Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may be becoming more and more common, but that doesn’t make it any more pleasant. It is a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the arm and down through the hand. It happens when the median nerve, which is one of the main nerves that travels through the wrist to the hand, is compressed or pinched at the wrist. It tends to get worse over time if it goes untreated, so early diagnosis is extremely important. If caught early enough, carpal tunnel can be treated with a simple wrist brace and refraining from certain movements and hand positions. However, if it is not addressed and the aggravating activity is continued, the damage will only continue to get worse. It may reach a point where surgery is needed to help reduce the pain and pressure that is harming the nerve.
There are multiple theories as to why we are seeing such an increase in carpal tunnel syndrome diagnoses. The most common belief is that more and more people are spending large amounts of time on computers. The typing on a keyboard requires a certain position of the hands and wrist, which lends itself to an increase in pressure on the wrist. Many people try to use cushions under the wrist on both their keyboards and mouse pads in an attempt to counteract this added pressure. Although we know that this isn’t a magic method for preventing carpal tunnel, we can definitely agree that it doesn’t hurt to keeping prolonged pressure off of your wrists is always a good idea. Keeping your wrists elevated slightly is a good way to reduce the impact on the medial nerve. While there are other factors that can cause carpal tunnel, such as family history and other health conditions, anything you can do to reduce your risk is worth trying.
If you have been experiencing any sort of numbness, tingling, burning, or hand and wrist pain, especially centralized in your thumb or middle fingers, you should give DiBella Chiropractic a call right away. If you also experience any weakness or pain that travels up your arm and into your shoulder, let us know when you call. We will do our best to get you an appointment quickly and see if you are experiencing symptoms of carpal tunnel. Hopefully we can help you without you needing surgery to correct the pressure and swelling. Come in today to find out!
