Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is not something anyone wants to be diagnosed with, but sadly it is becoming more and more common. Carpal Tunnel is a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the arm that continues down the hand. These symptoms are caused by the median nerve, which is one of the main nerves that travels through the wrist to the hand. When it is compressed or pinched in the wrist for an extended period of time, you can end up with severe pain and discomfort. This pain often gets worse the longer it goes untreated, so early diagnosis is extremely important in treating and curing it if you don’t want to put a pause on your daily life. If caught early enough, carpal tunnel can often be treated with a simple wrist brace or cutting back on certain movements and actions. However, if it is left untreated and the causative activity continues, the damage will only get worse. It may easily reach a point where surgery is needed to reduce the pain and pressure that is affecting the nerve. Carpal tunnel will not get better on its own.
There are multiple theories as to why we are seeing such a sudden increase in carpal tunnel diagnoses. The most widely accepted one states that people are spending more time on computers. Typing on a keyboard requires a certain position of the hands and wrist which has been shown to cause an increase in the pressure that is put on the wrist. This is why you often see people use cushions under their wrists on both their keyboards and mouse pads. Although this small piece of foam won’t completely prevent carpal tunnel, it is definitely a good idea to keep as much pressure off your wrists as possible. Keeping your wrists elevated is a good way to reduce the strain that the medial nerve often has to deal with. While there are other factors that can cause carpal tunnel, such as family history and other health conditions, anything you can do to prevent the disorder is worth it.
If you have been experiencing any sort of numbness, tingling, burning, or pain in your hand and wrist, especially around your thumb or middle fingers, call DiBella Chiropractic right away. If you also experience any weakness or pain that travels up your arm and into your shoulder, let us know immediately. We will do everything we can to get you an appointment quickly and see if you have carpal tunnel. Call us today!
