Early Signs of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
On a daily basis, during your busy schedule, you might not think too much about discomfort in your hands or stiffness in your fingers. After all, you use your hands a lot. It’s only natural for them to feel a little tired or sore. And you might not think too much about the fact that one or both of your hands feels numb when you wake up in the morning. You probably just slept on them wrong, right?
You might be right on both counts. But you might also be experiencing the gradual onset of symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve extending from the hand to the wrist becomes compressed. As the condition is worsening, a range of symptoms can give you — and your doctor — an early heads-up.
Those symptoms include:
Noticeable numbness in the hands in the morning caused by sleeping with the wrists bent —which places additional pressure on the compressed median nerve
Tingling sensations in wrists, hands, and/or forearms which may worsen into periodic shock-like symptoms in the fingers
An itching sensation in the hands, changes in the temperature of the hands in comparison to the rest of the body, and/or changes in the coloration of the hands
Stiffness in the fingers and/or an inability to make a fist
Difficulty with tasks involving small objects—like doing up buttons—due to a decline in pinch strength
Pain—particularly in the index figure, the middle finger, and/or the thumb
if you start to notice any of these symptoms in any combination, your best move is to see a physician right away. Especially if you are experiencing the onset of pain that does not respond to treatment (OTC pain relievers, rest, ice, and/or exercises). The sooner you see a doctor for a diagnosis, the sooner you can start getting relief.
When CTS progresses unchecked, its symptoms tend to worsen, impairing your wrist and hand function even more. It may feel as though CTS pain hinders your physical abilities and rules your life.
Carpal tunnel pain often begins as a mild annoyance, but it can become a disabling problem that makes everyday tasks a challenge. While CTS usually only affects a person’s dominant side, it can also occur simultaneously in both wrists.
CTS pain may be bothersome, but it’s also manageable. In addition to easing your hand and wrist discomfort, these strategies can also help reduce your risk of long-term nerve damage:
Give your wrist a break — Because CTS pain is usually exacerbated by repetitive, hand or wrist-intensive activities like writing, typing, playing video games, knitting, yoga, or weightlifting, it’s important to identify any activities that may be contributing to your problem. Modify, reduce, or take a break from those activities until your symptoms subside. Once you’ve rested your wrist and your symptoms have abated, you can resume your normal routine with care. Regular periods of dedicated rest are key to managing persistent CTS.
Wear a wrist-hand orthotic — Commonly called a wrist splint or brace, this device can help stabilize your affected wrist and keep it in a neutral, well-aligned position. Choose a brace that’s structured, firm, and immobilizing — not one that’s soft, flexible, or elastic. In addition to wearing the splint when you engage in wrist-intensive activities, try wearing it when you sleep to keep your wrist in a pressure-relieving position for a longer stretch of time. Elevating your braced wrist as you sleep also helps ease CTS-related inflammation and pain.
Make ergonomic changes — Wearing a supportive orthotic is effective because it keeps your wrist in a neutral position and takes pressure off your median nerve. If you do a lot of sitting and typing at a desk, you can also apply this basic ergonomic technique to your workstation. Keeping your wrist straight (not flexed or extended) as you work may require you to adjust your chair height and alter the position of your keyboard and mouse. Consciously resting your hand and wrist throughout the day can also be helpful.
Use ice to ease inflammation — Tendon inflammation is a major cause of median nerve compression and CTS pain. If your wrist is red, warm, and swollen — especially following a wrist-intensive activity — use cold therapy to quickly reduce inflammation and ease dull, persistent pain. To ease tendon inflammation, relieve median nerve compression, and alleviate wrist, hand, and finger symptoms, simply slide your towel-wrapped hand and wrist into an ice bath for 10 or 15 minutes a few times each day. Regular cold therapy sessions can be very effective for keeping CTS-related swelling down.
Keep your hands warm — Cold conditions can lead to joint and muscle stiffness that worsens CTS pain. If your hands are always cold, or if you work in a chilly environment, wearing fingerless gloves can help you keep your joints warm and ease carpal tunnel-related pain. Another hand-warming treatment that may help is warm water therapy: Immerse the affected hand and wrist in very warm water for a few minutes, three or four times a day. Gently move or flex your wrist, hand, and fingers while they’re in the water.
When CTS management strategies aren’t effective against moderate to severe carpal tunnel pain, it may be time for a more aggressive treatment approach. Initially, this typically involves anti-inflammatory cortisone steroid injections; over the long term, it usually means surgery.
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