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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Causes and Treatments
What Is The Carpal Tunnel?
Carpus is the medical term referring to the wrist. The carpal tunnel is the
passage for the major nerve in the wrist (the median nerve) and the tendons in
the wrist formed by the ligament of the wrist and the carpal bones. The median
nerve passes through the carpal tunnel to innervate the hand and fingers.
What Can Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
In carpal tunnel syndrome, the median nerve is compressed as it passes
through the canal made by the wrist bones and the ligament of the wrist. The
nerve may be compressed or trapped in its path due to joint changes in
rheumatoid arthritis or other systemic diseases. In most cases, however,
inflammation of the tendons and tissues of the wrist which causes the syndrome
is not associated with systemic illness.
How Can I Tell If I Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
The majority of patients affected by this syndrome are middle-aged women. The
usual symptoms are pricking numbness and pain which is most prominent in the
first three fingers, the thumb, and the palm. This pain comes on especially
during the night and is relieved by shaking the hand. Aching may accompany the
numbness and extend up the arm. In late cases, there mav be wasting of the hand
and finger muscles innervated by the median nerve.
What Can I Do To Ease the Pain Temporarily?
Place the hand in the neutral non-flexed position and avoid bending the
wrist.
If you have pain that may be associated with this syndrome, apply an ice
pack or cold compress to the wrist to help reduce any inflammation and thereby
decrease the pain. Use the compress for 20- to 30-minute periods with at least a
30-minute interval between each application.
If you have chronic pain, apply moist heat to the wrist. Use the heat for
20-minute periods with at least a 30-minute interval between each application.
Here are some recommended products for both moist heat and cold therapy
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