Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is defined as a painful and distressing syndrome that occurs as a result of compression of the median nerve in the wrist. Carpal means wrist, and the carpal tunnel is the name of the tunnel-shaped passage in the wrist wide enough to contain the median nerves and tendons coming from the arm to the palm and extending from there to the fingertips. This area is only large enough to accommodate the nerves and tendons.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is normally seen between the ages of 45 and 65, and it is more common in women than in men. According to studies, the tunnel in question is narrower in women than in men.
It is known as a modern-age disease, and it is said that excessive computer use triggers this syndrome. In cases where diagnosis and treatment are delayed, serious declines in the patient’s quality of life can be seen.
As a result of carpal tunnel syndrome left untreated for a long time, permanent loss of sensation in the fingers and loss of strength in the hand may occur.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Symptoms vary over time. The first signs are usually pain in the wrist severe enough to wake the patient at night. Generally, the patient will feel numbness and tingling in the fingers and pain in the wrist. These symptoms are felt in all fingers except the little finger. In progressing cases, the patient may have difficulty grasping objects. Making a fist becomes difficult. Simple daily tasks such as buttoning clothes and opening a bottle cap may become impossible. The muscles located at the base of the thumb may gradually waste away and become nonfunctional. These signs appear as symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and a physician should be consulted without delay.
Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Before seeing a physician, the patient may suspect the disease. To understand whether there is tingling or numbness in the fingers, the patient may gently push the wrist downward. If the patient holds the hand above the head for one minute and experiences the same symptoms, it may indicate carpal tunnel syndrome. Of course, the certainty of these results cannot be stated without consulting a physician.
If a physician is consulted, a definite diagnosis will be made as a result of certain tests. In one of these, the Tinel test, the doctor applies light pressure to the median nerve in the wrist to determine whether there is numbness in the patient’s fingers. A definitive diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is made with the result of the electromyography test. In this test, a needle placed into the muscle reflects electrical activities on the screen, and it can be determined whether there is any pressure on the median nerve.
Why Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Occur?
Some ideas are put forward regarding the development of this disease, which does not have a definite established cause. It is thought to develop due to excessive movement of the wrist, therefore;
- Excessive computer use
- Spending more time than necessary on handicrafts
- Repeated steering movements due to excessive driving
- Repeated use of vibrating hand tools
- Work stress
- Diabetes
- Fractures or other trauma that may occur in the wrist
- Structural problems in the wrist joint
- Overactive pituitary gland
- Lesions
- Inflammatory, rheumatoid arthritis, and degenerative conditions
- A cyst or tumor that may develop in the carpal tunnel
- Inflammation or swelling that may develop around the tendons
Such conditions can be listed among the causes of carpal tunnel syndrome.
How Should I Take Precautions?
There are some measures every patient should take in order to relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and completely eliminate the disease in the early stages.
These are;
- Not gripping objects tightly and not straining the wrist while doing daily tasks
- Trying to keep the wrist generally in a straight position and not bending it too much
- Avoiding repetitive wrist movements
- Keeping the wrists straight during sleep
- Taking frequent breaks while doing daily tasks in which your wrists are used intensely
- Keeping the hands warm by using gloves in cold environments
- Not neglecting glucose control if it is a condition triggered by diabetes
- Reducing computer (keyboard) use
There are also exercises that may help relieve carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Make a fist with the back of your hand facing downward. Open and close your fingers so that your fingertips face the ceiling (10 times)
- Make a fist, then open your hand and stretch your fingers outward as much as possible (10 times)
Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Surgical intervention is essential in severe cases, but in cases with mild symptoms, resting the wrist, medication, cold compresses applied to the painful area, and the use of wrist splints (at least at night before sleep) will relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and the patient will enter the recovery process.
If the question arises whether carpal tunnel syndrome surgery is risky, as with any surgical operation there is a risk of infection, but as is known, such risks can be eliminated with medication treatment. In severe cases, symptoms that persist after surgery may not be completely resolved. Long-term pressure on the nerves and treatment after delayed diagnosis may leave some damage permanent even if the problem in the nerves is corrected. Since a successful surgery does not mean the patient will recover immediately, the postoperative physical therapy process must be completed successfully without interruption. If carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are observed, you should consult your physician immediately.
