You may first notice it as tingling or pins and needles in your thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. Your hand may feel weaker than usual, and you may even drop objects.
Perhaps you’re woken at night with pain in your hand that’s relieved by shaking, hanging or massaging the hand. The pain may even involve your arm and shoulder, and you can experience darting pains from the wrist.
These are all common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
What’s a carpal tunnel?
The carpal tunnel is a space in the wrist surrounded by wrist bones and by a rigid ligament that links the bones together. The median nerve runs through the narrow carpal tunnel. If any swelling occurs, the large median nerve can easily be compressed, causing symptoms of CTS.
Swelling in the wrist can occur during pregnancy, with medical conditions including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid imbalance, and as a result of repetitive hand movements common in many occupations. The tendons in the carpal tunnel can become irritated and inflamed by awkward postures, strong gripping, mechanical stress on the palm, vibration, or repetitive hand movements.
What about keyboard work?
A possible link between CTS and keyboard or computer use is now considered doubtful, with most reviews finding no consistent evidence to support that extensive computer use is a risk factor.
However, keyboards can cause any pain or strain in the hand and wrist, and symptoms can come from elsewhere along the median nerve. Its not to say that computer keyboard use doesn’t cause disorders of the arm, but is doesn’t cause carpal tunnel syndrome.
How to treat CTS.
You can’t work through carpal tunnel syndrome.
Despite pain and stiffness being initially mild, they can increase until your hand hurts all the time, and you can suffer permanent damage if the cause is not addressed.
Treatment includes rest, anti-inflammatory drugs, cold packs or a splint. Certain medications can also help to reduce the swelling.
If symptoms are severe, surgery may be necessary, but should not be the first choice of treatment.
Source: safetyandhealthmagazine
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