Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome affects about three out of every 100 people in the United States although some would say this is a low number. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition where the median nerved is compressed at the wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that may be caused by repeatedly performing stressful motions with your hand or holding your hand in the same position for long periods of time. This injury may result in numbness, weakness, tingling or general wrist pain. In worse case scenarios it may cause muscle atrophy in the hand and fingers.

The carpal tunnel receives its name from the eight bones in the wrist (called carpals), which form a tunnel-like structure. The tunnel is filled with flexor tendons, which control finger movement, the median and ulnar nerves and blood vessels. Repetitive flexing and extension of the wrist may cause a thickening of the protective sheaths that surround each of the tendons. The swollen tendon sheaths apply increased pressure on the median nerve and produce the wrist pain associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The dominant hand is usually affected first and produces the most severe pain. Usually Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects only one hand but it can affect both at the same time.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome became well known to the public in the 1990's because of the increase of office jobs . The occupations that have reported the most cases are operators ( keyboard), fabricators, laborers and technical, sales, and administrative support. Frequent computer use doesn't cause carpal tunnel syndrome, though it may worsen your symptoms. Several studies have found no relationship between computer use of up to seven hours a day and risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Women are three times more likely to develope Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, perhaps because the carpal tunnel itself may be smaller in women than in men. People with diabetes or other metabolic disorders that directly affect the body's nerves, and make them more susceptible to compression, are also at high risk. Smoking is another possible risk factor, because it may affect blood flow to the median nerve. Obesity also increases your risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Studies have found more than twice as many carpal tunnel syndrome cases among the obese as among those with average weights.

To prevent workplace-related carpal tunnel syndrome, workers can do on-the-job conditioning, perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, wear splints to keep wrists straight, and use correct posture and wrist position.