Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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BUSINESS NEWS - What is carpal tunnel syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common condition that causes pain and discomfort in the hand due to compression of the median nerve.

The swelling and the inflammation add pressure to the median nerve and reduces its blood supply. This abnormal pressure on the nerve can result in numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the hand.

In most cases, the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome begin gradually, without a specific injury.

Many patients find that their symptoms are intermittent.

As the condition worsens, symptoms may occur more frequently or may persist for longer periods of time.

If untreated for too long, it can lead to permanent dysfunction of the hand, including decrease of sensation in the fingers and weakness of the hand.

For this reason, it is important to diagnose and treat carpal tunnel syndrome promptly.

What symptoms will I experience if I have carpal tunnel syndrome?

Symptoms may include:

Numbness, pins and needles, burning sensation and pain — primarily in the thumb and index, middle and ring fingers.

Night-time symptoms are extremely common and the symptoms might wake you up at night.
Prolonged gripping activities might increase the symptoms.
Occasional shock-like sensations that radiate to the thumb and index, middle and ring fingers.
Weakness and clumsiness of the hand or difficulty with fine motor tasks might be noticeable.
Dropping objects, due to weakness, numbness, or a loss of proprioception (awareness of where your hand is in space).

What are possible causes of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Repetitive hand use: Repeating the same hand and wrist motions or activities over a prolonged period may irritate the tendons in the wrist, causing swelling that puts pressure on the nerve.
Heredity: Biomechanically the carpal tunnel may be naturally smaller in some people, or there may be anatomic differences that change the amount of space for the nerve - and these traits can run in families.
Positioning of hand and wrist: Placing the nerves on a constant stretch during working hours or daily tasks could increase the pressure on the median nerve.
Pregnancy: Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause swelling that results in pressure on the nerve.
Health conditions: Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid gland imbalance are conditions that are associated with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Previous bone fractures and arthritis of the wrist might add extra pressure over the carpal tunnel area.

How can physiotherapy help?

Evaluation of the type of pain, specific testing of the nerves and, if applicable, diagnosing the syndrome.
Education on condition and activities that should be avoided.
Manual therapy, such as soft tissue release and nerve mobilisation techniques, can also help with symptom relief.
Specific bracing or splinting: We will discuss possible options of bracing and splinting and reasons why these would decrease symptoms.
Activity modifications: Education on correct posture during working hours, positioning of the wrists and adaptation to daily task will decrease the load on the nerve.
Electrotherapy modalities: Ultrasound therapy can aid in improving blood supply to the affected area and decrease swelling and inflammation.
Referral to specialist if conservative management is not improving symptoms.

Marais/Rabie/De Wet physiotherapists in Mossel Bay take a special interest in hand therapy and would gladly assist with any upper limb conditions.

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