Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that happens when there is compression of the median nerve passage at the wrist. Individuals with this issue will often experience numbness or tingling of the hand/fingers (thumb, pointer, middle) or in severe cases atrophy of the muscles near the thumb.
Individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome often report they will experience numbness or tingling of their hands at night. This is a common thing that occurs as individuals unknowingly curl their wrists while sleeping creating compression. Typically, a person may wake and then after “shaking” their hand out, the tingling will fade away. To combat this, some providers will recommend wearing a night split that will keep the wrists in a more neutral position.
Activities such as a long time spent typing on a computer and physical tasks requiring prolonged repeated movements of the wrist/hand are other potential causes. This does not implicate any activity or profession specifically, just the tendencies frequently found. For some, certain medical conditions and even pregnancy can predispose an individual to dealing with carpal tunnel issues.
An important thing to remember is that not all hand symptoms must be coming from the carpal tunnel. It is possible for issues to be referred from the elbow, shoulder or even neck. This is why a comprehensive examination is necessary to determine the true source of the problem.
The Good News Is that even if a person is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, there are treatment options known to be successful. Multiple studies have shown that surgery does not have to be the 1st line of treatment. They found that conservative care such as physical therapy can be highly effective, especially IF treated early.
If you are someone or know of someone who is struggling with numbness/tingling of their hands, trouble with gripping, or dropping items because the hands feel weak, then now is a good time to ask some questions about how to start feeling better. Click HERE to take the next step.