In this article we will look into what carpal tunnel is, symptoms you may have and ways to help relieve it.
Carpal tunnel syndrome caused by pressure on the nerve that runs through a narrow passageway in the wrist. Many wrist flexor tendons runs through the tunnel and if any swelling occurs, the median nerve can be compressed causing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Symptoms include:
- Numbness
- Pins and needles
- Pain
- Swelling in the wrist
- Pain radiating into the arm and shoulder
- Weakness of the hand
Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome:
Include any repetitive hand movement activities (particularly using a mouse & typing), pregnancy and arthritis.
What to do?
Non-surgical interventions for carpal tunnel syndrome include resting the affected hand, wearing a splint to keep the wrist still, physiotherapy or an injection to the affected area to help reduce swelling.
Surgical intervention for carpal tunnel syndrome involved making an incision in your hand to offload the pressure on the median nerve.
Here are some tips to help you relieve the symptoms:
- Place your hand in a splint to keep the wrist still
- Stretch out your wrist flexors
- Self-release through your wrist flexors
- Pectoral and biceps stretch
- Neck stretches
If pain increases until your hand hurts constantly, you can suffer permanent damage if it is not addressed. If you are noticing symptoms coming on, come in and see a physiotherapist for treatment and to advise you on adjusting activities in your daily routine to help relieve symptoms.
