Carpal Tunnel, A Common but Treatable Ailment

Jul 29
09:26

2011

Andrea Avery

Andrea Avery

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Carpal tunnel syndrome can become a dangerous problem if not properly identified. This article will discuss how to avoid being permanently injured by carpal tunnel.

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A repetitive strain injury or known sometimes as RSI,Carpal Tunnel, A Common but Treatable Ailment Articles is an injury that comes about with repetitive movement and physical stress. One of the most common is the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Visiting the doctor is the only way you will know for sure if you have this since some of the symptoms can mimic or refer to other conditions.

The name Carpal Tunnel refers to the small tunnel found on the inside of your wrist. Here there are ligaments, the median nerve and blood vessels. What happens is the ligaments are worked too hard, they begin to swell and this puts the pressure on the median nerve. This is the area in between the bones of your wrist and the ligament. This seems to be happening to many people now. In the past it was primarily related to pregnancy or arthritis.

Now that many people make their living using the computer, there has been an increase in these symptoms of Carpal Tunnel. Those who spend much of their day doing repetitive movements of the wrist are noticing that they are feeling numbness and irritation in this area. Woman are more inclined to develop this. The best advise is to work in moderation if you can and take frequent breaks. Many people have started to wear splints to keep the area straight.

To help you feel better, it is recommended to switch hands as much as possible to avoid the Carpal Tunnel symptoms and stretch as much as possible. Without taking a break and resting, the irritation can turn to sharp pain and the situation can grow progressively worse. It may become difficult to grasp items with the hurting hand. Seeing a doctor right away can help you avoid any permanent damage. It is normally suggested to rest the wrist for a few weeks in order not to weaken further and make the symptoms any worse.

The doctor will find the cause of the pain and rule out other possibilities first. Sometimes he will prescribe anti inflammatory drugs or possibly diuretics to help with the Carpal Tunnel. They may decide to do an electrodiagnostic test to check the speed of the nerves. If nothing else seems to help after six months of symptoms, the doctor may decide to do a surgical procedure and cut the band of tissue that is around the wrist so the pressure is reduced.

There are many good ideas to help care for each other in the work place. One of the best is to rotate jobs among the different workers whenever possible. Scientist are doing research and there have been clinical trials designed. Changing some work habits and following some of the other suggestions offered by your doctor can help you to maintain and avoid having a surgical treatment.

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