Feb 27, 2024
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that affects one of the
primary nerves in the wrist area. The carpal tunnel is a narrow
passageway surrounded by bones and ligaments on the palm side of
the hand. The leading cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is extra
pressure on the median nerve at the wrist inside the tunnel. The
extra pressure can come from swelling or inflammation of the
contents inside the tunnel. Carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms include
wrist pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness.
To better understand carpal tunnel syndrome and how to ease it,
it’s essential to start by understanding the risk factors that
increase the chances of irritation or damage to the median nerve.
They include:
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Anatomic factors:
When you have a wrist fracture or dislocation or arthritis that
deforms the small bones in the wrist, you may experience an
alteration in the space within the carpal tunnel and put pressure
on the median nerve. Similarly, people who have smaller carpal
tunnels are more susceptible to carpal tunnel
syndrome.
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Gender:
Women are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome as compared to men.
This is because women have a relatively more minor carpal tunnel
area than men.
-
Inflammatory conditions:
People with rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions that have
inflammatory components are more susceptible to carpal tunnel
syndrome. This is because they affect the lining around the tendons
in the wrist and put pressure on the median nerve.
-
Nerve-damaging conditions:
Certain chronic diseases like diabetes increase the risk of nerve
damage, including damage to the median nerve.
-
Obesity:
Being obese increases the risk factor for carpal tunnel
syndrome.
-
Body fluid changes:
Fluid retention may increase pressure within the carpal tunnel,
irritating the median nerve. It is prevalent during pregnancy and
menopause.
-
Workplace factors:
Working with vibrating tools that require prolonged or repetitive
wrist flexing may create harmful pressure on the median nerve,
especially when working in cold environments.
Easing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Although there are no proven strategies to prevent carpal tunnel
syndrome, you can apply various measures to help ease and minimize
pressure on the hands and wrists. These methods are approved by
chiropractic care. Have a look!
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Reduce your force and relax your grip:
If your work involves typing using a keyboard, hit the keys softly.
Consider using a big pen with an oversized, soft grip adapter and
free-flowing ink when engaged in prolonged handwriting.
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Keyboard and mouse position:
Avoid bending your wrist up or down. Ensure you maintain a relaxed
middle position by keeping your keyboard at elbow height or
slightly lower.Also ensure that your mouse is in a comfortable
position to avoid straining your wrist.
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Improve your posture:
Poor posture affects the wrists, fingers and hands. Ensure you are
comfortable and not straining.
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Keep your hands warm:
Cold environments may trigger your hands to hurt more. Try to
control the temperatures by wearing warm gloves.
-
Physical therapy:
It helps strengthen muscles around your wrist and increase
flexibility.
It’s essential to ensure you get diagnoses and treatment to avoid
permanent damage to your median nerve. Our chiropractic treatment
will walk with you through the carpal tunnel syndrome recovery
journey and offer therapy sessions and the best guide. Our
professional chiropractors will focus on gentle manipulation of the
wrist and elbow to help ease the pain.
To get more details on our chiropractic practices focused on carpal
tunnel syndrome, contact Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office
in Elizabeth City, NC.