About Safe computing tips about Repetitive Strain Injury(RSI) and other Muscle Pains while using your computer for longer periods of time,Office Ergonomics, Workstation Ergonomics, Ergonomic PC, Laptop Ergonomics and Ergonomic seating. Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS).
There are several ways to treat carpal tunnel
syndrome:
Lifestyle changes. Treatment first involves adjusting the way the
person performs a repetitive motion: Changing the frequency with which the
person performs the motion and increasing the amount of rest time between
movements.
Immobilization. Treatment also includes immobilizing the wrist in a
splint to minimize or prevent pressure on the nerves. Splints that support the
wrist in a comfortable neutral position can be of great value if worn at night
to relieve painful numbness or tingling. This can provide a restful sleep and allow the median nerve to endure daytime
activities.
Medication. Patients may be given short courses of
anti-inflammatory drugs or
injections of steroids in their wrist to reduce swelling. Injections are most
successful when people have mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome as a result
of an acute (severe) flare-up.
Surgery. If carpal tunnel syndrome does not respond to conservative
treatment, then surgery is the next treatment option. During surgery, your
surgeon will open the carpal tunnel and cut the ligament, relieving the
pressure. Carpal tunnel surgery is quite effective at relieving painful
symptoms when the condition involves only nerve constriction.
When carpal tunnel syndrome is just one manifestation of repetitive stress, the surgery cannot be expected to relieve
symptoms that are not attributable to carpal tunnel syndrome. The difficulty is
not in recovering from the operation, but in recovering the ability to return
to work, especially to the same job that caused the repetitive disorder to
occur. Whether or not true carpal tunnel symptoms recur in these patients, many
continue to have pain and are unable to use their hands to any great
extent.
Two useful clinical tests for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome are the
Tinel and Phalen maneuvers. Tingling sensations in the fingers caused by
tapping on the palm side of the wrist is a positive Tinel test, whereas
reproduction of symptoms by flexing the wrist is a positive Phalen test. (Dr.
Phalen created this maneuver many years ago when he was a hand surgeon at The
Cleveland Clinic.)
If needed, an electromyogram and nerve conduction studies, are done to
document the extent of nerve damage. An electromyogram is a test that
measures the electrical activity in your nerves and muscles. Nerve conduction
studies measure the ability of specific nerves to transmit electrical impulses
or messages.
These tests, however, may not become positive until there is significant
nerve damage. In addition, the severity of a person's symptoms is often not
correlated with the findings of a nerve conduction study.
People with rheumatoid
arthritis, diabetes, or other metabolic conditions like thyroid disease may be more likely to develop carpal
tunnel syndrome. These conditions affect the nerves directly, making them more
vulnerable to compression. Pregnancy may also cause carpal tunnel syndrome but
it usually resolves within a few months after delivery.
When chronic irritation occurs around the median nerve, it becomes
coompressed and is continually pushed against the ligament above it. When the
nerve is continually constricted, it can become compressed to the point that it
begins to deteriorate. This results in a slowing of nerve impulses, which may
cause a loss of feeling in the fingers and a loss of strength and coordination
at the base of the thumb. If the condition is not treated, it could result in
permanent deterioration of muscle tissue and function.
Usually, people with carpal tunnel syndrome first notice that their fingers
"fall asleep" and become numb at night. They often wake up with numbness and
tingling in their hands. The feeling of burning pain and numbness may generally
run up the center of the person's forearm, sometimes as far as the shoulder. As
carpal tunnel syndrome becomes more severe, symptoms are noticed during the
day.
The carpal tunnel is the passageway in the wrist and is made up of the
arching carpal bones (eight bones in the wrist) and the ligament connecting the
pillars of the arch (the transverse carpal ligament). The median nerve and the
tendons that connect the fingers to the muscles of the forearm pass through the
tightly spaced tunnel.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve
becomes pinched due to swelling of the nerve or tendons or both. The median
nerve provides sensation to the palm side of the thumb, index, middle fingers,
as well as the inside half of the ring finger and muscle power to the thumb.
When this nerve becomes pinched, numbness, tingling, and sometimes pain of the affected fingers and hand may occur and
radiate into the forearm.
While there are many possible causes of carpal tunnel syndrome, the vast
majority of people with the condition have no known cause.
However, we do know that excessive repetitive movements of the arms, wrists,
or hands can aggravate the structures of the carpal tunnel, triggering the
symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Untreated, this can become chronic, but
when detected early, carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated more easily and
recovery is possible in a few months. Severe carpal tunnel syndrome can also be
treated, but recovery may take up to a year or longer and may not be
complete.