Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Do your fingers go numb, have tingles or pins and needles in them? You might have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
What are the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Can occur in the thumb, index finger, middle finger, half of the ring finger, the palm and front of the wrist
Numbness
Tingling
‘Funny feeling’
Itchy
Burning
Pins and needles
Pain
Dropping things
Occasional clumsiness
Having to ‘shake’ hands during the night
I have those symptoms! What next? Read on to find out what is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Nerves are the biggest messengers in the body. They use electrical impulses to carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord throughout our whole body. When the nerve gets disrupted, the messages get mixed up. If this happens to a nerve that supplies skin, it means that the skin can feel different - it changes the sensation in the skin.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is when the median nerve gets inflamed and compressed in the carpal tunnel. Carpal is Latin for wrist - so carpal tunnel just means wrist tunnel. The median nerve travels through this tunnel and as it is a small, tight area it is at risk of compression.
This compression disrupts the flow of the nerve impulses, which is why we feel numbness, tingles or pins and needles. The compression blocks the messages from getting through properly. Unfortunately with repeated compression, the nerve impulses can become permanently reduced and may result in permanent numbness of the fingertips.
How is the nerve compressed?
Repeated or constant bending of the wrist all the way forwards or backwards – such as curling up when sleeping
Repeated or constant pressure applied over the carpal tunnel, eg. Gardening tools
Increase in fluid in the carpal tunnel, as often occurs with pregnancy
What can you do to make it better?
The biggest goal for treatment is to prevent ongoing compression of the nerve. It sounds simple - and it is - but is not always so easy to do this!
Sometimes the nerve is compressed while you are sleeping - and you don’t know what you are doing when you are sleeping!
Sometimes the nerve is compressed from fluid retention due to pregnancy (just to add to the discomfort of pregnancy).
Sometimes the nerve is compressed because of the work you have to do everyday.
Not so easy to change these things!
So what can you do?
An example of a custom thermoplastic splint. You can get your favourite colours!
Waterproof splint that will hold your wrist straight to allow the nerve to heal.
We are specialists in what causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and will work with you to figure out exactly how your nerve is getting compressed. Once we know this we will help you to modify things to stop it from happening!
Treatment with a hand therapist could include fabrication of a custom splint that you wear while sleeping to hold your wrist straight so that you cant compress the nerve while you are sleeping. It will also include exercises for the nerve and the tendons that pass by the nerve to get it moving properly.
What can you do at home to make it better?
Adjust your daily activities so that you are not holding your wrist in a bent position for an extended period
Apply ice to the front of your wrist for 10-15 mins 2-3 x day
Use a splint to sleep in to keep your wrist straight at night
Adjust your grip on tools so no pressure is on the base of your hand
Keep your hands elevated above your heart to reduce the fluid pressure in the carpal tunnel
Use a wrist rest at your keyboard so that you are resting the pressure on your forearms and not at the base of your hand