Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful hand condition. It occurs when the tendons in your wrist outgrow a space on the palm side of your wrist, called carpal tunnel. This causes compression that builds up around the main nerve in the wrist, called the median nerve.
The pressure around the median nerve causes wrist pain. The pain can travel up to the forearm, arm, and even neck and shoulders. Numbness and tingling in fingers are also common symptoms of the condition. Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause daily activities to become difficult to perform since it may cause weakness in your hand, which makes it hard to grab objects. It can also cause severe pain during the night, which may prevent getting a good night’s sleep.
But what causes this painful hand condition? Usually, no single factor is behind carpal tunnel syndrome. However, there are certain conditions and activities that can put you at a higher risk of developing it.
Wrist injuries you’ve suffered in the past can increase the probability of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. The previous injury may have changed the space in the carpal tunnel and made it harder for the tendons to run through it. It may also have added pressure to the median nerve. These factors can expose you to developing carpal tunnel syndrome. In addition to previous injuries, certain conditions can also put you at a higher risk. These include nerve damaging illnesses, tumors or ganglion cysts on the wrist, obesity, and inflammatory illnesses, like rheumatoid arthritis.
Furthermore, certain activities that involve intensive use of the hands or repetitive motions may also contribute to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. These activities can include knitting, gardening or playing video games. Women are generally at a higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. This may be partly due to the fact that the carpal tunnel is usually narrower for women. The fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause can also increase the likelihood of developing a carpal tunnel syndrome.
The diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome needs to be made by a hand specialist in order to find the right course of treatment. The treatment options can be non-surgical, such as medication and splints, or surgical, such as the Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release, a no-stitch procedure in which the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas are pioneers in.
If you are experiencing wrist or hand pain, you need to visit a hand specialist. The sooner you seek help, the sooner you will be able to live without pain again. Make an appointment with the Hand Surgery Specialists of Texas today!
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