, and neck, and examine your wrist to see if it is swollen, tender, or discolored. We will check each finger to determine if you’ve lost sensation and strength of muscles in your hand. Then may recommend some tests on the median nerve such as Tinel’s Sign, Phalen’s Maneuver, two-point discrimination test, nerve conduction velocity test, electromyogram, ultrasound, x-ray, MRI, or other lab tests. Based on the assessment, we will help you take the first step on the road to recovery.
You may contact us at (510) 350-3030 to schedule an appointment today.
