People living with carpal tunnel syndrome often experience tingling, numbness and other symptoms in their hands and arms. It occurs when a nerve is compressed in the carpal tunnel, which is a narrow passageway on the palm-side of your wrist. Contributing factors include: your hand’s anatomy, certain health problems and possibly repetitive hand motions. While carpal tunnel causes uncomfortable symptoms, proper treatment often restores normal hand and wrist function and relieves symptoms.
What Are Some Symptoms?
Typically, symptoms start gradually and then increase over time. In the beginning, you may only notice slight numbness or tingling in your thumb or other fingers that comes and goes. However, as carpal tunnel progresses, you may notice an increase in symptoms as well as wrist or hand pain.
Common Carpal Tunnel Symptoms include:
- Tingling or numbness – You may experience numbness or tingling in your thumb, middle fingers or index finger, but not in your pinky finger. Some people may feel the sensation of an electric shock as well. You may notice these sensations travel up your wrist and into your arm when you are holding certain things, like a phone or book. In addition, these sensations may wake you up from sleep. As carpal tunnel progresses, the tingling may feel more constant.
- Weakness – You may feel weakness in your hand or have a tendency to drop things. This may occur as a result of the numbness or weakness in your thumb’s pinching muscles.
What Causes It?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve goes from your forearm through a passageway in your wrist called the carpal tunnel to your hand. It provides nerve signals and feeling to your palm, thumb and fingers (except your little finger).
When the median nerve has pressure on it, carpal tunnel syndrome may occur. Typically, there isn’t one single cause for carpal tunnel syndrome. Instead, it’s usually a result of a variety of causes.
How Is Carpal Tunnel Diagnosed?
To accurately diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome, your doctor will likely take a detailed medical history, perform a physical exam and send you for other tests.
These tests may include X-rays to rule out fractures or arthritis, an electromyogram to measure tiny electrical discharges of muscles and a nerve conduction test to see if the electrical impulses of the median nerve are slowed in the carpal tunnel.
How Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treated?
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the severity of your symptoms. Some doctors may prescribe NSAIDs or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain and inflammation. In addition, your doctor may want to inject the area with a corticosteroid to relieve pain. Your doctor may send you to see an occupational therapist to help you learn ways to manage carpal tunnel syndrome.
If your carpal tunnel syndrome is severe or doesn’t respond to other treatments, your doctor may recommend surgery. The main goal of surgery is to relieve pressure on the median nerve by cutting the ligament that’s pressing on it. Your doctor will refer you to a specialist in hand surgery to perform the surgery.
If you’re having tingling, numbness or weakness in your hands, it’s important to tell your doctor. You and your doctor will work together to develop the right treatment plan for you.
If you are experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms, try these 7 Carpal Tunnel Exercises for Pain Relief.
Carpal Tunnel Treatment with Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) – Devices like ML-380 or B-Cure uses the LLLT (suggested by Jim)
“Don’t allow the medical association to fool you again. They always do that to make more money off of you… I use the ML-830 light to heal people of pain and Carpal Tunnel. It’s non-invasive therapy. $20 bucks and up.” Suggestion by Jim
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) was discovered in the late 1960s, but only in recent times has it been widely applied in dermatology.
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is on Wikipedia – 69 references about LLLT.
Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT): What it is, how it is applied and an overview of the research.
- ML-830 Cold Laser Therapy (LLLT) OR B-CURE Therapy (LLLT):
- Mechanism: it uses low-level lasers to stimulate cellular function. It is often referred to as “cold” laser therapy or LLLT because it doesn’t produce heat during the process.
- Application: It is used for various purposes, including pain management, chronic joint disorders, tissue repair, carpal tunnel and reducing inflammation. It’s commonly employed in physiotherapy, dermatology and sports medicine.
- Penetration: LLLT penetrates the skin and is believed to have positive effects on cellular processes, promoting healing and reducing pain.
Do you have any additional surprising ways to treat carpal tunnel?
Sound off in the comments below!
Good info!
I get sudden pains in my hands for no reason at all could be as simple as pulling up my fly or a shot of pain walking the dog what ever way rap i the lead around my wrist and its sore started about five years ago it as very bad around oct 2 dec no trouble till last night drying a plate
Few years back, between 2005 and 2007 I was diagnosed that I have carpal
tunnel in both hands, the pain was very strong, that I opted to have surgery.
my doctor at UCSD sent me to the surgeon who operated on the right hand.
The pain was gone within couple of days. Now I am ready to follow up on the
left hand, all the therapy and exercise did not help me.
I believe that surgery is the only remedy if your pain is unbearable.
this is my case.
There are alternatives to surgery and pain. I’m a cold Laser therapist. I use the ML-830 light to heal people of pain and Carpal Tunnel. It’s non-invasive therapy. It works folks, for temporary relief of minor muscle and joint pain and stiffness, and arthritis. AND… don’t allow the medical association to fool you again. They always do that to make more money off of you. Treatment for cold laser from 20 bucks and up. End of story. All it does is stimulate the metabolism to circulate and cause the blood to flow around. get it? Read mote technical stuff on your own. Read up.