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Tuesday, 24 July 2007 12:41 |
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Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an injury
on the nerve that causes pain and numbness in the
index and middle fingers and weakness of the
thumb. This is very well observed in people who engage their hands with manual work for a
prolonged period of time. These are the computer
users, working with power tools, among others.
CTS is now becoming synonymous with computer use. It did not simply appear when computer came about. Symptoms of this [CTS] had been seen in many professions.
CTS has a variety of causes. Compression of the median nerve in the wrist can occur during a
number of different conditions, particularly those conditions which
lead to changes in fluid accumulation throughout the body. Because the
area of the wrist through which the median nerve passes is very narrow,
any swelling
in the area will lead to pressure on the median nerve. This pressure
will ultimately interfere with the nerve's ability to function
normally. Pregnancy, obesity, arthritis, certain thyroid conditions, diabetes, and certain pituitary abnormalities all predispose to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Other conditions which increase the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome include some forms of arthritis and various injuries to the arm and wrist (including fractures, sprains, and dislocations). Furthermore, activities which cause an individual to repeatedly bend the wrist inward toward the forearm
can predispose to carpal tunnel syndrome. Certain jobs which require
repeated strong wrist motions carry a relatively high risk of carpal
tunnel syndrome. Injuries of this type are referred to as "repetitive
motion" injuries, and are more frequent among secretaries doing a lot
of typing, people working at computer keyboards or cash registers,
factory workers, and some musicians.
CTS can occur at any age, but most commonly among people over the age of 50. It can also affect younger people especially those who are working or any other activities that require frequent, forceful use of the hands. But regardless of the age, CTS occurs more often in women than in men.
Medical science shares the common signs and symptoms:
- Numbness in the fingers or hand, especially the thumb, index, middle or ring fingers, but not the little finger. This sensation often occurs while driving a car or holding a phone or a newspaper, or upon awakening;
- Pain radiating or extending from the wrist up the arm to the shoulder or down into the palm or fingers, especially after forceful or repetitive use. This usually occurs on the front (palm) side of the forearm;
- A sense of weakness in the hands, and a tendency to drop objects. People with CTS have trouble performing simple tasks such as tying their shoes or picking up small objects and;
- A constant loss of feeling in some fingers. Many patients with CTS are unable to differentiate hot from cold by touch.
If you have symptoms mentioned above, talk with your doctor. Be sure to describe the location of your pain to your doctor.
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Last Updated on Friday, 03 August 2007 08:29 |
